TECHNICAL SCHOOLS’ TOURNEY

Otago Witness, Issue 4041, 25 August 1931, Page 33

TECHNICAL SCHOOLS’ TOURNEY

CHRISTCHURCH v. DUNEDIN

HOME TEAMS* WIN FOOTBALL. Flay ( in the South Island Technical Schools’ tournament was commenced on Thursday. whe n Rugby football, Assoc iation football, hockey, and net ball teams representing the Christchurch Technical College played teams from the Dunedin lechn:eal High School. The weather was not promising in the morning, and rain commenced to fall about the time the Rugby match was started. The net ball match was played in the morning, the visitors winning by 28 goals to 14. The other games were played in the afternoon. At hockey the visitors defeated the Dunedin team by one goal to nil, but the local teams were successful in the Association and Rugby football matches, winning the former by 6 goals to 1, and the Rugby by 8 points to 6.

The only trophy attached to the tournament is a cup to be held by the winning Rugby football team, and Dunedin has now to meet Southland in a match for this honour.

In the evening the visiting teams were entertained at the Empire Theatre. RUGBY FOOTBALL.

The Rugby football match was played at Bishopscourt, where the ground was in a very greasy condition, as a result of which the game was principally a struggle among -the forwards. The teams were fairly evenly matched in regard to weight, although the visitors appeared to have a slight advantage in the forward section lhe following were the teams: — Christchurch. — Wain, Heazlewood, I’restney. Finnerty, Tolputt (captain), Hall, Black, Sheard, Reed, Johns, Bradley, Hartland, Trezise, Willman, Blackmore.

Dunedin.—M‘ Dowell, Pullar, Shaw, Roberts. Brown (captain), Murray, Pearson, M’Phail, Thorburn, Holmes, Brasier, Smith-Palmer, Smith, Montgomery. Greenhalgh. Christchurch kicked off, and immediately commenced to attack, but a free kick brought relief to Dunedin, and the latter’s backs followed up and took play to Christchurch’s twenty-five. The game swung back to midfield, however, until Brown (Dunedin) secured, and by dint of some good forceful play took the ball well into the visitors' territory, where a scrum was formed. The home team then pounded on the Christchurch line, until, as the result of a free kick, the latter managed to break away. Following a good tackle by I’restney (Christchurch), Bradley came through to score a comparatively easy try. being aided by a slight element of luck. Black’s kick failed. Christchurch 3, Dunedin nil. For some time afterwards all the attacking was done by Christchurch, which was showing a superiority in both the back and forward departments, but Brown, who. along with Shaw, was playing a very solid game, placed his side in a good position with a fine kick, and from the resultant play the visitors had to force. Following a Christchurch rally, in which Black was prominent, the home team returned to the attack again, and Biown, after kicking from the twentyfive, rushed through and scored in spite of strong opposition. Shaw’s kick from well out was successful. Dunedin 5, Christchurch 3. The visitors were in an

attacking position when the half time whistle was sounded, with the score unchanged. Shortly after the commencement of the second spell Tolputt (Christchurch) scored as the climax to a movement started by I’re.stney, Willman failing with the kick. Christchurch 6, Dunedin 5.

For a long time afterwards the visitors were on the defensive, and from a melee in Christchurch territory Brown secured and kicked, following up again to beat Wain for the ball and score his second clever try. Shaw failed to add the major points. Dunedin 8, Christchurch 6. Practically until the finish the visiting team hammered on the Dunedin lino, and was unlucky on several occasions in not getting over, but at the final whistle the local boys had recovered the situation somewhat, and the match ended: Dunedin 8 points. Christchurch 6 points. Mr W. Duff was the referee. HOCKEY. The hockey match was played on the Columba College ground, which was in very poor order, a certain amount of water lying on the field. The game was played willingly, and the teams were fairly evenly matched. The teams were as follow:—

Christchurch.—J. Nicolle, E. Cleeve (captain), E. Rich. M. Heap, M. Tobin, J. Small, 11. Williams, M. Collett, M. Reid, D. Woodham, G. Noble. Dunedin.—P. Patton. S. Stewart, D. Kennedy, M. Carter. E. Ellis, J. Hutton, A. Thompson. P. Sturgeon, E. Chilcott. M. Petrie, M. Angell. There was a considerable period of up-and-down play at the commencement of the match, the Christchurch forwards playing a better game than the Dunedin forwards, who failed to keep in position as well as they might. Both sides gained corners, but neither team was able to benefit. Dunedin set up a strong attack, which showed the forwards to better advantage than before, and play went to the visitors’ circle, where an opportunity was lost through the left-wing holding the ball too long before sending in. There ensued a. furious scramble at the mouth of the visitors’ goal, and Dunedin was unlucky in failing to score, but the ball was cleared, and there was another period of uninteresting play. Another corner to Dunedin saw the forwards again busy in Christchurch’s circle, but again the players were unable to finish, poor shooting causing the loss of the opportunity. Towards the end of the first spell the Dunedin forwards improved their game considerably, but the shooting lacked direction. The spell ended with no score on either side. The Christchurch forwards took command of the play in the second spell, but the Dunedin defence was good, and attack after attack was cleared. The visitors

appeared to be standing the pace better than the home side, some of the Dunedin playerg appearing to be very tired. Eventually, the Christchurch forwards got away in a good movement, and D. Wood- ? e . orec l the only goal of the day. lhe visitors continued to attack, but Dunedin played the ball back to the other end every time. Dunedin set up some good movements and gained several corners, but could not reach the goal, lhe slippery nature of the ground made it difficult to control the ball in the circle. Towards the end of the spell E. Chilcott received a painful injury to the face, being struck by the point of a stick. Inis player was replaced by H. Dodd, lhe latter stages of the game were not productive of interesting hockey. The game ended:— Christchurch 1 goal. Dunedin Nil. Mr J. Harris was referee. ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

The Association football match was played at Prospect Park. The recent rain had made the surface very treacherous, with the result that good play was almost on impossibility, though the local boys, who won by six goals to one, adapted themselves better to the conditions. lhe following were the teams: — Christchurch.—Morris, Muir, Strachan, Pegley, Bates, M’Nickel, L. Humm, Smith, Gordon (captain), Fulwood, Briley. Dunedin. —Baird, Duerdon, Pilling (captain), W. Reynolds, Brown, Smith, Howie, Harrison, Stewart, L. Reynolds, Buchanan.

Dunedin won the toss and Christchurch kicked off. Dunedin immediately attacked and W. Reynolds made an opening, but Bates cleared well down field. Brown made a clever run and placed the ball in the danger zone where, from a melee, Stewart scored. Dunedin 1, Christchurch nil.

Christchurch took the offensive, to be repulsed by Pilling, who swept the ball to the left wing, Buchanan fruitlessly shooting. The same player then figured in a touch-line run, but Strachan intercepted his centre. Smith and Briley (Christchurch) combined nicely and Dunedin was sorely pressed, conceding' a corner. Each side then took a turn at attack, but ragged play spoilt the efforts. Gordon was noticeable in a clever solo dash, but the local keeper, Baird, turned his shot out. A Christchurch effort was repulsed by Brown, the centre-half, who placed well to his forwards, who broke a wav with combined work to enable L. Reynolds to notch a goal from a weak clearance. Dunedin 2, Christchurch nil. A Dunedin onslaught led by Smith, L. Reynolds, and Buchanan caused the visitors anxiety and then Brown, by clever positional play, enabled Howie and Harrison to pierce the defence and L. Reynolds again scored from the centre from Howie. Dunddin 3, Christchurch nil. Bates, the Christchurch centre-half, was placing well, but the Dunedin backs were too smart for the visiting forwards, who pressed fruitlessly. Duerdon then cleverly intercepted a dangerous move and sent the ball out to Howie, who, after a solo run, scored a fine goal from the touch line.. Duneflin 4, Christchurch nil. The play was now decidedly in favour of the local boys. Just on half time a Dunedin rush culminated in Stewart scoring. Dunedin 5, Christchurch nil. Dunedin attacked from the kick off, but Gordon. Smith, and Muir went away with a counter-attack to worry the local defence. Christchurch was combining much better in this spell. Briley cut through the defence and passed to Smith, whose shot Baird pushed out. Two corners followed in rapid succession, but Dunedin’s goal remained intact. In the midst of a hot Christchurch rush Brown nonplussed the attackers and enabled Stewart to break away, and he finished a capital effort bj- scoring with a high dropping shot. Dunedin 6, Christchurch nil. Smith and Fulwood moved the ball into Dunedin territory, where it remained for a spell. The Christchurch forward line battled hard to pierce the defence. Baird made a brilliant save from a hot shot by Gordon, but a little later he had no chance with a close-in drive from Gordon, who received it at the end of Christchurch’s best combined movement of the day. Dunedin 6, Christchurch 1.

Time was called shortly afterwards without any addition to the score. Mr G. Faithful capably controlled the game.

NET BALL. The net ball game was played at the Dunedin Technical High School courts on Thursday morning under good conditions. The teams were as follow:— Christchurch. —V. Merrin (captain), A. Templeton, E. O'Callaghan, J. Hansen, G. Nunwcek, M. O’Callaghan, G. Williams. Dunedin. —M. Pockson (captain), E. Buehler, M. Matheson, O. Hambleton, I. Dixon, J. Henderson, H. Denne. The visitors had the better of the play throughout the game, though the home side fought valiantly until the final whistle went- The shooting was accurate on both sides. V. Merrin and O. Hambleton being especially good. At half time the score was 13—6 in the visitors’ favour. Christchurch continued to keep control of the play, and the visitors* jumping was better than that of the Dunedin players. The centres were very evenly matched, and this added interest to the game. The final score was: — Christchurch 28 Dunedin 14 Misses O. Booth (Christchurch) and E. Brickell (Dunedin) were referees. TEAMS AT INVERCARGILL. INVERCARGILL, August 22. The Technical Schools’ Tournament r& suited:— Rugby (Final). Southland 9 Christchurch 0 Netball. Christchurch 24 Southland 13