Sports & Pastimes

Putaruru Press, Volume XI, Issue 268, 7 September 1933, Page 8

Sports & Pastimes

Football.

THE PEACE CUP. Morrinsville 24, Putaruru 0. Morrinsville successfully defended the Peace Cup against. Putaruru on Saturday, winning a ragged game by 24 points to 0 after leading by 16—0 at half-time. Tries were scored for Morrinsville by Aitken (2), Hubbard (2) and Harnett (2), three being converted by W. Cameron. Putaruru made a creditable showing for a team that has had very little practice together in previous matches, and is drawn from such a scattered territory. The visitors had j scoring opportunities on several occasions, but always someone fumbled at the critical moment. It was a drab game throughout, the only redeeming feature being the play of A. J. Aitken, the Morrinsville and Waikato centre threequarter, who again showed that he was head and shoulders above his team mates. He scored two out of Morrinsville’s four tries in the first half, and made play in the other scoring movements. Besides this he frequently did good defensive work in covering a weak fullback. The Teams. The teams were:— Putaruru. —C. Stephenson; J. Reid, D. Reid, I. Thomson; A. Garlick, G. Berg; E. Dunstan; J. Wickliffe, C. Fraser, I. Montgomery, R. Wishnoski, G. Ensor, C. Dennett, R. Wilnoski, Staples. Morrinsville. —Angus Cameron; F. Hubbard, A. J. Aitken, J. Harnett; A. Robson, W. Cameron; M. Bodmin; A. Carter, V. Hewitt, G. Muir, A. Cameron, I. Lewer, C. Roach, J. Leeson, S. Jeune.

Morrinsville’s Scores in First Half.

Morrinsville defended the western goal, with the wind and the sun in their favour. The first score came after a few minutes’ play in Putaruru territory. Aitken found touch in the comer, and from the lineout the Morrinsville forwards sent the ball to the backs. Aitken cut through to the line and passed to Harnett, who scored behind the posts. W. Cameron converted. Morrinsville 5, Putaruru 0. Play settled down near halfway, with the Putaruru forwards holding their own in tight scrummaging and showing speed in breaking after the ball. Putaruru hooked cleanly from a scrum at halfway, but Dunstan threw a wild pass. The Putaruru backs were kicking badly, missing the line or giving possession to the Morrinsville backs. J. Reid checked one Morrinsville attack by marking. Solid work by the Putaruru forwards kept play near halfway. Berg showed up when he kicked through to the fullback. Wickliffe picked up and sent to Garlick, who gained ground, but his pass was not taken. A minute later Garlick made a good run past halfway but was tackled with the ball. The Putaruru backs

continued to miss the line with their kicks. Morrinsville’s next score came from a passing bout started from a scrum on the Putaruru 25. The ball went to Aitken, who beat several opponents and scored. W. Cameron failed to convert. Morrinsville 8, Putaruru 0. More play in midfield followed. Berg made a dash with the ball at toe, but was not backed up, and Aitken cleared. A great rush by all the Putaruru forwards took play to the Morrinsville 25 for the first time, but W. Cameron broke through to halfway. Putaruru were holding their own until from a scrum in front of the grandstand J. Leeson kicked the ball through and bustled Thompson. Hubbard, who had supported Leeson, picked up and scored in the comer. W. Cameron failed to convert. Morrinsville 11, Putaruru 0. Morrinsville’s fourth try was scored a few minutes later. The Morrinsville forwards were pressing in the comer, and W. Cameron burst through without being tackled and sent to Aitken, who ran a few yards and scored near the posts. W. Cameron converted. Morrinsville 16, Putaruru 0. The Morrinsville backs handled again, but Berg brought Hubbard,

down. The Morrinsville forwards kept up the pressure, but were penalised, and Putaruru worked back to the Morrinsville 25. All the Putaruru backs handled well from halfway, but J. Reid, on the wing, was stopped at the 25. Putaruru again hooked from a midfield scrum, but Garlick was -caught with the ball, and W. Cameron kicked downfield. Stephenson and Thompson were bustled off the ball in the corner, and the whistle saved what what would probably have been a try. Play was held up owing to an injury to Wilnoski, who was carried off suffering from concussion and was replaced by W. Dunlop. From a scrum in the comer Putaruru took play to halfway. Solid forward play in the Putaruru 25 saw the defenders penalised, but W. Cameron’s kick at goal went wide. Scrummaging in the corner ended in a Putaruru clearing rush. 4- Reid broke away and passed to D. Reid, who was collared at the Morrinsville 25 with no one in support. Half-time was called soon afterwards.

Putaruru Attacking Repeatedly. On resuming, Stephenson checked a Morrinsville rush by marking, and Berg further improved with a kick to touch. The Morrinsville forwards returned to the Putaruru 25, and the backs handled, but Stephenson returned Aitken’s kick to touch. Putaruru bustled the Morrinsville backs in midfield, and Staples kicked downfield, but the ball went to the line and was forced. Putaruru infused dash into their play, and from halfway Berg dummied and cut through to the Morrinsville 25 and passed to J. Reid, who was pushed into touch in the comer. It was one of the best pieces of- back play of the day. The Morrinsville forwards returned to the attack, but were held in check for a long time. Then Leeson took the ball to the corner. The Morrinsville backs handled from a lineout, but Hubbard knocked on. A good rush took Putaruru to halfway, where they heeled from a scrum, and all the backs handled, but J. Reid was stopped by Harnett. The Putaruru forwards continued to hold their own, and play was fast and even between the 25’s. Staples and Fraser led a Putaruru rush to the corner, and! Robson just forced in time with J. Reid on him. The Putaruru forwards livened up and took play to within a few yards of the Morrinsville line. Putaruru secured from a scrum in the comer, but Garlick tried to cut in and was tackled. Putaruru kept up the pressure, but misplaced kicks gave away possession. From another passing rush Dunstan sent to Thompson, who was tackled in the corner. A free kick gave Morrinsville relief. The Putaruru backs handled again at halfway, but J. Reid was tackled by Harnett. Garlick kicked for the corner, but the ball went over the Morrinsville line, and Angus Cameron just forced in time. The Putaruru forwards were more than holding their own, and Thompson just failed to gather near the side line as the ball, kicked by Angus Cameron, bounced into touch. The Morrinsville backs opened out, but Aitken was well tackled, and D. Reid picked up and ran to halfway. Morrinsville’s first try since halftime came a minute later, when Robson

kicked across to the comer, and Aitken and Harnett followed up. Aitken secured and sent to Harnett, who scored in the corner. The kick failed. Morrinsville 19, Putaruru 0. Morrinsville were soon pressing in the corner, but Staples kicked clear to halfway. Putaruru made another rush in which Berg and Ensor were prominent, and D. and J. Reid just failed to take the ball over in the corner. Play was on the Morrinsville line when A. Cameron burst through with the ball . and sent to Aitken, who fended off several tacklers and passed to Hubbard, who scored behind the posts. W. Cameron converted. Morrinsville 24, Putaruru 0. The final wnistle sounded shortly afterwards. Mr. B. Chapman (Morrinsville) was referee.