FIELD GOAL WINS MATCH

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1934, Page 12

FIELD GOAL WINS MATCH

OPUNAKE’S ONE POINT WIN

UNITED BACKS STRIVE HARD. MANY TRIES JUST MISSED. A field goal won Opunake the home match against Stratford United Old Boys, C. Hohaia succeeding with the third attempt not long before time to make the score Opunake 7 (a field, goal and an unconverted try) to 6 (two penalty goals). The scores for both teams would, except for bad luck, have been much higher, Opunake missing two drop kicks by as narrow a margin as they eventually succeeded, while United twice crossed the line without being able to ground the ball. A. D, Adlam had only two chances to demonstrate his kicking ability and turned both to good account. The run of play on a field greasy with a heavy shower just before the match, was United backs versus Opunake’s tenacity, opportunism and slightly faster forwards. Just where United failed to run up several tries with a snappy back combination was hard to see, but solid tackling by Opunake coupled with a tendency on the part of individual United backs to become “marooned” in a green Opunake ocean were the main factors in keeping the score down. Opunake forwards were faster than United and were more often to be seen breaking through a halted United /passing rush. United pack was without its usual front row trio, Sheppard, Goodman and Graham, but obtained its fair share of the ball in the scrums. P. Smith and the wing threequarters worried United in the lineouts with a habit of throwing in the ball only a short distance for the forwards to burst in from behind and initiate a touch-line rush.

Play was very bright in the first spell with Opunake playing downhill with a light breeze but in the second spell United opened play up and luck saved Opunake three tries on the debit side. At the same time Opunake backs twice were able to pct hurried goals, which were only a little wide and, at the last, Hohaia tried his luck again ''from 20 yards out for a high ball to sail over just inside the po?t. Harrison, playing in the forwards again, constantly spoiled United movements arid Smith’s sudden move-up in line-out movements meant much ground gained for his team. Upson was probably the lightest of the Opunake forwards but he was responsible for the only try of the day, a run down the touch-line from half-way, passing in. front of or behind several tackles to score in the comer. Langton, if not brilliant, at half was consistent, and Collins was a safe full-back. C. Hohaia played his consistently safe game. For United Henry worked well throughout the match and was the incep tor of nearly every movement of note. Cook concentrated more on passes to F. Adlam rather than attempting to cut in on a greasy ground and played solidly rather than, brilliantly, except for one error when four United descended in line upon Collins, only to see Cook short-kick instead of pass. He redeemed the mistake, however, with good work generally. F. Adlam was not so sure in taking passes on. Saturday and A. D. Adlam, with all his weight, found the Opunake tackling of high class. In the forwards Heath, Walker, Tubby and Lonsdale were in the thick of everything and succeeded in breaking up the few passing rushes Opunake attempted. The teams were:—. .

Opunake: Collins; J. Malcolm, Dobbin, C. Malcolm; C. Hohaia, A. Sinclair; T. Langton; Harrison, Upson, Smith, Murfitt, Dudley, Mayby, Riley,"'Badley. United Old Boys: Barlow; A. D. Adlam, F. Adlam, J. Lash; W. Cook, J. Henry; A. Lash; H. Hunwick, 3. Heath, G. Tubby, R. Clayton, H. Lonsdale, H. O’Shannessy, W. Hills, A. C. Walker. Malcolm began with a dangerous rush which was well stopped by Barlow. Opunake’s passing was slow and <thc backs were losing chances. Heath broke through to lead a United forward rush to the Opunake line, where a knock-on held play up. F. Adlam missed with a snap drop-kick at goal. Malcolm was giving Collins useful support in defence work. Heath again led United forwards, but a forward pass saved Opunake. Langton put United on the defensive with a good line-kick. Then Upson picked up in the loose at half-way, evaded a tackle meant to bundle him into touch, dodged one or two more and beat a further man on the goal line to score in the corner. Harrison missed the kick. Dobbin missed a pot from a handy position and C. Hohaia failed narrowly with a similar kick. O’Shannessy had to retire with slight concussion and was replaced by Kofoed. Obstruction tactics were ripe towards half-time.

Soon after the second spell began Murfitt and Heath were ordered off and for a while play was heated as a result. United went away with a first-class passing rush which gave J. Lash 20 yards to go to the line. Sinclair tackled him as he dived for the line, holding the winger in the air to change a try into a scrum, which proved abortive. A. D. Adlam had a kick at goal from a penalty well out and kicked a first-clikss goal. Soon afterwards Collins stopped the big winger as he sailed almost unopposed for the line with a perfect tackle, but United went ahead with another penalty to A. D. Adlam. Opunake infused even more vim into their play and eventually ran the scene of operations to the corner after United had nearly scored. Henry was held out in similar fashion to Lash.

From a scrum in front of the goal C. Hohaia drop-kicked and this time succeeded with what was nearly a poster and in spite of desperate efforts by United Opunake held the one-point lead to the end. Opunake 7 United Old Boys 6 Mr. R. Bowman refereedIN OTHER PROVINCES RESULTS OF RUGBY GAMES. SENIOR COMPETITIONS. Auckland. Otahuhu 19 beat College Rifles IL Grafton 13 beat Manukau 3. Ponsonby 9 beat Grammar 0.8. 8. Technical 0,8. 9 beat University 5. Wellington. Wellington 11 beat Athletic 3. Petone 9 beat Eastbourne 3. Poneke 5 beat Marist 3. Dunedin. University A 23 beat Dunedin 6. ‘ Zingari 3 beat Alhambra 0. Taieri 9 beat Pirates 6. | Southern 18 beat University B Q. Kaikorai 15 beat Union 0. Christchurch. Sydenham 9 beat Old Boys 8. Varsity 8 beat Christchurch 0, Albion 6 beat Athletic 3. ’Merivale 28 beat Linwood X ,