Ideal Conditions For Saturday’s League Series

Northern Advocate, 18 July 1938, Page 3

Ideal Conditions For Saturday’s League Series

League

JJIHE SICKNESS PREVALENT IN THE DISTRICT HAD ITS EFFECT IN THE NORTHERN RUGBY LEAGUE’S COMPETITION GAMES ON SATURDAY. No less than three teams were unable to take the field, while an upset occurred when, fielding rather a depleted team. City were defeated 5—2 by Kamo in the senior division. This was surprising, as City wore lying second on the competition ladder, while Kamo are well down on the points’ list. At Hikurangi. Hikurangi ran true to form to beat Takahiwai 18—0, to slightly increase their lead in the competition. Whakapara beat Portland by default, and. with City’s defeat, arc now lying second in order. A bright game was presented before Whangarei fan* at Jubilee Park, when Kensington seniors defeated the visiting Ponsonby Reserve team from Auckland, 13—8. No junior games were played. Kamo defaulting to One Tree Point and Hikurangi defaulting to Portland. In the fourth grade, Hikurangi Stars beat Kamo. Ideal conditions prevailed, all games being played in beautiful weather on soft, but reasonably firm, grounds.

Kamo Spring Surprise

Both teams were depleted through sickness when Kamo and City took the field at Jubilee Park, but City were worse off in this respect, being without the services of several of their leading players. Kamo also put out a scratch team, but had nothing to lose, whereas City, who were lying second in order on the competition ladder, have- now a little leeway to make up through being defeated 5 —2.

City were unfortunate in this respect, but Kamo, on the day, played a better game, and their win was well merited. Suffering from broken combination, neither side was able to turn on good sparkling football, and the game resolved itself into a torrid forward struggle. The game was in the hands of Mr J. Hammond, senior referee from Auckland, who found it necessary to penalise both teams frequently for breaches of the rules, mostly of a technical nature. Thus, there was a liberal scattering of free kicks, but good goal-kicking was not a feature of the game. Had all these opportunities been turned to profitable advantage, each side might have had a cricket score.

Kamo went on attack from the kickoff,, and a hot five minutes ensued on City’s lino, until the home side worked back to mid-field, and then swung away in a bright passing movement, which was spoilt within sight of home by holding on too long. However, L. Payne goaled with a good free-kick from well out. the ball passing just inside the post, for City’s only score. City maintained the pressure and held Kamo in their own territory for a good 15 minutes, but could not complete their numerous back thrusts. Kamo came out of their retirement, and J. Taylor looked like scoring, but went over the dead-ball line.

Kamo were winning most of the scrums at this stage, but the work of the City forwards enabled them to maintain a territorial supremacy until half-time.

Kamo had City in difficulties early in the second spell, and when a misunderstanding between W. Lester and Phil. Child created an opportunity, Taylor broke through and crossed over, but was pulled back for an infringement. Lenne broke away, but, although bowled over, got the ball out to S. Hoey, who had a clear run to the posts. L. Hooper converted. Following up from a free kick by Murray, Payne sent out to Rush, who. however, dived short of the line. From then on Kamo held the advantage for the greater part of the game, the backs staging several attacks which just failed to get there. In the closing stages, Taylor went over from a scrum on the City line, but again crossed the dead-ball line, and no further score resulted.