NTER-ISLAND MATCH RESULTS IN DRAW

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6629, 17 August 1931, Page 8

NTER-ISLAND MATCH RESULTS IN DRAW

iach Side Scores 20 Points in Fast Game • .

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. After a thrilling game, played at top >aco all the way, the North and South sland teams finished up with honours •von, each side scoring 20 points. North led 14—6 at half time, but the South team more than made up its _ deicit in the second spell, and until three uinutos from time was leading 20—1/. Before the gamo had been m progress ong. it was apparent that the» teams ;vere. fairly evenly matched. Play ire inently swept from one end of the neia to the other and back again m the ipaco of a minute or so. The forwards on each side never let up. bout played against the wind m the hist [poll. Lively play marked the preliminaries, and in the first three minutes Nicholls kicked an easy penalty g«u, and Bush missed a chance to equalise. UoTth 3, South 0. .. The bustling South iorwards kept the North defending, The attacking backs were fed but could not penetrate the Nicholls-Cooke combination, which was superior to Day and Oliver. The North then attacked and were awarded a penalty, from which Nicholls another goal frota wide out. Ihorth b,

Play continued at a brisk pace, the teams being evenly matched Hart made a great solo bid down the lmo, but was pushed out at the corner flag. The subsequent play was in South territory, though the activities of the North backs wore limited by the South forwards, with Manchester, Andrews and Max prominent. They were a useful force, dribbling effectively, but the line kicks of Lilburne and Cook generally returned play. North was revealing better combination, and their clet cr moves had the opposition guessing. A wonderful solo try by Nicbolls saw him go through the defence from the 25 line score near the posts, and goal. North 11, South 0. Strang then opened South’s account with a good penalty kick. North 11, South 3. , ~ '.Following this, Nicholls cleared tlio way for a try by McLean. Nicholls missed with the kick. North 14, South

3. Just on tho call of half time Strang scored from another penalty and tho scores were: North 14, South 6. Tight work among the forwards marked the resumption, handling mistakes nullifying the efforts of the backs to get under way. Prom a line-out near the North lino Max secured the ball, and his weight carried him over. Strang missed with the kick. North 14, South 9.

Cooke was well bottled up and could do little. A splendid North handling movement the backs and forwards combining, ended with an infringement near the posts. The South forwards were applying their weight to better advantage and were pushing their opponents off the ball. The North wing three-quarters were disappointing, attractive moves frequently breaking down at the end of the chain. The changing fortunes maintained the' interest. but there was much raggbd play. Strang added a penalty from in front, of the posts. North 14. South 12. With two points’ difference in the scores, the struggle became very keen. The South attacked, when clever reverse passing by Allan and Oliver ended in the latter scoring in corner. Strang kicked a goal. South 17, North 14. Hart was fed from the blind side outside the 25 and scored a fine solo try on the corner. South 20, North 14. • Watson received an injury and was replaced by Bullock-Dougias. Ten minutes were now left for play. Lilburne made an opening for Cooke, who scored. South 20. North 17. Then Steere broke from the Buck and fed Bullock-Dougias, who scored in .the corner. Lilburne missed with the kick. The game finished soon afterwards with the scores: North Island 20 South Island 20.