EASTERN’S FIRST WIN

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1934, Page 13

EASTERN’S FIRST WIN

TARANAKI LEAGUE GAME INGLEWOOD’S NARROW WIN. NEITHER GAME UP TO STANDARD. Eastern Suburbs had its first win of the 1934 season against Waitara at Western Park on Saturday, while at Inglewood the home team held the Taranaki League senior championship lead by a surprisingly low margin of three points from Western Suburbs. The win gives Inglewood a three-point lead on the premiership table. The Eastern Suburbs-Waitara game was the poorest of the season, and even though the Suburbs team had a 20 points advantage at the whistle there was not a great deal of merit in the win. The ground was certainly sodden but not the bog that the pace of the game might have suggested. Ever though ten tries were scored in the game, eight by Eastern, there were no fireworks. Most of the scrums were indecisive with the ball remaining in for an ensuing general scramble. This did not give the backs much of a chance, this applying more to Eastern. At least two Eastern tries came from forward passes. A. Lawrence, the Eastern winger, had a day out with four good tries to his credit. The Inglewood-Western Suburbs game did not come up to the standard expected, and when weather conditions made decent play impossible in. the second spell it was the Western pack which held the advantage.

WESTERN PARK GAME.

The teams were:—

Eastern Suburbs: Bruce; A. Lawrence, L. Moorhead, T. Pui; Williams, G. Moorhead; A. Henderson; Hicks, J. Fraser, V. Peddie, A. Lile, B. Hynes, Terrill. Waitara: Jupp; Hughes, Tiaki, Andrews; Muschamp, Newton; George; Elliott, Leach, Ollson, Hoskin, Moller, Loveridge. Eastern put itself ahead from the start with an early try by A. Lawrence, who finished off successfully a run set on its feet by Henderson and Moorhead. Fraser converted a good try. Waitara was quickly on the retaliative and the forwards broke away, Elliott holding too much pace for the Eastern men, who attempted a force to save. There was no conversion this time. The play which followed was of an uninspiring, desultory nature. Williams, playing with a certain amount of dash, put in a run and worked a clever movement by punting to Lawrence’s wing. This player grasped opportunity with both hands and touched down at the corner. It was only a short time before worked the same play again and Lawrence did his capping part of it by another try-getting effort. The conversion attempt was not as good as the play which preceded it. Muschamp, Waitara’s star, got a break and with the pace on he crossed in a handy position to convert his own try. There was no further score before halftime, when the points were: Eastern Suburbs 11, Waitara 8. The second spell saw some opening bustle on the part of Eastern and Hynes was able' to force his way over after he had eluded several intending tacklers. Pui opened his scoring account in League shortly after by finishing off an Eastern back rush with a try. The next play of .any account came from G. Moorhead, who had so far been far ahead of any back on the field. He beat half a dozen men to pass to L. Moorhead, then to Lawrence, each of whom gained a little, the last-named in-passing to G. Moorhead, who was over in a flash. Fraser converted for the second time. L. Moorjiead received an ankle injury and R. Ninkie replaced him. A. Lile, who worked hard most of the way, got his reward when he forced his way over for a try. Still on top, Eastern Suburbs scored again when Lawrence crossed the line, a fourth time. The try was unconverted and the game ended:—

Eastern Suburbs Waitara Mr. E. Brier was referee.

INGLEWOOD WAS TOO GOOD

WESTERN SUBURBS DEFEATED.

RAGGED PLAY ON WET FIELD.

Playing at Inglewood, Inglewood defeated Western Suburbs by 9 points to 6. In the first spell play was fairly bright, but a very heavy shower of rain soon made passing almost impossible, and in the second spell play degenerated into a scrambling forward game. In their passing rushes Inglewood was far superior to A/estern, but when in the second spell, when play was confined to the forwards, Western had the advantage. Inglewood’s fault in the second spell was the five-eighths standing too shallow, as Western was hooking the ball and kicking over their heads. Inglewood’s wings were also inclined to coAie too far in-field and so leave the line unmarked. Cowley, McLaggan and Hunt as usual played well in the back line and Patterson, Coles and Browning were prominent in the forwards. For Western Priar, W. Lewis and McDonald and McLeod, Waller and McConnell played well. Priar’s play in not forcing on one occasion which resulted in a try for Inglewood was perhaps his only mistake.

Thet new rule for Taranaki, a dropkick from the line (instead of the twen-ty-five) for a force down was played but the referee also gave it in the case of the ball going into touch-in-goal or over the ,dead-ball line. The teams were:—

Inglewood: Eaves; Surrey, Drinkwater, Bennett; McLaggan, Hunt; Cowley; Vincent, Larmer, Patterson, Browning, Coles, Hanwright. Western Suburbs: Priar; Thomas, Lash, W. Lewis; Wipiti, McDonald; Hynes; J. McLeod, McConnell, Waller, Hogg, Morgan, L. Lewis. Inglewood attacked with a long kick and Coles charged down Priar’s clearing kick, but was unfortunate to knock on. In the play that followed Inglewood was awarded a penalty kick in front of the goal, but Hunt’s kick went to the right of the posts. McLaggan with a good kick helped Inglewood considerably, but McConnell came through well with the ball at his toe and was stopped with a mark. Following a kick across field Cowley picked up and dummied his way past several players to score a great try in the comer. Hunt made a great effort to convert but his kick just fell under. A charging rush by Western forwards had Inglewood in trouble and after some scrambling play on the line Inglewood forced. Inglewood took play to the other end of the field. Both sets of backs were handling exceptionally well, and inter-passing between Lewis, Wipiti and McDonald relieved Western temporarily, but Inglewood was soon back. From the ruck McLaggan passed to Hunt who, after a run, handed on to Larmer, who crossed the line well out. Another good effort to convert failed. At this stage Larmer retired with an injured shoulder and was replaced by Yeates. Play fluctuated for some time till the Inglewood forwards with Coles and Browning in the lead made a bright rush and Priar was very lucky to get the ball be-

fore they carried it across the line. Inglewood kept up the pressure with passing bouts. A long kick by Hunt went across the line and Priar, instead of forcing, ran straight across behind the posts and Coles charged down his kick and fell on the ball to score.

Thomas took play to Inglewood’s twenty-five, but it was not long before Coles with a great break away took the ball to Western’s line, where half-time was called.

From the kick-off W. Lewis put Western on the attack, and after some forward play near Inglewood’s line Hunt relieved. Following forward play in neutral territory, Western opened up but McDonald slipped as he passed and Browning, with a speculator, took play to Western’s twenty-five. An interchange of kicks ended in Western’s favour. Eaves was caught out of position but managed to kick through. Western .had a good chance as the Inglewood wings were inclined to keep too much to the centre of the field, but Hunt came round and saved. A little later Priar had an unsuccessful pot at goal. At this stage Western was getting the better of the game and kept up a strong attack, but Inglewood’s defence was good, too. A line kick relieved Inglewood and, following the scrum, a good passing rush by McLaggan, Cowley ■and Hunt put Inglewood on the attack. Play owing to the wet ground was very scrambling. Western then scored a try. As Surrey fell as he was about to pick up the ball Waller, who had come up, forced his way over. Forward play followed till just before the final whistle when L. Lewis managed to slip across from a scramble. Inglewood 9 Western Suburbs 6 Mr. G. Hooker refereed. TO-DAY’S LEAGUE GAMES. TAUPIRI TEAM AT INGLEWOOD. The Taupiri League team arrived at Inglewood yesterday and will play Inglewood to-day at Inglewood. Taupiri was the 1933 South Auckland champion team and has not been defeated this year. The team is:— A. Jackways, G. Tittleton, R. Garry, C. Hill, W. Tittleton, T. Pawson, E. Tremain, H. George (backs); J. Farrell, J. Shaw, W. Kiti, J. Spencer, F. Paton, T. Bradley and W. Tittleton. The Inglewood team is: Eaves, Surrey, Hunt, Drinkwater, Arnold, McLaggan, Cowley, Vincent, Patterson, Larmer, Hanwright, Coles, Browning; emergencies, back, Bennett; forwards, Ward and Yeates. The championship table reads:— Points Ch.

MATCHES IN THE CITIES. Results of matches in the cities are:— Auckland. Ponsonby 16 beat Marist 7. Richmond 3 beat Newton 2. Christchurch. No play because of rain.

P. W. L. D. for ag. Pts Inglewood 6 5 1 0 127 47 10 Western Suburbs 6 3 2 1 75 79 7 Waitara 5 1 3 2 33 89 4 Stratford 5 2 3 0 34 45 4 Eastern- Suburbs 6 1 4 1 62 103 3