IMPROVED FORM IN FEILDING RUGBY

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 112, 15 May 1939, Page 3

IMPROVED FORM IN FEILDING RUGBY

Local Old Boys Defeat United FLASHES OF SPARKLING PLAY The improved Rugby form shown in the match at Feilding on Saturday between Feilding Old Boys and United produced several entertaining flashes of sparkling play which demonstrated that there are players capable of turning on some real Rugby. The local team won the match by 17 points to 14 after a very even game and while they thoroughly deserved the victory a draw would not have been a disappointment because the teams were very evenly matched. The visitors’ rearguard was a tower of strength and throughout a game full of pace took the leather cleanly on every occasion. Coley and Kingsheer were always dangerous and Pike was outstanding in the forward ranks. Of the Feilding team Henry Dewe, Parsonson and Harford responded to the challenging leadership of Jack Finlay whose presence in the team accounted for its victory. The forwards worked exhaustively with Freeman doing great work. The one weakness appeared to be iu Reynolds who was not at his best under pressure. The teams were:— Feilding Old Boys: Reeves, Gowsey, Parsonson, Harford, White, Reynolds, H. Dewe, Finlay, Robertshaw, Scott, Freeman, Wells, Ewart, Rutherford, Black. United: Hughes, Hyde, Holland, Coley, Barker, Kingsbeer, Bradley, Ward, Finlay, Dustin, Edwards, Birchall, Arnott, Pike, Adamson. The home team defended the river end of the field and with the pace on at the outset Feilding fell away to a vigorous attack which brought the play to their goal line through a speculator by Holland. The defenders battled hard for a clearance but the kicking proved ineffective until United infringed and Dewe found the line at the halfway flag. From the throw-in Finlay secured possession, sending on to Dewe, to Robertshaw, who was brought down deep in United’s twenty-five where from the scrum which followed Bradley relieved with a good kick and Dewe checked the assault.

Picking up in the loose Finlay cut in smartly and sent the leather out to Reynolds who travelled up the side line on a great run. As Hughes came to tao.kle him, Reynolds kicked to the centre and Parsonson came through to gather in the ball and register a spectacular try under the crossbar. Finlay had no difficulty in converting. —s—o.5 —0. The Feilding backs were handling particularly well but lost the advantage by playing up too close. Harford broke through with a great turn of speed and Parsonson accepted the pass but failed to exploit his opening when he sent a pass out to Dewe. United quickly gained possession and broke through with Barker in charge. From halfway Barker carried the leather to Feilding’s goal to register a great try. Hughes converted.—5 —5. Reeves endeavoured to check this solo effort but had no support and Barker side-stepped to possess the whole field. A keen struggle midfield followed and some minutes passed before Feilding overcame the opposition. Robertshaw picked up on the halfway line and sent a nice pass out to Dewe who sent Parsonson away with Finlay in support. The movement proved too finished for the visitors who failed to check Finlay scoring wide out. The kisk missed. — S—s.

From a line-out Hyde took charge and made a great Tun to Feilding’s twentyfive yard line and from this point their pressure routed Feilding. Reeves picked up in a dribbling rush but carried the leather over his goal line and from a scrum almost on the line United scored close to the uprights. Hughes missed an easy kick.—B—B. Play continued in neutral territory for some minutes with Feilding working under pressure mainly because the backs were *playiug too close up, overanticipating the effectiveness of their scrum half who was ever subjected to the swift-moving United United took advantage of this and when Reynolds failed to kick as he picked up in the rucking he left a gap through which Bradley surged, backed by Adamson, who sent on to Kingsbeer, who scored rather easily. Ward failed with the kick.—ll—B.

As the spell ended Pike made a great break-away but the defence survived this vigorous attack. The opening of the second half witnessed a spectacular try through the dash of Finlay. The kick-off went straight to Finlay who accepted cleanly to travel fully 25 yards through the opposition before he sent on to Parsonson who carried on the good work with every dash and, on reaching United’s twenty-five, he passed out for Harford to finish off a thrilling and spectacular movement, wide out. Finlay narrowly missed converting, the leather hitting one of the uprights and bouncing back into play. —11 —11. There was a good deal of handling the leather on the ground and twice Feilding were penalised for this infringement and on the third occasion Ward hoisted over & good kick to make the score 14—11 in favour of the visitors.

United maintained a very hot pace but respected the penetrating force of the Feilding backs whose work kept the defence intact. Reynolds was not up to the demands made upon him and gradually Feilding were pressed. Harford relieved with a good kiclc to the side line but the aggressive United forwards pressed on relentlessly and as Reeves failed to hold, Coley broke through but failed to reach the line. A set scrum on the home side’s goal line ended as Freeman cleared and Feilding smartly assaulted to United’s twenty-five. The visitors took possession from the throwin but Reeves saved with a very nice kick and in the succeeding play United infringed and from just inside their tweuty-five yard line, wide out, Finlay sent over a great kick.—l4—l4. A sparkling back-line movement was then staged by Feilding. Finlay picked up in the loose and sent a long pass to Ewart, to Black, who returned to Finlay, who jinked his way through the

opposition to serve Parsonson. At this stage the movement, so full of promise, collapsed as Parsonson failed to make a clean pass to Harford. From the scrum Parsonson gained possession and sent on to Harford, to Dewe, but gradually the visitors regained their lost territory, thanks to the aggressive work of Pike and the dash of Coley. United failed to penetrate and Freeman provided the opening for Finlay to stage a good recovery, sending on to Gowsey who directed a great kick to well inside United’s twenty-five. The throw-in saw Feilding win possession, Reynolds getting the leather away to Harford, to Dewe, who registered wide out with. Freeman backing up splendidly. Another great kick by Finlay hit one of the uprights and dropped back into the field.—l7— l&.

The visitors maintained the pressure and once more came to within striking distance but the struggle ended in Feilding forcing from a line-out almost on their goal line. Another keen assault witnessed the packs colliding with the Feilding goal post and a scrum at this point saw Feilding clear. Both packs of forwards were hard at it and some minutes passed before the home team cleared to bring play to United’s near territory where play remained until the final whistle and the score 17—14 in favour of Feilding.