FOOTBALL.

Northern Advocate, 21 June 1920, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

HIKURANGI v. MAUNGAKARA MBA.

A DRAWN GAME.

Despite the pouring rain on Saturday morning, which had evidentiy been heavier.at Maungakaramea than in Whangarei, a number of carloads of supporters accompanied the Hikurangi players to the former place ;o witness the match between the two senior teams.

A good game was anticipated, and a rattling good one resulted in a draw, neither side being able to oper. a scoring account.

From start to finish play was decidedly interesting, and of a standard which was higher than that set in any fixture yet played this season at Kensington Park. The result has made the competition open to keen speculation regarding the pros pects of all four teams, and the public may look forward with certainty to some splendid games in the second round; in which the next meetings of the teams which have so far produced the ibest contests will be at Kensington Park. The teams were as folilow:—

iHikurangi: — Mclnnes; Taylor, Courtney and Taylor; Hamilton and P. Little; A. McLeod; W. George, MeLeod, J. Little, Pringle, Whibley, Dunn, Cunningham, and Girven.

Maungakaramea: — Woolhouse; Draffin, Yarr and Childs; Bain Fin.iayson and Drummond; Crawford; L. Garry, F. McCullougb, J. Sloane, L. Vaile, P. Carter, Jack Finlayson, F. O'Shea and J. O'iShea.

When the game began, there were two miniature lakes on the ground, but the volcanic soil absorlbed a loc of the water during the match, and although the ball was greasy, the ground was not as slippery as might have been expected. It was wet-day football throughout, but the most remarkable feature was the nippy handling by the backs and the frequent passing rushes.

Luck and soundness in defence combined stood to Hikurangi, as Maungakaramea, after the first quarter did most of the attacking and compelled their opponents to force down no fewer than seven times during the last quarter of the match On two or three occasions Hikurangi were very lucky to secure forcedowns. Goal kicking with the soaked ball was a negligible quantity, and that was a big factor in there being luTseores recorded.

iln the earlier stages of the game the iHiikuranngi forwards hung to their heavy opponents well and beat them easily in the scrums, but later Dn the Maungakaramea pack more than held its own. Jim Sloane donned the jersey for Maungakaramea again and his energy was a valuable ecquisition. Jack Finiayson and J. O'Shea also did good work amongst a fine lot. From behind the scrum, the half, with Drummond and Bain Finlayson outside him, made the team points better than it had been, and the exhibiton given by the trio was equal to anything yet seen in interclulb matches in the district. Drummond's handling was distinctly praiseworthy, and besides ibeing always there in support of his versatile and nippy half, who is easily the best in the district, he made many good openings himself. His defence is his weakest point, and he was inclined to go round too much towards the s'.de lines. Draffin was the best of the three-quarters, though Childs on the other wing played a sound game. Yarr, who had been kid up with influenza was played at centre. On the wet ground he did not show up as well as he has done in former gamee, though he gives the impression of being a likely star if once assigned his best position and given a chance to learn the tactics of his colleagues. He takes time to get moving. Woolhouse played a safe game at full back.

Whibley, of the Hikurangi vanguard will be a.valuable member of the rep. team, and he showed on Saturday that, wet or fine, he was reliable for good play. W. George j played a heady and hard game,;and Dunn and Little also did their fuii share and a bit more. It was to the way in which the forwards—aided by the heavy going making the game somewhat slower than it otherwise would have been —rallied round the backs on the defence that Hikurangi managed to save itself from defeat. Frank Little and Hamilton were the most prominent of the back division, and if, as is understood, the latter intends to leave the district he will be a big loss to hjs side. Both Taylors and Mclnnes at full back,'put in some sound defensive work, and the veteran Courtney was also more noticeable in that capacity than in open play.

The referee, Mr Stan Weston, coatrolled the match in a very abLe manner, and his decisions and judgment in the advantage rules met with general approval. There was far too much talking "again apparent, and some of it was of a kind that will have to ,be cut out, especially when the teams meet before spectators, of whom ladies form a part. Otherwise the game was contested in a very fine spirit, and although hard, there was no semblance of tactics other than clean.

Play was fairly even during th* first quarter, Jack Finlayson looking

like scoring at one stage, while FraiiK. Little, at another, took a mark which might have been worth more to Hikurangi on a dry ground. W. George intercepted neatly once, but Draffin stopped him and recovered the ground.

In the second quarter Childs hud a penalty kick for Maungakaramea. The ball kept low and Hamilton did good work in relieving his side of the consequent menace. The local team had the best of the quarter and at one time, from a scrum near the line, their supporters' hopes ran high, while just on half time George a very useful saving mark, after a passing rush by the Maungakaramea backs wheh had gained to within a few feet of the line.

After the interval Hikurangi attacked and Draffin and Bain Finlayson were to the fore in frustrating it, though McLeod and the Littles kept play within striking distance until F. O'Shea was penalised for offside play, and W. George had a icieic from near the 25 flag, a force against Maungakaramea resulting. The team's half set Drummond going and a lively assault resulted, J. O'Shea again spoiling it by getting caught off-side. Jack Finliayson took a mark in an easy position but Childs could not boot the leather over. Shortly afterwards J. Sloane was nearly a Bcorer when a force occurred after a five yards' scrum in Hikurangi's ter ritory. Just before the change over, a useful mark by Hamilton enabled W George to relieve the pressure to which Hikurangi had been £iibjected.

Only once in the last spell did Hikurangi force play into Maungakaramea's twenty-five, and throughout the rest of the game they were kept busily engaged; defending agailnst repeated assaults. Childs tried a pot once, and Yarr also had an ineffective hut meritor'ous drop-kick from *he field. The Maungakaramea backs thrf-w the ball about in good style considering the conditions, and were ably assisted by their hustling forwards. W. George secured a 'brilliant saving force from J. Sloane. and again Jack Finlayson nearly toucher] down after George had missed, but Little got on to the ball first. During the closing stages big efforts were made by the local team to press their advantage home, and pots from the field, two of which were by Yarr and one by Crawford failed to do the trick, the game ending amid considerable enthusiasm in mid-field.