OLD BOYS’ SUCCESS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 255, 25 September 1935, Page 14

OLD BOYS’ SUCCESS.

COAIAIENT ON THE GAAIE

Having but six of their usual team, Feilding Old Boys faced a difficult task when they met Old Boys at the Showgrounds Oval in the final of the Goldfinch and Cousins Cup. ■ The visitors had four of their members in AVellington with the representative team and several others could not play for various reasons, both wingers being incapacitated. AYith tlieir centre away, it left them with the whole of their usual threequarter line absent. Two who went on the field, N. Penny and Shapleski, had not played this season and Wheeler, Kyle, and AlcColl were third grade players. Old Boys were also minus several leading players but called on their splendid juniors. Irvine and Shapleski more or less held the Feilding back line together, although many of the passing movements were very scrappy in their nature. Offset to that the Old Boys backline did not move with the easy precision that has been seen of them often this season. In the individual work Irvine was a tower of strength to Feilding. The position of fullback was well filled by Gloyn. He did not produce any brilliant play but was to be trusted and took the ball from many a tight corner. His fielding was sure and bis kicking effective. His vis-a-vis, Betteridge, had far less opportunity of displaying his talents ,as the Old Boys team had the better of the attack. Although the Feilding forwards were on the “green” side for a hard ground, they went reasonably well, Fade and Knyvett being the best performers. There was, however, a tendency among several of the forwards to stand off the scrum and that might be attributed to lack of fitness.

Oliver, Hadfield and Evans were the most impressive of the Old Boys backs. Olliver did well at centre and Hadfield proved again to be a good scoring medium, although lie was not faced with very strong opposition. Evans kept with the play and used every opportunity he could to let the ball out. In the forwards O’Dea and Kingsbeer were good workers.