PATEA DEFEATS STAR

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1934, Page 12

PATEA DEFEATS STAR

LITTLE BETWEEN THE TEAMS

CONVERSION DECIDES THE GAME.

BRIGHT DISPLAY IN THE MUD.

Sternly contested from start to finish, with each team throwing every ounce into the struggle and with the issue in doubt until the final whistle, the PateaStar match at Pukekura Park held the interest of the crowd until the end, despite the fact there was heavy rain in the concluding stages. Patea won .by 10 (two converted tries) to 8 (two tries, one converted), and the closeness of the scores was a reflex of the play. The match was crowded with incident and was fought at a very fast clip, play transferring from one end to the other very rapidly. Even under the unfavourable conditions it was a very bright display. There were many stirring forward rushes, Patea perhaps showing up better in this department. The visitors also had the advantage in- the line-outs, where Baldwin’s height was a dominant feature. The Star pack stood up to the opposition wonderfully well, and in the first spell secured more than its share of the ball, but in the second spell Patea hooked the ball more cleanly. Both sides tried to open up the game whenever possible, and considering the state of the ball, both sets of backs handled remarkable well. There were several flashes of brilliant back play. Indeed, two of the tries scored by Star and one by Patea were the outcome of spectacular handling and combination that would have been a credit to any team on a dry day. A feature, too, was the fielding and line-kicking of both full-backs, Dingle (Star) and Malcolm (Patea), the former giving the better display. Gudgeon, the former representative half, and Edwards, the representative centre, were in every Patea movement, while Kinsella showed that he is coming back to his true form. McLeod Bros, and Frethey were prominent in the Star rushes, while Wills, Richards and others, ably supported Baldwin, who was in everything. The teams were:—

Patea: R. Malcolm; D. Hunt, L. Edwards, W. Zimmerman; J. Crawford, F. Burke; Claude Gudgeon; K. Bourke, A. Richards, J. Roberts, W. Baldwin, C. Wills; T. Walker, C. Gudgeon, T. McTaggart. Star: B. Dingle; J. Wilkins, J. Kinsella, J. Aubrey; E. Clegg, A. Carter; R. Adlam; F. Whittaker, F. Frethey, R. Eva, P. Morris, J. Sampson; J. McLeod, T. Signal, R. McLeod. Patea forwards attacked and kept play inside Star’s twenty-five until Adlam secured and set the Star backs moving for Kinsella to kick down the field, but Malcolm fielded beautifully and gained considerable ground as Dingle’s attempt to save was smothered by the fast-fol-lowing pack. Both halves tried out their backs but the movements did not get far. Malcolm was prominent in stemming Star movements. Star was securing the ball from the scrums but a long pass to J. Kinsella going astray let P. Bourke and Zimmerman away. Star forwards, headed by Signal and R. McLeod, swept down and the backs were moving well when an infringement let P. Bourke line near half way. Edwards picked up cleverly, checking another Star rush. Then followed a sensational movement. From a scrum half way Adlam secured and sent Clegg away. The five-eighth cut out several men and handed on to Carter, who had two men with him and one man to beat. He sent a beautiful pass to J. Kinsella, who handed on at the right time for Wilkins to streak across half way between the goal posts and the corner flag. Dingle goaled. The Patea forwards and backs worked well, Gudgeon making great openings and Star was kept busy defending. The Star forwards, led by Sampson, reached half way. Adlam sent Aubrey away on the blind but Hunt accounted for the Star winger. Baldwin and Wills were prominent in line-out work and the Patea pack, with Walker in the van, came with a great rattle. Twice in quick succession Dingle was called on to relieve a tense situation. Claude Gudgeon shot the ball out smartly, sending P. Bourke streaking through, but his pass to Hunt went wide and Star breathed again. Crawford essayed to hurdle Carter, but the Star forwards swept back to half way. Fast play followed, both sets of backs trying to keep the game open. Zimmerman kicked the ball. into the hands of Wilkins, who* set sail for the lipe but was collared by Edwards. A Star passing bout broke down at Carter. P. Bourke transferred play to Star’s twenty-five, where Zimmerman over-ran the ball in what would hav? been a dangerous move. Patea kept up the pressure, the backs throwing the ball about, until Wills attempted to pot and Star forced. Dingle saved cleverly again. Patea attacked hotly, Hunt being held up close to the line. A scrum infringement gave P. Bourke a chance to goal, but the ball fell short. Zimmerman also attempted to pot, Kinsella fielding and lining, Patea’s determination was rewarded with a beautiful try. From the scrum the ball travelled to P. Bourke, who sent Edwards away. The latter left J. Kinsella standing and handed on to Zimmerman, who in-passed for Edwards to run in and score under the bar. P. Bourke goaled, equalising the score. Running in-field, Wilkins set his backs moving, but Patea countered and Richards, following up fast, smothered Dingle close to the line, Adlam just lining in time. Patea was on the Star line as half-time sounded with the score 5-all. The second spell opened with another brilliant piece of play. R. McLeod led the Star forwards to the attack and from a scrum near Patea’s twenty-five Adlam sent the ball to Clegg, who handed on to Carter. Carter cut out a couple of men and sent out a high pass which J. Kinsella, travelling at full speed, took with the tips of his fingers to dive over the line and score within two minutes of the resumption. Wills, with a characteristic dash, gained considerable ground and Gudgeon set his backs going, but the passing lacked snap and penetrative force. Patea forwards, however, made up for it as Richards, ball at toe, and with the pack behind him, swept about 40 yards up the field and across the line. Dingle dived but missed and K. Bourke, who was handy, scored. P. Bourke converted after being awarded no charge. Star forwards in a great loose rush swept into Patea territory, where Dingle had a penalty shot from near the side line, the ball falling just short. Again Patea forwards carried play to within five yards of Star’s line, where Edwards made a dash but waj collaied. P. Bourke attempted a pot, the ball going wide. Patea kept up the pressure, Hunt being held up. Bourke also again attempted to pot. A moment later Dingle forced just in time. Star cleared to half way but again a phalanx of blue assaulted Star’s line, where Dingle cleverly intercepted, preventing a try. Wilkins with a long kick put Star on the attack until Edwards, jumping in the face of the charging pack, marked. Frethey, McLeod and Sampson led Star forwards to Patea’s line, where they were strenuously repelled and driven right back to their own territory, Kinsella saying by running across at top speed and lining. Star was more than holding its own and had Patea sternly defending. Carter unsuccessfully essayed a pot. Ram was falling heavily as Patea forwards

again took control, but Dingle forced and after some solid play in Patea’s favour Star made a spectacular burst, Carter starting a rush that swept the length of the field to be stemmed by Edwards smartly picking up on his own goal line. Star made a last desperate effort to snatch victory but Patea not only kept its line intact but had invaded Star territory as time was called. Patea 10 Star 8 Mr. F. J. Eggleton refereed.