TE KUITI DEFEATED

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 4723, 23 July 1935, Page 5

TE KUITI DEFEATED

PIO PIO PROBABLE CHAMPIONS.

RESULTS. Hangatiki 8, v. Te Kuiti 6. Pio Pio 16, v. Waitanguru 6. Otorohanga defauted to Waitete. By reason of the defeat of Te Kuiti by Hangatiki last Saturday, the Pio Pio football team will most probably be the winners of the Maniapoto Senior Banner by becoming the champion team of the Sub-Union. For the first round of the competition Te Kuiti held the lead, winning all games, including the one with Pio Pio, the score of which contest was 12—3. This was the only game that Pio Pio lost (they beat Hangatiki 12—5 on the latter's ground), so at the end of the round only two points separated the* teams, Te Kuiti and Pio Pio. When Te Kuiti and Pio Pio met in the second round at Pio Pio, the home team turned the tables, registering a decisive victory by 15 points to six. This brought the teams even. Pio Pio subsequently beat Hangatiki, and the points remained equal until last. Saturday. Then Hangatiki defeated Te Kuiti by 8 points to 6, and, Pio Pio winning their match with Waitangur.u, are now two points in the lead. The only remaining game they have to play is with Otorohanga on the Pio Pio ground, and their victory is most probable. Conditions were ideally in favour of Hangatiki when they extinguished Te Kuiti's hope of the championship. Steady and heavy rain made the Hangatiki ground almost a quagmire and it was out of the question to endeavour to handle the ball. These conditions were just what the Hangatiki forwards require to-bring forth their mettle. Also, 'Te , Kuiti had only a weak team out; McLeod and White were missing from the backs and there were only seven forwards to take the field. In these circumstances the Hangatiki! forwards, noted for sterling performances on their own ground, largely took control of the game.. After a few desultory attempts by the Tel Kuiti backs to handle they were forced to desist, and the game developed into a forward scramble in the mud. Aided by their weight, Hangatiki. gained possession most of the time, and when the final whistle blew the score was 8 points to 6 in Hangatiki's favour. Now Te Kuiti have probably lost all chance of securing the Banner which they have held for the past three years, having won it from Pio Pio in 1931 after that team had successfully held it for several years. When Otorohanga and Pio Pio met at Otorohanga on a slippery ground in the first round, Pio Pio won 11—3.

POSITION OF TEAMS.

THE JUNIOR COMPETITION. UNITED CLAIM BANNER. Waitete defaulted to United, and Te Kuiti defaulted to Mangaotaki in the last series of the junior competition last Saturday. United thus" won the competition, with 13 points, followed by Mangaotaki, 9 points, and Pio.Pio with 8 points. This evening- it is probable that the Sub-Union will make the draw for. the Farmers' Trading knockout competition. >'' :.. DRUIDS MATCH. With ten minutes to go the- Te Kuiti Druids were 10 points down when they met Otorohanga Druids at Hangatiki in a match for the Joseph Cup; yet they managed to secure the trophy by 11 points to 10. At that point in the game Te Kuiti began to handle, Griffin scoring from a good , back movement. J. Barlow followed this up by placing the ball down.between the posts, his brother converting. When the ball was kicked off again there was but half a minute to go. Buckley brought the ball up from the kick-off—several Te Kuiti players handled in spite of the greasiness of the ball, and Gault by a determined effort gained a try" and secured the Cup for the Te Kuiti Druids. REPRESENTATIVE TEAM. TO.PLAY KAWHIA... The following players have been selected by Messrs. J. B. McLeodp NJ Ingpen and F. Wolfe to represent the Maniapoto Sub-Union in their match • against Kawhia. Full-back: Buckley (P.P.) Three-quarters: J. Barlow (T.K.), H. McLeod (T.K.). N. Griffen (P.P.). Five-eighths: K. Cameron, 2nd (Oto.), J. Evans, Ist (T.K.). Half: B. Barlow (T.K.) Front Row: A. Gault (Hang.), T. Brown (T.K.), T. Peterson '(T.K.). Second Row: Craig (W'tang), Turner (T.K.), Trust (P.P.), Pickrang (W'tang). Third Row: T. Davis. Emergencies.—Backs: Elliott (Waitete), Pocock (Waitete). Forwards: McKenzie (P.P.), Marks (P.P.)

P. W. L. Pts. D. For kg. Ch. Pts Pio Pio Te K. H'tiki W'tete W'tang Oto. 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 8 6 6 1 1 1 2 4 4 7 7.' -.- 97 55 - 153 68 - 85 81 - 71 57 2 62 94 2 54 96 18 16 12 12 4 4