NO SURPRISE RESULT

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1935, Page 13

NO SURPRISE RESULT

CENTRAL DiVISION RUGBY STRATFORD UP WITH CARDIFF. YESTERDAY’S GAMES DESCRIBED. I ■ ■■ There was no surprise result in the central division junior Rugby com P e “" tion yesterday, for Stratford s defeat Toko last week left the impressxon that Stratford might be too good for Card , and it was. Toko upa big margin over Inglewood at Tariki in the fin* spell and won comfortably, while the SSnfte am, Midhirst, collected an easy two pointe through Stratford Is now level dothird place. Lower grade wins were decisively taken by large scores. Results at a glance are:— Junior. Toko 20 v. Inglewood 3. Stratford 9 v. Cardiff: 6 Eltham forfeited to Midhirst. Old Boys a bye. Third. School 47 v. Old Boys 0. Stratford 17 v. Eltham 3. Midhirst a bye. Fourth. Inglewood 22 v. School A 3. Toko 34 v. School B 3. Stratford a bya. ; STRATFORD’S RECOVERY. CARDIFF LOSESAT THE END. Much mile weight all roufid seemingly mid that doggedly held its own despite the weight of the Cardiff broadside and a line 8 of backs that had rhany faults but sufficient virtues to make it a Stratford won by 9 (three tries) to 6 (two tries). , Allsop, Shannon and Redshaw led Cardiff P pack that simply ate ground w * th the ball at toe, yet only two of the attacks drew blood. Using speedland agility to match the Cardiff juggedness, ■ Charlton and Young were leaders, but they were well backed as soon as the van found it could hold its telling difference in the two teams was in the backs. Well marked as: they were by the Cardiff five-eighths, HiU.and Foley were in the thick of everything, and while chain movements through to the three-quarters were, the rather than the rule, the general t «obiW of the line was superior to that of Car Jiffs. Price played a game, but he could have done better by letting the ball out more often.- However, his backs, and Stratford s also, were disorganised by replacerirents injuries last week, and Price preferred to play safely.’ The teams were:— Stratford: S. Collins; Cuff-, F. Collins, WdoHttt; Foley, Hill; Wellington;.Demchy;- Bonner,- Volske, Vivian, Young, Clements, Burke, Charlton. Cardiff: Erickson; McMillan, Hansen, Herdman; Pitcairn, Price; Hills; ®runton; 1 Redshaw, Huckstep, Babmgton, Shannon; Petersen, Gadsby, Allsop. ' Following several telling forward drives & bunch of Cardiff forwards broke over Stratford’s line and Allsop pounced down for'a try that Price cOuld not convert. ’ After the first reverse Stratford picked up and as the hooker began to get a-share of the ball so did the .backs get away. Two unsuccessful chain attacks arid then'the ball went down the Stratford chain, Cuff scoring in the Corner. A second Stratford effort broke on the line, bitt when Cardiff players failed to clear properly Foley snatched his chance and scored. F. Collins failed with both kicks. ' , , Cardiff forwards tore away and dribbled oyer half the field, and though they were, field up on the line the ball went

back to McMillan, and he used his weight to carry him over for the equalising try. Stratford forwards took the ball through from a twenty-five yards scrum and bustled their way to the line, where Cuff ran in and touched down for the final and winning try. Stratford ® Cardiff e Mr. D. Blackstock refereed. TOKO HAS EASY VICTORY. INGLEWOOD’S EFFORT DECLINES. After establishing' a margin of nine points in the first spell Toko managed to hold an aggressive Inglewood until the final stages of the second spell, when it again asserted its superiority to win by 20 points (five tries, one converted, and a penalty goal) to three (a try) at Tariki yesterday. It was not a spectacular game, a great deal of the work fa 1ing on the packs. The backs of both sides were given ample opportunity to brighten the 'game, but bad handling and, in the later stages of the game, excessive kicking spoiled their display. The Toko forwards played a solid game right through, and though they los their supremacy in the second spell they reasserted themselves in the final stages to win a further eight points. J. Sangster did great work behind the scrum and was directly responsible for nine potato, six from kicks. Inglewood seemed to have “a sporting chance” as it opened the second spell with a rush, but while it held its position close on Tokos line for some time it could not penetrate ttie defence. The backs got the ball , but could not use it; they were often in a splendid position for . a field, goal, but apparently did not think of it, and the encouraging second spell efforts were fruitless. L. Rumball played a. sound game and was missed when an injury his face caused-him to retire, but it was so near the end of the game as to make little difference.

The teams were:— Inglewood: Harnett; Mahori, Gyde, Trigger; L. Rumball, Dombroski; Ladbrook; Hartigan, R. Rumball, Reeves, Bradley, Davidson, Dodunski, McKay, Standing. , Toko: E. Jones; F. Latham, D. Preston, Thomas; Wilmshurst, Wrigley; J. Sangster; P. Jones, H. Were, BroWn, T. Sangster, N.\Kilsby, Bunbury, J. O’Hanlon, Chapman. Toko scored within the first few mmutes» when following solid work by the forwards the backs received the ball near the twenty-five. Clean handling gave Standring possession on the wing, and he raced over. J. Sangster’s kick failed. Toko continued to press and a series of forward rushes kept the Inglewood defence working desperately. The ball came out through the backs frequently, but sound tackling held them in -check. At last J. Sangster saw an opening, slipped through as he picked up the ball from a melee close to the line and scored. He failed to convert. Still Toko maintained its attack, and a, further three points came not long afterwards. A Midhirst infringement within the twenty-five gave Sangster the opportunity for a penalty kick, and he made no mistake with it. Up to this time Toko had practically monopolised the attacking •movements, but a gradual improvement in the Inglewood pack brought the team more frequently into enemy territory. Its chance came at. last, L. Rumball scoring a clever solo try after picking up- the ball from the feet Of the forwards. The kick failed. Toko immediately retaliated, the forwards, aided by frequent line kicks from the backs, gave ground rapidly, so that Harnett had to force as the ball was bodted over the line. TokO still attacked and within two minutes Chapman was over from a forward scramble. Sangster could not convert. A marked improvement, on the part of Inglewood was seen in the second spell, and for some time Toko was hemmed in behind its own twenty-five. Both backs and forwards saw their share of the ball, but poor handling and a stubborn defence kept Inglewood just off the line. It was about twenty minutes before Toko managed to force its way into Inglewood territory again. A long line kick by E. Jones gave the opportunity, and a prolonged forward battle within ten yards of the line followed. A scrum gave the Toko backs possession, and Sangster and Latham cut round the blind 4de to enable the latter to touch down between the posts. The kick failed. Tokq forwards still dominated plqy, and just ’ before time was called P. Jones capped a long-drawn-out forward attack by a try,-which was converted. The game finished with the scores:— Toko 20 Inglewood 3 Mr. G. Carter refereed.