FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXII, Issue 2767, 26 August 1931, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

THE PAEROA GAMES. VETERANS WIN KNOCKOUT. For the final of the Knockout Competition, the senior game between Veterans and West was a very poor exhibition of Rugby. The day was fine and the wind .was light, but the ground was very hard./ The attendance of spectators was poor and the game was half an hour late in commencing. The teams lined out as follows:— West- Sinnett, Verran, Roberts, Vercoe, Morrison, Smith, Mcßae, Neil, Williams, Laverick, Fisher, Knight, Williams, Johnson and Currie. Veterans: Fallon, Verran, Dean, Smith, Masters, Howard, Arden, Taylor, Stonell, McKee, G. Neil, Patterson, Handley, -Young and Vincent. Veterans kicked off and after a scrym at half way West advanced with open forward play and compelled a force down. Play remained in Veteran’s; territory till a good line kick took play to half way, and W. Taylor opened the score with a good penalty goal. Veterans, 3; West, 0. Dull, unin,teretsting forward play followed, West gaining ground. Vercoe and Mcßae broke away from a throw in at half way, but a forward pass prevented a score. West failed with a free kick and close forward play followed in Veterans’ territory. Long kicking and line play took' the ball to West’s line, where a free kick gave relief. Play ranged down to the Veterans! line and Sinnett failed with a free kick in front of the goal. A series of long kicks and a forward rush took play t o Veterans' line, where H. Verran relieved. Fast, ragged play followed, neither side holding an advantage for long. The play was very dull and uninteresting, and the pace was slow. In the second half the game was little better. Veterans had the advantage territorially till Smith secured and after a run passed to Mcßae, to Vercoe, who could not pass Verran. Play returned to midfield and was still ragged. West was penalised, Taylor sending the ball over the bar. Veterans, 6; West, 0.

Veterans kept up the pressure and most of the play was in West’s end. In the latter stages West improved somewhat and the game became faster. After some tight play in Veteran’s quarter and a fruitless shot at goal by Sinnett, Veterans also livened up and though the pace was faster the game was still very ragged, the final bell coming "with Veterans the winners of the Drysdale Cup for the season. Mr D. G. McMillan was referee. THE JUNIORS. West could not get a team + o visit Turua, so forfeited the match. O,ld Boys had little difficulty in beating East, the scores being 14 to nil. Craig, Pivott and Marshall secured tries, Alp kicked a penalty goal and converted a try. GAME AT HIKUTAIA. The Thames Physical TrainingClub’s junior fifteen beat the Suburbs juniors at Hikutaia by 13 points to twelve. Willetts (2) and Johnson were the scorers for the visitors, two tries being converted, while for Sub-

urbs Smith scored and Veddar converted, as well as kicking a penalty goal and a field goal. THIRD GRADE MATCH. TE AROHA V. PAEROA. Haying been beaten by 52 and 54 points to nil in previous matches this season by the Paeroa Third Grade representatives the Te Aroha Union took no chances of a similar score in the McLean Cup match on Saturday last and matched against the Paeroa representatives a team of eleven juniors, including four representative players, and four third grades. No secret was made of this after Paeroa had won by eight points to three, and the Paeroa team was given a great reception for its feat. THE PAEROA UNION. WEEKLY MEETING. The Paeroa Rugby Union held its weekly meeting bn Monday evening, Mr W. E. Ward presiding over Messrs W. Pearcey, B. Neil, H. M- Shand, F. Knight, J. S. Brooks, A. V. Keighley and D. Currie (secretary). Johnston Cup. Advice was received that the Thames Rugby Union was prepared to play the Johnston Cup match on August 29th. The secretary reported that the ‘team had been selected and the members were training satisfactorily. An Appeal. The loss of a boy’s pair of new black boots, size 7, from the dressing shed during the progress of the Primary Schools match, Te Aroha v. Hauraki Plains, was reported by Mr G. Boswell/of Kerepeehi, who pointed out that the boy’s father was not in a position to stand the loss nor was the Hauraki Plains Primary Schools Rugby Union in a position to compensate him. A. .request was made that the Paeroa Union replace the shoes if they could not be found. The letter was received. Team Complimented. It was decided to compliment the Third Grade representative team on its victory over Te Aroha on Saturday last. Player Suspended. Notification that a player had been suspended on Saturday last was contained in a letter from the secretary East Chib, who asked could a referee after ordering a player off the field allow him to continue playing. In support of this, the writer pointed out that, a few minutes later the referee had ordered a player off for a similar offence. Members asked who the player was who had been ordered off, and it- was mentioned that it had been W. Fisher, but that the matter had not been reported by the referee. It was decided that the suspension be lifted until such time as a report was received. Later in the evening the referee, Mr A. V. Keighley attended and presented a report, in which he mentioned having ordered off W. Fisher, the East captain, for continually “chipping” when on the field after having been eputioned. W, Heappey had walked off the field on his own account after calling on the other players to follow him.

In reply to Mr Neil, Mr Keighley said that he had not ordered a player off prior to this and permitted him to remain. He had cautioned a player for what appeared to be the commencement of rough play. In the discussion that followed it was pointed out that W. Fisher had not been warned to appear before the Union. Mr Shand was of opinion the playershould be cautioned. This was favoured, but several members expressed the view fhht Heappey should be more severely dealt with. However, it was decided that both players be cautioned. Match for Saturday. In view of the fact that the seniorcompetitions were concluded and the junior representatives had to travel to Thames, it appeared that there would not be any games at Paeroa on Saturday next. The secretary was instructed to endeavour to arrange a senior match with a Waihi. team, and also a juniorgame, if possible.

SEVEN-A-SIDE TOURNAMENT. GAMES FOR SATURDAY. On Tuesday the secretary •'•of the Rugby. Union ascertained that it was not possible to arrange a match with the Waihi seniors. However, arrangements have been made for a shield to be donated locally for a seven-a-side tournament, to be played on the local Domain on Saturday next. It was anticipated that at least four teams would be entered when nominations closed to-morrow, and that an interesting competition would result.