FOOTBALL.

Matamata Record, Volume VI, Issue 433, 3 May 1923, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

The Matamata Rugby Union commenced its championship fixtures on Saturday. In all eight matches were played under ideal weather conditions. Thy two senior games were very j closely contested, Matamata and PateteM'o drawing and Walton defeating i Waircre by •"> points scored towards , the end of the game. The scoring i was high in the junior and third j grades. ! WALTON 3 v. WA! HERE 0. | There was very little difference be- i tween the two teams, and play was \ up and down the field. For the first j ‘.lime-quarters there was no score, j and it was not until the last quarter I Dial .Johnston scored for Walton, \ K’uhl'z failing to convert. i PATETKRE 3 v. MATAMATA 8. ' This senior match was played at ’l'i ran before a large attendance. Matamata won the loss and Patolere kicked off against the sun. Cudby returned to well inside the home l(>;un’s 25. From the throw in Wright (Patolere) secured to find Die line with a well-judged kick. Give and take play ensued until Stewart was called on to save with a beautiful line kick. Again Wright secured to pass to Wilson, who cut in and short kicked. He followed up only to see the ball strike the upright and bounce in favour of the Matamata full-back (McGregor), who forced. From Die-' drop out. Rice returned and the Matamata, forwards, headed by P. Colter, made a determined attack, which Stewart stopped by a good line kick. From the throw in the Matamata forward:- again got going, Patctere having’ to force. The change sides sounded shortly after. Holmes kicked off, the ball being returned to mid-field, j whore some hot forward work ensued. ’ Off-side ulay spoilt a promising rush by the Matamata forwards. A freekick to Patctere saw Hethcrington have a fruitless shot at goal. From Die drop out Wright secured, to Wilson to Brown to Rice, and a nice bout of passing was spoilt by Symcs failing to take Dm ball. From an ensuing scrum the Matamata half (Adamson) secured and started his backs movingin a most determined attack, but faulty handling allowed Wilson (PateI ere) to clear. Half-time sounded without either side having scored. On resuming play the Matamata forwards again showed Die public wliat n groat, pack they are, and only for the deadly tackling- of a few of the Patctere hacks their efforts would have been rewarded. From a serum inside tlv home team’s 25, .1, Kcnry broke Dnough to score. Holmes narrowly missed with a beautiful kick—•a poster. Change sides sounded with the score Matamata 3, Pateterc 0. The last quarter was fought with proa! efforts by both sides to score, the forwards playing great games. Freni a throw in close to the Matamata line Quigg (Patctere) secured and dived lo eepiaHse. T-Tcthcrington failed with the kick. Matamata 3, Patctere 3. From then on the game was confined mostly to the fanvards, the whistle sounding without further score, and ended one of the most clean and best games of football seen in Dm district. Mr. C. Seelly was the referee, and controlled the game in bis usual capable style. COMMENTS. McGregor, at full., for Matamata, saved his side time and time again. Mil'ne, at centre, was the pick of tho three-quarter line. Cudby, at fiveeighths, was well below his last year’s form. Adamson, at half, was the mainstay of tho team. The way he got the ball out to his hacks was a treat to watch. Very little can be said of the Matamata forwards, as they all played great games, with P. Cotter always standing out. Stewart (Patctere), at full, played right up to his last year’s form, and saved his side from many awkward nositions with well judged line kicks. Tim three-quarter line was very weak wHh perhaps Batloy to the fore. Rico, ■>t second five-eighths, played well, his chief line being bis great tackling. Wilson, at first five-eighths, played his usual game, also saving his side from many awkward positions. Wright, at half, seemed a little below bis true form, but will be at bis best with a match or two. Of the forwards, who all played well, Briwllc and Quigg stood out. P. Cotter and Quigg shared the honors of being the lost forwards on the ground, with Wilson and Adamson in the backs. Wairero’s weak link in its match with Walton on Saturday was its faulty five-eighths line. Half-time at Waharoa saw both Bielores and Maiscy relieved of their respective nositions, the former being sent to full-back and the latter to the threcnuarter line. Their successors were Rartloot and Brinclle. JUNIORS. The newly-formed Wardvillc and Te Poi clubs had a good battle aV Matanuila, success going to the latter by 1.1 points lo 8. Walton ran away with its game against Waharoa, winning by 25 points to nil. Patctere were unable to put a team in tho field against Matamata. THIRD GRADE. High School 8 defeated Walton 3. Matamata 20 defeated Waharoa 0. At a meeting of the Matamata Union executive on Tuesday R. Bi’uce (Wairere), Mayes (Matamata), S. Martin and A. Castekline (Wardvillc) were re-graded to junior.