BALFOUR LOSES TO ALBION

Southland Times, Issue 23829, 29 May 1939, Page 5

BALFOUR LOSES TO ALBION

OPEN DISPLAY AT GORE SOUND DEFENCE OF HOME TEAM Although the Balfour team gave a fine display of straight running and clean handling against Albion at Gore on Saturday afternoon in an Eastern-Northern Rugby football competition match, the home team won by nine points to six. 1 It was the best display of open football seen on the Gore show grounds this sea- | son. The ground was in good order and the ball was thrown about freely by both teams. It was perhaps the strong defence of the home team that won the match. F. Wallis was very sound and saved time and again with good tackling. The two Stewarts were the pick of the Balfour backs, both playing outstanding games. The teams were:— ALBION: Wallis, D. Smith, Anderson, Milne, Gourley, Milsom, Wyeth, Smith, Petrie, Edwards, B. Herron, G. Herron, Hoffman, Gladstone and M. Soper. BALFOUR: Easton, Richards, Lamb, McLean, Hickey, W. Stewart, A. Stewart, Rutter, McQueen, Robb, Keown, Pringle, Herron, King, McGregor. Balfour kicked off and Wyeth fielded well to find touch back at half-way. The Balfour backs came into action quickly and good runs were made on two occasions. Albion’s defence was sound, however, and the position was reversed when B. Herron made a solo break from a line-out and passed on to Soper. The movement broke down, but Balfour was penalized and Herron kicked a good goal from near the half-way line. The Balfour backs were combining well and another smart movement gained the team 30 yards. Albion eventually cleared to neutral territory where Wyeth secured and kicked for the open. Richards fumbled rather badly and let Soper break through. Supported by Anderson he dribbled deep into Balfour’s 25. A. Stewart secured and with a good burst of speed, gained 30 yards before kicking. He did i not find touch, however, and Wallis | secured to clear. Balfour kept attack- I ing and was awarded a penalty kick in | front of the posts. D. McLean’s kick I went astray. The Balfour team was' giving a great display of open football, and the clean handling and straight running of its players was appreciated by the spectators. A brilliant cut-in by Hickey gave him a chance to score, but he was tackled well by Wallis near the line. A scrum followed and Albion was penalized. McLean’s kick from the side-line went outside the posts. Balfour kept up the pressure and following up a short kick by A. Stewart, R. Herron secured and was almost over when Wallis again saved nicely by bringing him down. From a scrum Wyeth got his backs away and play was taken back to Balfour’s 25. Albion was attacking when the half-time whistle sounded. '.The score at half-time was: Albion 3, Balfour 0. Balfour attacked strongly when play resumed and Albion was kept on the defensive. A fine run by Edwards relieved the position for Albion and returned play to mid-field. After a period on the defensive Balfour again went to Albion’s line where the home team was penalized. McLean was not having any luck with his kicks, and he again missed from a handy position. A long dropout by Herron put Albion on the attack and Wyeth secured to send his backs away in a good movement. Milne came up very fast to take a pass and he crashed through two tacklers before being grounded on the line. Gourley, who had been following up well, attempted to go over, and in a scramble for the ball Balfour was penalized. B. Herron again kicked a good goal. Balfour made another determined attack and, throwing the ball about in great style, the visiting backs kept Albion defending strongly. First Stewart and then Rutter attempted to crash over for a try, but they were not successful, the Albion defence holding. Milne was penalized for obstructing and McLean opened his team’s score with an easy goal. A loose forward rush by Balfour took play again to Albjon’s territory but a good break by G. Herron returned play to mid-field. Albion was penalized just outside the 25 line shortly afterwards and McLean scored his second goal with a splendid kick. B. Herron again broke through to the line where he was tackled. Hoffman, coming up very quickly, accepted a pass and flashed across to score near the posts. Herron’s kick missed. There was no further score before the final whistle sounded, the score being: Albion 9, Balfour 6.

Mr G. Mattinglj’ was the referee. SECOND GRADE In a second grade match at the Gore show grounds Wyndham beat Albion by eight points to six. The teams were evenly matched and good displays were given by both sides. For Wyndham, J. Wylie scored a try and S. McKay kicked a penalty goal and converted Wylie’s try. For Albion, B. Ferry scored and P. McKinnell kicked a penalty goal. S. McKay gave an outstanding display for Wyndham. THIRD GRADE Wyndham beat Albion in a third grade match on the Gore show grounds by 21 points to nil. Tries for the winning team were scored by O’Donnell (3), Milne and Lynn, while Winter, Hunter and Lynn each converted a try. Playing also at the Gore show grounds Mataura beat High School by 11 points to nil. R. Maslin (2) and Baynes scored for Mataura and D. Taylor converted a try.