LEAGUE CODE

Northern Advocate, 7 September 1931, Page 8

LEAGUE CODE

HIKURANGI DEFEATS WATERSIDERS. NINETEEN TO TEN. On Saturday, at Recreation Park, Hlkurangi, some excellent football was shown In the match between Auckland Watersiders and the home side. The effect of the industrial dispute was very clearly shown at the gate, the attendance being well below the usual number for a good League game at Hlkurangi. The local team were too good for the visitors, beating them at fielding and back work generally, although It must be admitted that Watersiders were unlucky in that their star back, Beckham, became ill with influenza on the trip up, and was not able to take the Add. Apart from this, however, the Aucklanders dropped passes continually, spoiling what might otherwise have turned out to be successful movements. The home side, on the other hand, rarely spoiled a movement through faulty handling, and it was this which went a long way towards ■winning them the game. Another important factor was the almost invariable hooking of the ball by the redoubtable Pompa Wells, the Northland hooker, who raked cleanly from practically every scrum. This gave his backs an enormous advantage and nullified tho good work, to a certain extent, of the opposing forwards, who •were expert at dribbling rushes. The teams were as follow:

Hikurangi. —Full-back, C. Meyer; three-quarters, E. Cunningham, R. Hamilton, L. Lowe; five-eighths, C. Hamilton, C. Ratebook; half, R. Cunningham; front row, A. Steers, A. Wells, E. o’Callaghan; second row, M. Hirtzell, X. Dunn; breakaway, A. Cunningham. Watersiders. Full-back, Waerea; three-quarters, J. Purdy, G. Gardiner, Bushel); five-eighths, R. Purdy, Joy; half, Morgan; front row, Downing, Wragge, McLean; second row, Karup, Hallett; breakaway, Jacobs. Watersiders kicked off against a strong wind and E. O’Callaghan, taking the ball, started a movement which ♦ 1 went through practically tho whole of the Hikurangi backs and culminated in E. Cunningham crossing for a score less than half a minute from the commencement of play. C. Hamilton failed at goal.—Hikurangi P., Watersiders 0. Watersiders were given a penalty in a handy position and R. Purdy only just failed to score, the wind carrying the ball over until it became a poster. At the other end of the field Hikurangi were awarded a penalty under the goal and Hirtzell missed a beautiful “sitter” with a shockingly poor kick. The visitors now came back with a rush and R. Purdy took the ball at toe for nearly half the field, hard pursued by E. Hamilton and E. Cunningham. Purdy was very unlucky, his last dribble curling out a little and thus giving Cunningham the chance to touch down by only a fraction of a second, spoiling what certainly should have been one of the best solo scores of the day. The next score was essentially a Cunningham movement, the opening being made by Dick and carried on by Addle, who sent the ball out to his brother Ted to score. C. Hamilton added the major points. —Hikurangi 8, Wateisiders 0. The next movement was started by A. Cunningham, who opened for Dunn to beat two men and send out to R. Cunningham to finalise. C. Hamilton was again effective with his shot at the bar. —Hikurangi l.‘», .Watersiders 0. This was the last score before halftime. On resumption the visitors, with the breeze in their favour, went out to make things warm, but they were not used to R. Hamilton, who intercepted a pass and then dodged and swerved for half the length of the field to score. His brother Claude took the kick, which started beautifully straight, but the wind carried the ball outside the post. Hikurangi Hi, Watersiders 0. Csing the breeze, Watersiders again came down, and R. Purdy, with a clever cut in, went over near the post. C. Gardiner rounded out the score with a line kick. —Hikurangi Hi. Watersiders

Encouraged by this, the visitors again attacked hard and a series of serums ami play-the-ball movements resulted iu U. Purdy again scoring, this time near the corner flag.—

(1. Gardiner was cheered for his splendid kick from a difficult angle, Hie leather soaring truly over the centre of the bar. —Hikurangi HI, Watersiders 10.

The last snore of the day was made through A. Wells making a splendid opening for C. Hamilton to cross in the’corner. The score failed to add! the major points.—Hikurangi 19, j Watersiders 10. Mr E. W. Taylor was referee. THE CURTAIN-RAISER. GOOD JUNIOR FOOTBALL. PORTLAND DEFEATS WARO. ] A ciii'tHin-raiser to the senior match ' at Recreation Park, Hikurangi, on Sat- ; urday, was staged between Portland ; and Waro, who provided a good exhibition of junior football. ' For a long time the game was very even and without a score, but finally Portland showed a little superior, the final showing being 8 to 3 in favour of the cement workers. Scorers for Portland were Belson and Drownhill (a try each) and Wallace (a penalty goal). For Waro, Cairns scored a try. Mr F. Little was referee. CITY TEAM ON TOUR. WIN FOR NORTHERNERS. ] ELLERSLIE DEFEATED ti—3. (Special to “Northern Advocate.") AUCKLAND, This Day. Poor tackling by both sides marked the match on Saturday between City United (Whangarei) and Ellerslie, victory going to the former by li to 3. The teams were:— Whangarei: Jones, Gatlin, Crackett, F, Jones, Dent, Cross, Shortland, Sirl, , McMasters, Bowyer, Kockell, Swanberg, McDonald. Ellerslie: Bowen, Drew, Boswell, McNeil, Glen, Hickey, Laurence, Calder, [ Arthur, Brady, Freebairn, Howarth, . Hobbs. Whangarei won the toss, Ellerslie L kicking off against the sun. Solid work . by the Ellerslie forwards had Whanga- ; rei defending, Shortland clearing with . a good line kick. Hickey and Glen shone in a bright passing bout, but ; Drew was pushed into touch right on , the line. For offside play Whangarei . were penalised, Boswell's kick going , just inside. Whangarei had bad luck 3 when Jones followed up a long kick . by Shortland, and in a race with ißowen . was just about to fall on the. ball when , Bowen kicked it out of his hands into . the dead ball area. Gaining in Whangarei 's quarter, Hickey set off full . sail for ithe line. Drawing the defence, he transferred to Boswell, the latter being grounded just on the line. A brilliant dash by Crackett down # mid-field looked likely, but Bowen was [equal. A series of scrums followed, . when Brady broke away with the ball at toe, and by short, sharp kicks beat . the defence to score wide out. Calder missed. Ellerslie 3, Whangarei 0. The . Whangarei men were not tackling at all solidly, and this fault frequently brought trouble. A melee on the J ° Northern line saw Hickey held up ( when over the line, and a likely opporr trinity went astray. A groat line kick , by Gatlin placed Whangarei on the ] offensive, but faulty handling nullified , the opening. ‘Shortland went into first . five-eighths, Dent taking his place be- . hind the pack. Shortland was playing . a great game for Whangarei, in fact, , he was the best buck on the ground. A nice dash by Shortland had the tri- ! colours hard pressed, but half-time ■ brought relief, the scores being: Ellerslie 3 Whangarei 0

The change-over saw Ellerslie infust more vigour into their attack, two good dashes by Hickey only terminating with solid tackling by Jones. A certain try went a-begging when Shortland broke away to send out to Dent, who in-passed to Baker, who sent back to Dent. The last-named only had to go five yards, but he elected to transfer to Jones, who mulled his pass. Constant pressure by the northern pack looked fruitions when they had Ellerslie penned on their own line, and Shortland went across, but the referee awarded them a free kick. Whangarei were having a little the better of the game, but their backs were not willing to have a go. At last Whangarei were rewarded for their persistency. Shortland made a great opening, and then transferred to Gatlin, who passed to Cross. He drew McNeil, and then sent out to Crackett, who went across at the corner. Gatlin made a good but unsuccessful attempt. Gatlin broke away, but lacked support and kicked, finding touch near the corner. Solid work by the vanguard had Ellerslie hard pressed, and a scrummage on the lino saw Slrl bullock hi.s way through. Gatlin missed. Whangarei H, Ellerslie ?>. Desultory play marked the concluding stages of the game, play being in Ellerslie's quarter who 1 ;: the final whistle sounded, the score,; reading:— Whangarei 6 Ellerslie .1 Mr A. Chapman was referee. THACKER SHIELD MATCH. <Per Press Association.—Copyright.) CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. Playing for the Thacker League football shield, Runanga, the champion West Coast club, beat Addington, winner of the Christchurch championship, by ]6 points to six,