THE MOASCAR CUP.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1924, Page 3

THE MOASCAR CUP.

KT. ALBERT DEFEATED. „ TWELVE POINTS TO THREE (SPLENDID GAME ON WET GROUND. IFINE DISPLAY BY HIGH SCHOOL. By twelve points to three New Ply’irourth Boys’ High School defeated Mt. Albert Grammar School at New Pylmouth on Saturday, and having sustained successfully the third challenge this season, now remain holders of the Moaac&r Gup for 19*24. With the pitter-patter of rain drops on umbrellas as a prelude, the curtain rose on the last match of the season to a stage setting of a sodden ground and slowly driving sheets of sleet anu fog, which had been bearing steadily in from the north for more than three days. These conditions, however, in »o way diminished the enthusiasm of the spectators, who attended four to five thousand strong and remained to a man until the conclusion of the game. Providence was benevolent enough to stay the downpour from the moment the teams took the field until the second Bpell.

In spite of the elements and state of the ground, however, the match must rank as one of the finest that the Moascar Cup competition has produced. No one could denv that on the day’s play High School deserved the victory, but though the team benefited by the addition of Alexander, it was not the same team that met Grammar School. All aigns of staleness Lad disappeared and one could not help thinking that it must be a very fine team indeed tnat could beat them on their present form. Under the conditions the handling of the ball by the backs of both teams was on the whole excellent, and though High Schodl maintained their lead throughout, the game was never one-sided.

Baek play was fairly evenly divided, High School, except at one stage of the game, hooking the ball to their halfb4«k without exception, while Ait. Albert, on the other hand, secured it almost invariably from the line-outs. Petty was the outstanding player on the field, his sure fielding and tackling being supplemented by an almost uncanny ability to turn precarious defence into swift attack. Alexander’s keen intuition and experience were undoubtedly a great asset to his team. K Fookes and Mackay played fine games. Loveridge made some fine runs, but was too inclined to indulge his penchant for cutting with the result that Crawford was practically starved. Mason was hardly up to form. In the visitors’ backs Pirritt showed himself to be particularly clever in feeding hie team. The three-quarter line was dangerous in attack and sound in defence, but the five-eighths did not ■how to particular advantage. Butler, at fall-back, was consistently good. The Auckland team impressed one as being a uniformly sound combination with no •particular stars. Honours in the School forwards must go to S. Fookes, Tiplady and Paterson. Kinnear appeared the pick of a hard working Mt. Albert pack. DETAILS OF THE PLAY. The teams took the fitfd is follows: WT. ALBERT GRAMMAR SCHOOL. (Lbght Blue.) ShxH-back—Butler (11.8). Three-qOirters—Ash (10.5), Monk (11.0), Klriqpatrtck (11.0). Five- eighths—Wilson (10.7), Jenkin, captain ftMA). Half-hack— Pirritt (9.10). Borer—Ewen (10.7). lookers— Brownlee (9.12), Henderson (9,12) Lock—Moses (10.13). Supports—Bark (11.2), Gardner (117). Back row—Harrop (10.7), Kinnear (10.2). ' BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL. (Black and White.) Full-back—Petty (10.11). Ihree-auarters —Mackay (11.12), Loveridge 111.12), Crawford (9111). Five-eighths—K. Fookes (10.4), Alexander (106). Matt-badc—Mason (9 6). (Rover—• Paterson captain (10.5). Hookers—Ennis (10.7), Gibson (10.10). Lock—Bleakley (12.7). Supports—B. Fookes (11.7), Bead (10.7). Back row—BeK ringer (10.4), Tiplady (9.9). Mt. Albert lost the toss and kicked oft In the face of the light drizzle that was then blowing in from the Djrth. Both teams sprang into action immediately, and for the first quarter of an hour the pace was gruelling. The first spectacular passing bout was initiated by Mason, who whipped the ball from a scrum to Alexander. The latter, with characteristic dash, was off the mark at oDce. but after he had made a good openlag his pass to K. Fookes was too late and Petty was cMled upon to save. From the line out Pirritt sent his backs away in great styla, a promising attack ending when Loveridge tackled Monk. For off-side plgy near School's twenty-five Mt. Albert were penalised, and a burst of applause signified the fact that rom a difficult angle with a sodden trail Mackay had landed a beautiful goal. High School 3 Mt. Albert ....... 0 From the drop out a scrum followed immediately, Mason transferring to Alexander who neatly worked the blind side and lined near the corner. Moses offended by being offside and his mistake was attended by disastrous results for his t-|im? for with another •plendld kick Mackay sent the ball sailing over the cross bar. High School , ......< 6 Mt. Albert 0 Considering the state of the ground, open <fl*y on both sides was surprisingly frequent. Mason and Alexander started away in fine fettle, but Ennis cut into the attacking line and knocked on his pass from Alexander. A sensational interlude followed when Loveridge fielded an alimost impossible ball at top speed. At the precise moment he handed on to Mackay, and the latter was pushed out In the corner. Pirritt shot the ball ©nt from a scrum and with a long lithe stride which is so characteristic of the Auckland secondary school teams, Jenkin, Wilson, Monk and Kirkpatrick carried the bail in turn farther towards the north-west corner. At a critical stage for his team Petty marked and found touch. At this stage of the game, to the public eye It appeared evident thax High School were not tackling their men as they should, and Mt. Albert forwards were consistently beating their opponents for the kail in the line outs. A BRILLIANT EFFORT. With one of those amazing efforts with which he was later to extricate his team time and .gain from awkward positions. Petty swiftly turned an anxious defence into unexpected attack by fielding a slippery ball deftly from die ground and diving through his opponents.

to send his forwards away with the oall. High School were hooking the ball in the scrums very consistently, but it was remaining in th© back row. Probably, on account, of this, Gardner was often offside by crowding round on to Mason. The High School back movements were suffering towards the end of the first spell on account of the fact that Loveridge too often cut in and was held up, starving his wing three-quarters. The first try, though directly due to Alexander, was the result of combined good play and good fortune. Ernis and Gibson heeled the ball smartly back to Mason in & scrum. Alexander received at once, and after a feint pass dummied twice tn succession through the opposing five-eighths. He was lucky to get .hrough as he shook off several wuoOd-be tacklers who just missed pulling him down, and signified his escape by handing on to K. Fookes. Loveridge received in turn, and he outpaced the opposition and scared near the corner, with Craw-ford still outside him. Alexander's kick at goal was just short. High School <) Mt. Albert q Three mistakes in turn, failure by Petty to take a swiftly heeled ball from the scrum, failure by Alexander to pass when about to be rackled and failure by Loveridge to tackle his vis-a-vis, let Monk away nicely. S. Fookes, however, was equal to the occasion, coming quickly across from the scrum and tackling Monk before he was well under Way. Mackay sustained an injury to his shoulder, which affected his play for the remainder of the match, but he was game enough to stick it out rill the end. Twice Mason was penalised for picking the ball out of the scrum. Then Petty provided a grand finale to the first half of the game by darting on to the advancing ball, working his way past several opponents, punting h?gh towards the corner and duelling up to take his own kick almost to the line before being grassed by Butler. The Mt. Albert full-back relieved gamely a minute later in the face of a forward rush, and half-time sounded with the score: High School 9 Mt. Albert o VISITORS’ BACKS IN ACTION. Mt. Albert backs ushered In the second spell with a solendid rearguard movement. Pirritt, Jenkin, Wilson, Monk and Ash handled in turn, the speedy winger short punting to the centre. A scrum followed and apparently because Mason went into the scrum with the ball, Mt. Albert were awarded a free kick. With a fine kick Monk opened the visitors' scoring account. High School 9 Mt. Albert 3 Alexander fielded cleanly and opened the way for his backs. Excitement was high as Loveridge came through fast down the east touch line with the ball at his toe. He kicked it over the goal line and a race between Wilson and Mackay to touch down resoled in the former forcing. Mackay could not goal after Monk was offside from the drop out, nor could Loveridge turn the chance into points when a moment later Wilson was offside in trying to spoil a High School passing bout. Just such a movement as brings spectators to their feet was initiated by Alexander when he received the ball from a short punt. Starting round on the open side in the orthodox style he kept going long enough to set the whole Mt Albert team racing In that direction before 'changing his own course diagonally towards the other corner. Taken by surprise Mt. Albert were just in tkne to push Mackey out at the corner, at the end of a fine run by the latter after he had received from Alexander. Mt. Albert secured from the line out and forced. The drop out went into touch and again Mason could not take a quickly heeled ball from the scrum back. School backs swung into stride, but Loveridge cut in instead of passing. Ennis .and Gibson made no mistake in hooking the ball! from the next' scrum, but Paterson could not take his pass in working the blind side. Kirkpatrick seized the opportunity to dash through, but hia short career ended when he met Petty. FORTUNE CHANGES QUICKLY. Not to be denied Pirritt, Jenkin, Wilson and Monk swept down the field, a short punt by Monk being marked by K. Fookes. In the midst of a hot attack Moses Infringed and School relieved. Alexander earned applause with a nicely-judged line kick at a critical moment, then twice in succession Butler, who had played a sterling game throughout, brougiit rAlef to his team. Fortune was fickle in her favours, the honours changing rapidly from one side to the other, and though School were well in the lead they by no means had things their own way. Always there when required Petty went down to a forward rush, wormed his elusive way through the forwards and lined: then Moses tackled Mason offside but Loveridge could not goal. Ash made a fine dash down the field, left three High School backs standing, hurdled Alexander, who attempted to tackle him low, and was pushed out in the corner. Pirritt sent his combination away from the line out with a faultless passing bout, for which they earned well-deserved applause. Kirkpatrick was unlucky not to score in the south-east corner, the ball going Into touch. The method and surprise of the succeeding relief provoked a storm of apptause. Realising from previous experience that Jenkin invariably received from the line out Petty dashed through between Ewen /nd the five-eighths before the latter had time to gather in the, ball. With rhe leather at his toe the High School full-back dribbled past half the Mt. Albert team down the touch line and the situation was saved. With fine concerted back play School set up two dangerous attacks, to which Mt. Albert replied with one equally as spectacular. Monk being disabled for a short time. The last try was the result of one of those irresistible sweeping movements which for several! years have delighted spectators at the High School matches by reaeson of exact and faultless paeslng Ennis and Gibson hooked cleanly 10 Mason, whence the ball 1 travelled without mistake right along the 1 chain to Mackay. Coming up with fine dash the High School winger outpaced the oposition and scored in the corner. He could not goal and a memorable game ended with the score:— High School 12 Mt. Albert _. w ,. 3 Mr. E. Gilmour refereed.