FOOTBALL.

Putaruru Press, Volume V, Issue 198, 18 August 1927, Page 1

FOOTBALL.

SATURDAY’S RESULTS. Inter-provincial. Auckland 23, Taranaki 0. King Country 9, Thames Valley 9. Southland 19, Wanganui 14. Peace Cup. Hamilton 3, Morrinsville 0. Finlay Cup. Matamata 9, Cambridge 9. Schools. Cambridge High 9, Matamata High 6. FINLAY CUP. Mit.'.r.iata Retain Trophy. After a Drawn Game. The Finlay Cup match between Matamata (holders) and Cambridge (challengers) resulted in a tie, nine points each. Consequently Matamata retains possession. The game was sensational in one respect, the ordering oil of three players. The first to go was J. Bourke (Cambridge) and before half-time Abraham (Matamata) followed him. Early in the last quarter Robertson (Matamata) also got marching orders. Early in the game it was apparent that the referee was going to be strict and the whistle restricted play, so that it was most uninteresting. At halftime the challengers led by nine points (two tries and a penalty to 6 (two penalty goals). Near the end of the third quarter Fausett scored the equalising points with another penalty goal. The fourth quarter was slightly in favour of Matamata, but they failed to add the winning points. Generally the game was ragged, the only good feature being the close dribbling work of both sets of forwards. In the second half the Matamata backs executed some smart attacks, but there was usually a weakness which prevented a score coming from this direction. The teams were:—

Matamata (black) —Stewart, Kneebone, Hooper, A. J. Brown, A. Story, Egan, L. Fausett, Hodge, Aoake, Abraham, Hayes, Robertson, Morrow, Keightley, Devey. Cambridge (blue and white). —Collett, Russo, A. Thompson, C. Thompson, Tomai, Miller, Mclvor, J. Voysey, J. Dagg, Wallis, B. Hall, McDonald, D. Bourke, J. Bourke, E. Hall.

Mr. J. Gasparich (Putaruru) was referee.

Cambridge were without the services of Hart at five-eighths. Cambridge forced from a Matamata long kick from the opening exchanges, and play came to half-way. Cambridge were penalised and Fausett sent to the visitors’ 25 line. The blues were again penalised and Morrow looked to have a good chance, hut threw forward right on the blue line. It was a narrow escape for Cambridge. Offside against D. Bourke again allowed the blacks in the Cambridge 25, hut the forwards cleared from a scrum. The game was scraggy at this stage and Cambridge were being frequently penalised. Voysey marked at halfway, but the kick was nullified. Egan got away on the far wing and put in a centre kick which Russo marked cleverly. Play now hung on the Cambridge line until D. Bourke and Wallis broke through the scrum. There was a long period of mid-field play until Brown short punted into the blue 25. J. Bourke was penalised and Fausett landed the first score with a goal. Matamata 3, Cambridge 0. Cambridge immediately worked down the near wing and Russo just failed to touch down, the ball going to touch in goal. The Matamata tackling was not too sound at this stage, while Cambridge were getting the ball from all the scrums. J. Bourke was ordered off for a second

offence of charging a man after he had got rid of the ball. The play was in the black 50 for a while until Fausett found the line from a penalty. Play was at mid-field when quarter time was called. Early on the turn, Matamata -were penalised for hanging to the ball, and McMillan had an easy kick at goal which was successful. Cambridge 3, Matamata 3. Matamata again let the blue forwards down through faulty handling, and the visitors were awarded another kick in good position which Voysey narrowly missed. The blues were twice penalised in the Matamata 25. The best back movement of the game then took place between Egan, Story and Hooper. The latter spoilt the movement by hanging on. Several Cambridge forwards were penalised, and Fausett added another three points from a penalty. Matamata 6, Cambridge 3. Cambridge worked a clever wing movement, but Story received the pass and smothered. At this stage Abraham was ordered off, leaving each team with 14 men. The Cambridge equalising score came immediately, D. Bourke following a long kick to touch down. The kick failed. Cambridge 6, Matamata 6. A moment afterwards Mclvor worked the blind and sent to C. Thompson, who gathered speed quickly and beat two men to score. The kick failed. Cambridge 9, Matamata 6. The blacks got well into the blue 25, but Collett sent well down field. Egan then opened up nicely to Story, who cut in, but was unsupported. The half closed without addition to the score. Cambridge 9, Matamata 6.

The second half opened with advantage to the blacks. Fausett made a great attempt to get the equalising points with a penalty kick which just went outside the posts. Cambridge forced and came to half-way, where a series of scrums were held, still to the blues’ advantage. Matamata worked the far line and the forwards got right to the blue line, where C. Thompson stopped them. On the near wing Brown got a present from Collett, but failed to hold the ball. Some exciting exchanges occurred on the blue line, but Voysey saved with a mark. Stewart then essayed a drop kick which went wide. Fausett worked the blind side cleverly and ade a lot of ground, but his pass to Brown was short. Fausett had another kick whiclj went wide, but the blacks continued to press until penalised. The game had been ragged throughout. Egan, Story and Brown then participated in a passing bout which went well into the blue 25, but the ball went out. Cambridge then made an excursion into the Matamata 25, but Stewart cleared. Fausett made another attempt at goal, which hit the crossbar and bounced in. Cambridge forced. Keightley found the line in the Cambridge 25,

and Hooper then had a kick. The ! equalising points came right on threequarter time, Fauset kicking a penalty from in front of the posts. The opening of the last quarter was marked by some good play bv Egan, Fausett, Story and Broun, which took the ball right on to the blue line, where Collett cleared. Story next made a beautiful cut in but slipped when clear. Collett ceared to halfway, where Egan was called upon for good defensive work. Cambridge marked down the far line where Hodge was penalised and Voysey took a kick at goal which went low. Matamata forced and then Egan was again called upon to clear. The Matamata insides took play to the blue 25, where Aoake carried on. Robertson was then ordered off. Play gradually worked from blue territory to half-way, where a series of line outs were held. Matamata were penalised for offside, but Fausett marked. The game was now a good tussle amongst the forwards without direct advantage to either side. The final wlrstle sounded with play at half-way, Matamata retaining possession hv a tie • —Matamata 9, Cambridge 9.