YESTERDAY'S SPORTS.

North Otago Times, 20 July 1917, Page 2

YESTERDAY'S SPORTS.

/ i JUNIOR FLAG COMPETITION.;; • ■ : Glorious fine weather prevailed yesterday aftcrnoqn, when the second round of the North.Otitgo Rugby Sub-Union's Junior Flag ' Competition was ' com-.-liienccd.' The southern • side of ■ King George's Park was. still greasy,' with water at each end.

ATHLETIC (20) .v. TELEGRAPH .. '■ ' GALLERY (10). This game.was contested in four spells of -twenty 'minutes- each. . After some open play the ball was kicked across the Gallery line, and Smart, beating throe opponents, registered the first try, wide out. Mansell was" unsuccessful with the' Shot. -'With .thc|;. sun behind them. Gallery Clarke, Mansell, and McCombie doing effective defensive work,'-Good line kicks by Mansell sent play to neutral ground, and McCombie■ gathering in the ball neatly, beat all opposition, and scored close to the goal pests, This shot was also futjje. After some give-and-take play in the third quarter, the ball was taken close to Gallery goal-line, and'Gilchrist, picking up in a scramble, dropped across, Mansell adding the additional points with a good kick. Shortly afterwards, Mc'C'umliic repeated his previous performance, and notched another try. 'During the last twenty minutes Athletic did .most of the.attacking; Madigi'.n being credited with a couple of tries, neither of which were enhanced, the- game ending:— Athletic 20 Gallery 0 Mr W. CouuclJ was referee. EXCELSIOR (0) v. OLD BOYS (6).. There was an appreciable increase in the number of spectators when the above teams, took up their positions in the field promptly to time. In spite of the sun, Excelsior at once took hostilities to the lied and Blacks' quarters, but the attack fizzled out, through Winsley mis-judging a pass by Taylor, and the lied and Black forwards rushed play to mid-lield. Heavy work by the forwards in the vicinity of the ■ Old Boys' twenty-five mark followed, An injudicious kick by Robins, enabled the Red and Blacks to set up a counterattack, the chances to score being' further, enhanced by an infringement by an Excelsior player in close proximity to his goal-line, but Mtircell was unequal to the occasion. Hopiey, taking cleanly from a line-out, relieved the tension. After a succession of line-outs, play being on Excelsior's side of the half-way, Towuscnd got the oval, beating several opponents, and transferred to Brinkman, who in turn sent along to 1 Rooncy, the latter getting over the line. The shot was futile. Old Boys .. : 3 Excelsior 0

Oil 'resuming, Jlopley headed.a determined Blue audi Black rush well up the paddock, Robins made a good attempt to (urn a centreing kick by Winsley to good account, but without success, and Old Boys forced, The Blue and Blacks were now making great efforts to score, the defence being nearly broken on more than one occasion, but for a time all attempts to get through were frustrated, both Mollison and Robertson defending solidly, Eventually Taylor started a passing bout, which culminated with F,' Brooker scoring neatly in a good position, ' The kick failed. Oid Hoys a Excelsior ;i

The score was unaltered when halftime was called a few minutes later. With Ihe sun behind llicm the Excelsior lads were quickly ou the aggressive, their opponents having a warm time repelling the onslaught, lasting for about ten minutes. Winsley then got away with a clear field in front of'him, but was called back.. From a line-out Fleming and one of the Camerons changed the venue of play to well past mid-way, and the Reds gained further ground through-Robins attempting to get through the fifteen opponents. After an interchange of kicks between Taylor, Molliion, Brooker and Maeplierson, the Reds were again back into their own quarters. A formidable Blue rush swept the ball across the line, a scrum five yards out being the outcome of the mellee. Robertson, coming lonnd the Vriuu smartly, K ot a "speculator" .well up the touch-line. A'l'dne rush, in which llopley and Gibson were prominent, was responded to by a counter-'ii-Ji by the Reds' vanguard. At. about mid-lield Young mis-kicked into Townsend's hands, who lost uo time in getting towards Excelsiors' line, with a number of the latter in hot pursuit, and although a couple overtook (no runaway they were unable to prevent him from grounding- (he ball over the line. The kick was again at fault. Old 80y5....- 6 Excelsior f,

Play now settled in Blue and Blacks' quarters, Townsend getting in effective work for Beds. Prom fast [day the Blue and Black forwards made repeated cf- . forts to break through, the ball making frequent visits to the Reds' end. ' A hurried kick by Macphcrson gave 'Winsley a' chance,' and -the' speedy threequailed, outpacing everything, saved the situation. Tho shot was unfruitful. . Old Boys .. .. .. ; -.. .. G ' Excelsior '..'.... C Old/ Boys now made a final bid for victory, anil nearly succeeded, Brooker, the Blues' full-back, being caught nap'ping, and a swum was formed near the line. Over-eagerness by one of. the Reds, however, nullified the advantage, A few minutes later time was called, the game thus ending in a draw;—: 5 " | Old 80y5...". ~. ,6 '■ Exce|sior ', ,/ 0. Mi I W Onglej wasrcfcice. HIGH &CIIOOL A (10) \ HIGH I SCHOOL B (0) The n itch ,wt\\<en the bo High P ''eol rein)-, ui-, plq\oil on the school g cm Is uiidei conditions not conducive/

to' excellent, jnueh football, 't several sinull patches of the field 'being under water. Tho teams o'pposing each other could not be said to be representative of the School A and B teams, Several players have been indisposed,'thVß team being reinforced at the expense of A, while the latter's depleted team had to be content with one or two tliird-gradc players. Howover, the game was characterised by much animation, pai Ocularly on the part of A team, who seemingly outclassed their' opponents, and for tho major part of Iho contest kept the ball in the, latterV territory.. Play was confined to two spells of half an hour each, and in the former- the A team placed several scores to their credit, their combination between forwards and . \ backs proving a barrier to any attacks by. their opponents. • When the whistle i sounded Hill, McQuin, Moorliouse, Smith, and Howclls had scored for the A team, Orchard converting twice. Tho I game concluded with a rally by the B team, in which they carried the play into A's territory, but they were unable to score, and the game ended A team 19, B team 0. . Mr Tait acted as referee. PRIMARY SCHOOLS' COMPETITION, SOUTH (5) v. NORTH (0), ~,• , A good number of spectators witnessed (lie North v. South match in the primary schools' competition yesterday. Both sides, well contested the issue. South school appeared to be in better form, and enthusiasm was aroused by the performance of one of their ."babv" players named Veiteh. Play in,the first spcU proved fruitless, so far as scores were concerned. North were several times unfortunate, the. ball being mishandled by several of their players just on their opponents' touch-line; also an attempt at a pot at goal failed. 'The game concluded with the North school defeated by five points to nil. Mr J. Gerrie acted as referee.