FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4987, 14 June 1926, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

POLAND CUP COMPETITION. P AERO A AND PIAKO DRAW. Perfect weather prevailed for the first local game in the fl ] ’st round of the Frank Poland Memorial Cup competition which was played on Saturday afternoon. This cup, which was donated in memory of Fra,nk Poland, who was killed in the great wa,r, is pl,ayed for. annually by representative teams affiliated with the Thames Valley Rugby Union. The game between representatives <jf the Paeroa and Piako unions was played ?.t the Paeroa Domain in the presence of a large gathering of spectators. The exhibition, on the whole, wa.s a very good one, and the contest ended in a draw, thirteen points being scored by each. The teams were evenly matched, but the visiting backs were superior to the local division. The home forwards played well together, and were in every way equal to the visiting forwards. Just before halt-time V. Carrick, one of the local forwards, was injured, but .after a while he recovered sufficiently to play on ; but on resuming after the spell his place wag taken by T. Killgour. The weakness in the Paeroa backs seemed to be that they were inclined to play too wide, and when the opportunity came for the three-quarters to get into action they were crowded out and could not put the finishing touch to neatly executed movements. The teams were as follows Paeroa.—C. Treanor, G. Wells, C. McNeil, W. Cdldicutt, C. Wright, F. Burt, L. C. Masters, F. Thorp, R. Smith, F. Patterson, R. Shaw, V. Ca.r--I'ick, W. Taylor, M. Poland, T. Richmond. Piako.—Thorn, H. Stoupe, Magill, Towers, Stewart, Arkle, Anderson, F. Goldsbury, Young, Ford, McLaren, Grice, Burchell, R. Samson, Hayes. Paeroa kicked off, Towers returning. Piako carried up, but a breach enabled Taylor to clea.r. From a lineout near Pa,eroa’s twenty-five the visitors wore penalised, Taylor’s kick falling short. A loose rush, headed by Shaw, was nullified by off-side play, and an exchange of high kicking followed without advantage to either side. For lifting in a scrum near the half-way line Pi.ako was penalised, enabling Taylor to place a good goal. Paeroa 3, Piako 0. Paeroa kept up the. pressure until Thorn marked and cleared .to neutral territory. In a scramble Magill picked up the ball, and passing to. Arkle, to Stoupe, what looked like a certain score was missed by the latter losing the ball near the corner. Goldsbury secured from the line-out and passed to Arkle, to Magill, to Towers, the last-named registering a, good try, which Magill converted. Piako 5, Paeroa 3.

The opening of the second quarter saw the home team hard ofi the attack, and Wells had hard luck in being sqeezed out near the . corner. Thorn cleared to half-way from the line-out. For lifting in the scrum the visitors were penalised, but Taylor’s kick went wide. In loose play near half-way a scrum was ordered, a.nd from the scramble Taylor secured and after a short run potted a beautiful goal. Paeroa 7, Piako 5. The visitors immediately attacked and carried down, but Thorp intercepted a pass and sent out near half-way. During a bout of fast, open play Piako carried into Paero,a’s twenty-five, where Thorp and Wells cleared.' In tight play. Smith opened up the gw and passed to Masters, to McNeil. The latter put in a good run before he was collared, but his pass to Wells went out near the corner.

On resuming after half-time T. Killgour, who replaced Carrick, raced in front of the opening kick, and a scrum was ordered on the haff-way line- From a line-out Paeroa attacked, but a nicely judged kick relievedThe home- team returned to the attack, and for some time the visitors were hard-pressed, a force resulting. The home team came again, and another force resulted. Keeping up the pressure, Paeroa again carried into Piako’s territory, where from a lineout Masters secured and passed to Wright, to Burt, to McNeil, who dived over. Taylor failed with the kick. Paeroa 10, Piako 5. From the kickout Piako attacked, but Poland marked and cleared. Stoupe gained possession and cross-kicked to Goldsbury, whose faulty negatived the movement. Paei’o.a cleared to neutral territory. Paeroa attacked ■from a line-out, and faulty work by Stoupe saw play carried into Piako’s twenty-five, but Goldsbury cleared-

In a bout of loose play Piako carried down. A scrum was ordered near the line, and Anderson secured and dashed over. Magi l ! converted. Paeroa 10, Piako 10. Goldsbury checked the advance following the kickHHit and cleared to the line. Offside play by the visitors resulted in Taylor again kicking a good penalty goal. Paeroa 13, Piako 10. Piako attacked with the kick-out, and Anderson gained possession and passed to Stoupe, to Magill, the latter scoring near the corner. Magill's kick failedPareoa, 13, Piako 13. The last few minutes of the game were characterised by fast open play, both sides making a valiant attempt to add to the scores. A scrum followed a, lineout, and the visitors were hard'-press-ed. After exciting play inside the twenty-five Goldsbury cleared. Paeroa resumed the pressure, but Thorn cleared. Piako got going from a lineout, a' scrum resulting neay halt-way from which Paeroa cleared. A final attempt was made by the hope team to get over, and what looked like a score was saved by Thorn kicking to the line. The game ended 13 all. Mr "Shorty” Dunstan Was referee-

PRIMARY SCHOOLS. As a curtain,-raiser to the senior match the Netherton School team played a combined team comprising representatives from Paeroa, Hikutaia, and Karanga.hake. The Netherton lads, who were the winners, of the primary schools competition last year, were far superior to the combined team, and won by 24 points to 3. Mr B. Johnson was referee.

MATCH AT WAIHI. WIN FOR HAURAKI PLAINS. The Hauraki Plains and Waihi Rugby representative teams met on Saturday at Waihi in the first round of the Poland Cup competition df the sea,son, and a fast forward game resulted. There was a large attendance of spectators, and good weather prevailed. The teams were as follows :— Plains. —J. Adlum, C. Molloy, Wilson, Buchanan, Molesworth, F. Nicol, Smart, Duncan, .K Fox, P. Clark, C. Clark, E. French, W. O’Neil, R. McPherson, O. Cleave. Waihi.—G. Tubman, Snow, Brown, W. McDermott, J. Gilpin, T. Ryan, ESaunders, Malt, A. Campbell, J. Craig, Peacocke, Keohan, R. Rolleston, Johnson, Thornton. Plains kicked off, play centreing in the Waihi half for the time, the visiting backs and forwards combining in the attack. Adlum took a long kick, but Wilson failed to take advantage of the opening. After some pl,ay hi Waihi’s territory Gilpin made an opening and the forwards carried play into their opponents’ half, where open play ensued, Plains working ba.ck into Waihi’s territory. From a line-out Keoh,an got the bait and passed out to the backs, who took play to the visitors’ twenty-five, where Wilson stopped the rush. Waihi continued to attack, the defenders forcing. In open play the ball wfent to midfield, and then to Waihi’s twenty-five. The home team 'was equal to the occasion and, breaking through, carried ’play to the other end of the field. From a : scrum on the line Plains retaliated, but Tubman cleared to halfway.

The second quarter opened with several line-outs in Waihi’s territory, until, the defending forwards set up an attack. Offside play by Plains gave them a penalty kick, but Keohaji failed to convert. More close play followed in the visitors’ twenty-five, and strong attacks by Waihi terminated in a force. Plains still, had to defend, and Waihi narrowly missed a score from a forward rush, the ball beings kicked over the dead ball line. A fine passing rush by Waihi was followed by tight play in Plains’ territory. Molloy relieved with a mark, and play went to the other end of the field. Wilson, Buch,anan, and Nicol commenced .the attack, and the forwards carried on to the goal-line,, where a penalty was awarded and Molloy converted. Plains 3, Waihi 0. From a scrum a,t half-way the Plains forwards attacked until Peacock relieved.

Molesworth and Wilson changed positions at half-time, 'apd French went into the front row. After considerable play in neutral territory Cleaye and McPherson headed a forward rush and Clark scored. Molloy failed with the kick. Pla.ins 6, Waihi 0. From open play Waihi was kept on the defensive most of the round, but the full-back was equal to all demands. In the final spell play, opened at half-way, and fropi a. line-out the ball went to the visitors’ twenty-five. Waihi made great efforts to sa,ve the game, but were unfortunate. On one occasion Nicol kicked the ball, put of a Waihi player’s hands over the dead ball line just when he was about to register a try. Eventually Waihi scored well back. Keohan made a fine attempt with the kick but the ball hit. the bar and bounced back in-field. Time was called with the scoies Plains 6, Waihi 3. . Mr E. Smith, Paeroa, was referee. MATCH AGAINST THAMES. TEAM FOR SATURDAY NEXT. The following team has been selected to represent Hauraki Plains against Thames at Thames on Satur.day next: — Full-back, McCoid. Three-quarters, Buchanan, Nicol, Molesworth. Five-eighths, Pilkington, (Otter. Half-back, Smart. Rover, Duncaji. Forwards, Berney, Alderson, C. Clark, Fox, Wilson, P. Clark, McPherson. Emergencies : Taylor, French, Hutchinson, forwards; Molloy, Adluin, backs. JUNIOR MATCH. The following players, have ajso been selected to 'represent Haura,ki Plains in a junior challenge game against Thames : — Full-back, A. Killgour; three-quar-ters, C. Young, W. Nicol, D. Tuhoi ; five-eighths, F. Olsen, j. McPherson ; half-back, Mortensen ; rover, Benny ; forwards, T. Taranaki, Charteris, Tamati, Zeiglar, L. McKerchay, Kirkman, R. Phillip. Emergencies : Carter, Caie, backs; Nicholson, forward.