RANGITIKEI

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 194, 15 July 1930, Page 9

RANGITIKEI

RUGBY FOOTBALL. (From Our Own Correspondent.) MARTON, July 13. Tho Rugby match between the two Alarton teams, Athletic (red and black) and Old Boys (blue) yesterday was a dull display (of the code, except that in the second half tho blues made a great struggle to overcome Athletic’s lead and frequently wore within an ace of scoring. The weather was excellent and there was a fairly large attendance. AlcLennan (Athletic) led a forward dash into the blue 25, where he found touch when lacking support. The line-out saw the reds menacing the blue goal line, but Lyon, the full-back, gathered in the leathear very cleverly from the toes of an opponent and cleared, finding touch almost at half-way. Hora and the blue forwards took play to the red territory and Flora was pushed out near the corner. The ball went back to Lyon, but tho latter dallied too long in essaying a kick at goal and missed. O’Ston got offside just within his own half and Atkins had a shot at goal, but tho ball went wide. From ruck play in tho red half, Williams secured possession with the defence out of position and scored a good try. Atkins could not convert. • Old Boys 3; Athletic 0. Up to this stage the blues had had the territorial advantage. When pressing in the red 25, Old Boys got offside and lost the advantage momentarily, but they swung back to the attack, only to be penalised for a scrum infringement when in front of the red goal. They continued to attack and hemmed tho opposition on the latter’s lino at the corner, until Faulding and AlcOhesney cleared. Atkins led another rush to tho red 25, where, from a line-out, the defence had to force. Athletic hero retaliated and took play well down, Coleman, who failed to get a bad pass, allowing Gronn to get through. A peculiar incident then happened. Gronn touched down a yard from the real goal line and just over an old goal line which had not been covered up when a change was made in the playing area. Tho referee gave it as a try and then changed his mind, realising his mistake. However, the error gave no relief to Old Boys, for Gronn made a dash from the scrum and made sure tho second time, scoring easily. Smith failed to add to the points. Athletic 3; Old Boys 3.

The reds repeated the forward dash and by superior scrum work got to the blue 25. From ruck play hero, McChesncy, Dawbin and Gronn took the ball over the goal lino in bounces and in one of the latter the ball beat them when a try seemed certain; the loather went “dead.” Seconds afterwards Ledingham, who had just como on for Athletic, got possesion on the wing and put in an excellent burst of speed to score at the corner. He .failed to convert his try. Athletic 6; Old Boys 3.

O’Sten, from what appeared to be an offside position, got tho ball at his toes and menaced the blue goal, but knocked on. Then Dawbin got offside and the blues were relieved. Old Boys dashed up in a forward rush, repeated knocks-ion passing unnoticed, until Duncan got to the rod 25 line. The defenders cleared from the serum, and soon afterwards gained a lot of ground through a blue player getting offside, but, when in a scoring position, got offside themselves. Another free kick to the blues saw them find touch on the red 25 line, but Dickson hero got offside. Play of this nature did not go down well with the spectators, repeated advantages being lost. The reds got offside at halfway and Love had a kick at goal, but the distance was too much for him. In the second spell exchanges of long kicks between the opposing backs characterised play for a time. Atkins, Barton and Trotter made a good passing rush to' the red 25, where Trotter was pushed out. By hard work the defenders dribbled clear, but Love found touch at the red 25 with his return. The blue team then played strenuous football to a man, the reds repeatedly having to find touch with only a few yards advantage. Dawbin lay too long on the ball a few yards from the touch line in his own 25, but Love, who took the free kick found tho angle too sharp. Play became ragged for several minutes, then tho reds brilliantly converted defence into attack, O’Sten finding touch at the blue corner. From the lineout Archer got possesion and sent away Ledingham and AlcChesney, the latter scoring near the flag. Ledingham converted with a good kick. Athletic 11; Old Boys 3.

Coleman put in a punt from midfield and Duncan followed it up to bustle Smith, the red full-back, the ball going out at the 25 lino. Hero Barton almost got through to score and could have done so on his own, but he passed after tho defence had been drawn. In a melee which followed, Atkins got the ball and attempted to kick a goal, but the leather was too low. A free kick was given to the blues for offside and Atkins just missed goaling. The reds got offside again, but no advantage accrued from Atkins’s kick. Seconds later Hamer found touch at the red corner and Love repeated the kick with a return from the line-out. The blues had the upper hand of their opponents at this stage. Dickson made a fruitless attempt to goal from another free kick awarded against the reds for offside. The blues continued to press, until . Ledingham brought off a splendid mark near his own goal. Old Boys kept up the pressure and time and again almost scored, but lacked finish. The reds twice had to force. Uru played the ball on tho ground while lying near his goal mid Love easily scored from the free kick, making the scores: — Old Boys 6, Athletic 11.

Dickson appeared to have scored a few minutes later, near the call of time, but a force down was ruled. The blues pressed until the final whistle, but could not overhaul their opponents. Air B. Ulston refereed. The game was noteworthy for tho great number of infringements on both sides, particularly offside tactics.