ASHBURTON WIN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 205, 31 July 1939, Page 7

ASHBURTON WIN

MARGIN OVER MANAWATU. VISITORS SEIZE 0R P 0 RTUNIT.IES. Supporters of the Alanawatu Rugby representative team received a surprise on Saturday afternoon when tlm touring Ashburton side accounted tor tiio home team by 24 points to 10 in a match which failed to produce even the standard of play which lias been seen in a number of club fixtures on the Showgrounds oval. Alanawatu suffered an "off” day, but credit must bo given the visitors lor capitalising their opportunities and playing hard throughout the match. Taking the game as a whole, the Ashburton team had a slight territorial advantage, but they secured the major share of the ball iroin the scrums. However, it was not so much from these movements that their scores were gained ns from consistent following up and backing up. Their aide-row men left the serums very last, and I). Harrison, in particular, was always trailing the ball as it went through the five-eighths line, so much so that he was more often than not in the passing rushes. The Ashburton forwards, who were very fit and played with <a. considerable amount of vim, held their own with the Manawatu pack. The visitors’ full-back, T. Behrens, who mi; pressed spectators at both "Wanganui and Wellington, again made a fine showing. He was not hustled: lie kicked hard and accurately and found the line on a number ol occasions well I within the Manawatu twenty-five. | MAN A WATU'S WEAKNESSES. It is probable that the Manawatu players were over-impressed with the i need lor putting up a good showing in I view of Hie Kaiiluriy tmie.d challenge ito be made on August 12, but a a events in few eases did they play awas expected of them. In the ionvaulu 11 M. McKenzie and T. Newman peitornied very well. In the backs I arris, at half, did not have the opportunities of his vis-a-vis, and Thomas stood too far away to take the passes electivei\ at first live-eighths. J. !• inlay, outside Thomas, did not come up to expectations, ami Stewart, although lie piajid well, did not break back to give the covering support usually siipphul the centre three-quarter. Mitchell had very lew opportunities on the wing, n was noticeable that on three occasions in the first spell, when lie might have been given the ball with, possiblj, excellent results, he did .not get it, but it is true also that his handling vi; 6 not as strong as it might have been. L tile was more or less m the sai category in regard to Ins play. ( Buick, at full-back, had an of dav and in the earlier part o the match his display nowhere approached those lie has given in his last halt ldozen club matches He dropped the i ball, failed to pick it up an ' ■ ■ caught in possession, but this can not | be taken as his general play. Latei, fas performance improved. , The ground conditions veto good. The turf was soft but not slippery o muddy Bain. which was threatening, held off, but in the last five there was a sharp shower ot hail. THE BI N OF flay .

The teams were as follow : Ashburton. Behrens. ODonogiuc, Lillev, Bradley, Fergus, Kelly AY I tc, lirooker. J. E. AfcKenzie (captain) .Moore, Mathieson, Newton, Halt, Hai 11 M aliiiwatii.—Buick, Little, Stewart, Mitchell, Thomas, J. ‘ ,ula ' k- p ‘ Dustin Thorne, Porter, Neuman. TeiT.v. R. M. McKenzie (captain), Ah 1J The 'first'on tstnnding moveme.it occurred when White went awa to pass to O'Donoghue. but the , ‘ forced out of play at the twen . -hve. Ashburton were awarded a pel ult> m the resulting line-nut, but kick missed a man also Lu V front. Shortly aftcnvaid ‘ c «,,„t his forwards into a Alan.™ at corner with a nmgi.im'cntly .pKbcd kick A penalty kick lilted tin P e - sure on the Manawatu lme. 1 homas s,hrs„r«f “is other line hut another penalty vent m inst A hburton in the scramble am Finlay made the three points look like Manawatu 3. Ashburton 0. Ashburton let loose several last torward sallies and Fergus of these with a try close in. Bclnc converted. Ashburton 6, ALiimwatu ,5. Idllcv had to receive attention lor a kick o'n the knee, but continued lor tlw. remainder of the game. From his own half the Mannwa i full.hack. Buick, put play bud m Ashburton twenty-five and 1 ' ) L line-out Finlay sent over a hi Blunt field goal. , , Afanawatu 7. Ashburton o. Brooker broke out in the loose when 1,0 gathered in from a mis-kick 6> Stewart and raced away, with Afooic and Harrison handy. Finlay vvas the only man in front of them and knocked clown B rook or-s pass. Alooio picked the ball up, however, and passed on to Harrison. The last-named scored behind the posts. Behrens conyeitcd. Ashburton 10, Afanawatu ... Thorne was unlucky not to score just before half-time. THE SECOND HALF. 15radlev Kelly and Harrison were responsible for the next score in a loose, fast thrust, Kelly picking up to fall over the line. Behrens again converted. Ashburton LA, Afanawatu /. Finlay burled the ball right out to Little, but the latter was stopped b\ O'Donoghue and a little later the ba came again through Finlay, who made a nice opening, to the winger a.nc Little scored well out. Fowells kick rose high in the air and then the wind stopped it (lead, three-quarters of the way to the posts. Afanawatu 10, Ashburton 10. Loose play in the Afanawatu twentyfive became electrified when AY lute sent a fine drop-Kick m lor anothm four points. Ashburton 19, Afanawatu 10. The last trv was scored by Fergus, who shot through an opening to score and then had a bout of cramp. lime was called with Fergus still on the ground, but White had kicked on easy conversion. The filial score vvas thus. Ashburton 24, Afanawatu 10. The referee vvas rAI C. Eglinton. THE CURTAIN-RAISER. The curtain-raiser was provided by the St. Patrick’s and Kia Toa third grade teams. The former proved the winners by live points to ml. Chffmd scoring a try and Downes converting it.