OLD BOYS’ VICTORY IN MUD

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1934, Page 12

OLD BOYS’ VICTORY IN MUD

INGLEWOOD BEATEN 11 TO 8

KEENLY CONTESTED GAME. THE TEAMS EVENLY MATCHED. Despite a continual drizzle and a particularly heavy, greasy ground, a fair standard of football was seen at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, where Old Boys defeated Inglewood by 11 to 8. It was a hard forward struggle in which Inglewood held a definite advantage in the set scrums. The teams were fairly evenly matched in the loose but Inglewood was unable to finish likely movements. Old Boys received mord support from its backs, and to this can be attributed its win.

Both sets of forwards worked well, there being little between the individuals. Baxter was the outstanding Inglewood player. He led practically every rush and on more than one occasion lent valuable support to the backs. Scandlyn and Baxter were impressive. J. Mace, S. Fookes and Blakeney shared the honours for Old Boys. Fookes was seen to advantage in several solo dashes, as was Birch. Considering the conditions the .backs handled exceptionally well. Sutton sent out clean passes throughout, while Hutchen checked K. Fookes time after time with deadly tackling. L. Corlett was safe at fullback. K. Fookes was the outstanding Old Boys back. He shone in all departments of the game. Mace was sure on defence and his try was a brilliant solo effort. Clifford-Jones was solid at fullback but appeared rather slow off the mark. The teams were:— Old Boys: Clifford-Jones, Grace, Galbraith, Medley, Mace, K. Fookes, Olsen, Biggar, Clarke, McLean, Evans, J. Mace, Birch, S. Fookes and Blakeney.

Inglewood: L. Corlett, G. Corlett, O’Byrne, Mcßoberts, Hutchen, Corkill, Sutton, T. Corney, W. Young, H. Irwin, Scandlyn, S. O’Byrne, Baxter, Burgess and J. Corlett.

The first few minutes’ play made it seem that little more than a mud scramble between the forwards could be expected. Inglewood attacked but was repulsed, McLean carrying play into opposition territory. Inglewood was penalised and Galbraith had an unsuccessful shot at goal. Receiving from a scrum Sutton sent out for Corkill to find the line well up the field. Olsen attempted a back movement, which broke down when Fookes was unable to keep his feet The Inglewood pack was having the better of the game and for a time penned Old Boys down. Olsen set his backs in action, the ball flashing down the line to Grace, who mishandled. Inglewood, led by Baxter and Young, swept up the -field with the ball at toe. Old Boys infringed and J. Corlett attempted to goal but failed. K. Fookes, Mace and Medley dribbled through and past the full-back. The ball bounced and Fookes knocked on when a try appeared certain. Faulty handling again lost Old Boys an opportunity when Fookes sent out to Medley. Inglewood was securing the ball from the majority of the scrums but the greasy nature of the ground and ball nullified all attempts at handling. Inglewood had another unsuccessful attempt at goal. Old Boys drew first blood when J. Mace kicked infield for S. Fookes and Evans to carry on with the ball at their feet. Fookes kicked to the line and Medley dashed down the side, gathered in and scored in the corner. K. Fookes failed to convert.

Inglewood, led by Baxter, attacked and Clifford-Jones managed to scramble out in the corner. A scrum at five yards followed. Sutton passed to Corkill, who was held up on the line. Old Boys hustled the opposition and play returned to mid-field. Old Boys reached to within ten yards of the line, when Hutchen picked up smartly and found touch at half way. Mid-field play ensued. Both teams attempted back movements. Considering the conditions, the handling was quite good. However, the tackling on both sides was excellent and little advantage was gained. From a loose rush Birch dribbled over but the ball went out before be could gain possession." Corlett, Baxter and Scandlyn led a rush which terminated on Old Boys’ line. From a scrum on the line Sutton sent out a clean pass for Corkill to gather in and bullock his way through to score. L. Corlett converted. The spell ended a minute later.

Play fluctuated for the first five minutes of the second spell. Old Boys became dangerous when Birch kicked through and S. Fookes dashed over with the ball at his feet. He kicked too hard and the ball went over the dead-ball line. The Old Boys forwards attacked in force and from a melee near the goal Blakeney scrambled over. K. Fookes converted.

Old Boys pressed and Baxter relieved with a useful run along the side-line. Although superior in the set scrums and getting its fair share of the ball in the loose Inglewood appeared unable to pierce the opposing defence. Fookes and Mace cleared on two occasions, and scrambling play in neutral territory ensued. A bright movement was seen when Olsen set Mace and Fookes in action. Fookes cut in well and with but the full-back to beat sent a forward pass to Medley. Inglewood retaliated with a vicious forward attack. S. O’Byrne kicked over, Clifford-Jones rolled over the ball but failed to force and O’Byrne, following up quickly, touched down. The kick was charged down. With the score eight all and but twenty minutes to play Old Boys attacked with renewed vigour and for a time kept the opposition busy on defence. " Penalty kicks relieved the pressure. The Inglewood forwards gave a bright display of in and out passing which terminated at halfway. K. Fookes punted well up and Grace caught L. Corlett in possession. A moment later Inglewood cleared and Galbraith was held in possession at halfway. A scrum followed from which Old Boys gained the advantage and entered Inglewood territory. Olsen fumbled. Mace dashed in, snapped up the ball and short-punted. Following up smartly Mace gathered in the rebound and zigzagged his way over to score. K. Fookes did not convert.

Inglewood rallied and with five minutes to go harried the opposition. Twice the backs went into action but the movements broke down at O’Byrne. O’Byrne and Mcßoberts combined in forward and reverse passing, but Medley broke up the movement and Old Boys attacked. S. Fookes kicked through and caught L. Corlett in possession. Corlett was penalised for holding but K. Fookes’ kick was short. Old Boys was attacking with vim when the spell ended. Old Boys 11 Inglewood 8 Mr. A. O’Sullivan refereed. SCHOOLS FOOTBALL MATCH. HAWERA DEFEATS PATEA. In a match between the combined schools of Hawera and Patea at Patea on Saturday, the Hawera side proved much too good and won a convincing victory by 25 to nil. The play of the winning side was exceptiftaally good and the combination excellent. Southern First Junior. Patea 14 defeated Okaiawa 11 in an exciting game at Patea. The Okaiawa team had not previously been beaten this season.