FOOTBALL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10938, 11 May 1926, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

WAIHI DEFEATS TEMUKA. BY DROPPED COAL TO NIL. There was a large crowd of supporters of the game at the oval on Saturday, when Waihi scored a sensational victory over Temuka, by W. Angland potting a field goal two minutes before the final whistle. The game throughout was keen, and sparkling play marked the efforts of the evenly matched teams In their endeavours to score. The following teams took the field:—

TEMUKA.— Gourley (full-back), Dwan, Lee, J. Connolly (threequarters), McDonald, L. Connolly (five-eighths), Helem (half), Bennett (wing forward), Harris, Orton, Manning, McKenna, Barker, Amber and Phillips (forwards). WAIHI. —O. Quirk* (full-back). Sheldon, L. Neutze, MoGilvery (three-quarters), Angland, Sherratt (five-eighths), Wood (half), McBride (wing forward), N. Robinson. R, Neutze, Lysaght, Stewart, W. Quirke, V. Robinson, Beattie (forwards). Referee.—Mr D. Marshall.

Temuka won the toss and elected to play with the sun at their backs, and play opened with varying fortunes. Waihi opened the attack, and Lee was called on to save a couple of times for Temuka. From a penalty Neutze made a good attempt at goal, and later L. Connolly nearly scored for Temuka from a mark. The visitors were playing with dash and determination, and Dwan and Lee saved for Temuka A penalty took play right under the Waihi goal, but Quirke relieved with a fine line kick. An exchange of kicks ended in Waihi’s favour, and the visitors pressed home the attack, McKenna taking full advantage a of penally by finding the line past half-way. Waihi returned to the attack, and a free gave Mcßride a chance at goal, which went wide, and resulted in a force. From the kick off the home forwards, headed by Amber, made big efforts to-carry play .down the field, but Wood set his backs moving and Temuka was compelled to defend, until Bennett marked a difficult one, and later Gourley, following up, finished off a high kick with a splendid tackle, and a penalty gave Dwan a chance to goal, but the oval went wide and was forced. From the kick-off Ben nett secured and made a solo run down the field, but play quickly returned to Temuka’s 25. Dwan and Lee indulged in a passing rush and brought play to half-way. The local pack, headed by Harris, invaded Waihi’s territory, but Wood secured and set his hacks going, and play returned to the other end • of the field; —M*eßride—*from a penalty missed a /chance, add /Temuka forced. On resuming Helem made a splendid solo’ run -to the full-back, and a score looked imminent when a knock-on held tip the game.; From the resulting play Neutze intercepted, and Waihi assumed the aggressive, Wood secured from a scrum, 1 ; but faulty handling spoiled a promising movement, hut Waihi continued to attack, L. Connolly, Gourley and Helem saving in turn, no score being registered at half time. Sparkling play marked the opening of the second half, Helem intercepting and play going to the Waihi 25. Wood relieved, and Gourley was called on three times to save, On the last occasion beating three opponents before he got his kick in. The local forwards, however, were not to be denied, and Bennett, supported by Amber, was forced out at the flag. Manning held the forwafds 'together in determined assaults oh the Waihi line, and an infringement in a. scramble gave Dwan a cllatfce wide out, which he was unable to turn to account. The visitors’ back .division was equal to the, occasion* and amid much excitement play .returned to Temuka’,s 25. Neutze, from a free kick, made a poor . attempt at goal, and Dwan secured and with a beautiful kick found the line at Waihi’s 25, Temuka sustained the pressure, Connolly sidestepping an opponent, the ball going to McDonald, Lee and Dwan, but a free to the visitors relieved. Helem sold a dummy and centred, and' play became open, the tackling of both sides being deadly, when Mcßride came through the ruck. Lee marked, but his attempt at goal; dropped short. Manning broke away time after time, but had to retire owing to his' injured shoulder, being replaced by Stanley. Play hung at half-way when Helem got away, but the referee got mixed up with the attacking line of backs, and Waihi retaliated and kept up the pressure. Splendid fielding by Dwan on a couple of occasions saved the local team. The Temuka forwards came again, and Phillips and Harris shone out in the forward rushes, Bennett, Lee and McDonald putting in good work-Jjy following up closely. Phillips had a try at goaling from a penalty, and the visitors were compelled to force. McKenna led a charge over the Waihi •line, but no try was allowed, and Waihi set out in deadly earnest to secure a victory. Wood set his three-quarter line going time after time, but the attacks were unavailing against the stubborn defence of the home team, J. Connolly tackling with deadly precision. Play became ragged in front of the Temuka goal posts, and an exchange of kicks between the full-backs followed. The visitors again got into position in front of Temuka’s, posts, and Angland drop-kicked a .field goal. Temuka at once set up au aggressive attack, but the whistle sounded al-

most immediately with the scores—* Waihi 4 Temuka .. 0 NOTES. Dwan was.easily the best of the Temuka backs on Saturday, his fielding and kicking being a treat to watch. His taking the ball at arms’ length from a high punt whilst running backwards, was a masterpiece, and his heady little kicks to the line showed great judgment and were a source of great assistance to his side. There were far too many infringements of the rules in Saturday's game. Players should remember that their hard work in attack generally wiped out if they give a penalty to their pponents. We know it is sometimes possible to “get away with it,” but generally it doesn’t pay to try and beat the referee.

O. Quirke played the soundest game at full-back against Temuka the writer has seen this season. He was never bustled, and hie judgment in taking the. ball on the full was great, and he was always iu place when wanted. The Temuka backs fail badly at combination. Individually they are good—sometimes brilliant—r-biit passing rushes are conspicuous by their absence. The weak link is with the inside backs, but the whole are showing an improvement on previous games.

The Temuka team fields a great pack of hard working forwards, their only weak point being securing from the scrums. In the lineout, Manning and Barker were conspicuous, and in the other departments of the game everyone did his full share.

Manning was the best forward on the ground on Saturday, and played a wonderful game. In the second half his shoulder was severely injured, necessitating play being stopped for some minutes. On resuming he played with even greater dash than before, and when compelled to leave the field, being replaced by Stanley, he received an ovation. Wood played a heady game at half for Waihi, opening up the play for his backs again and again. SENIOR. , Old Boys 35 v. Celtic 8. Zingari 20 v. Star 0. JUNIOR. Old Boys 16 beat St. Andrews 0. Star'3 beat Y.M.C.A. 0, Temuka 6 drew with Pleasant Point 6. For Point Larsen kicked a penalty and Cross scored a try. For Temuka Pocock and J. Moulton scored tries. Mr E. J. Chapman was referee. THIRD GRADE.- • Zingari 24 beat Geraldine 0. Washdyke 12 beat Fareora 0. Star 9 beat Old Boys 5i FOURTH GRADE. 'Star B. 14 beat St. Andrews 3. ■Star A. 12 beat Waehdyke 0. Celtic 6 beat Geraldine 0. FIFTH GRADE.:* Geraldine 9 beat Zingari 0. Star A. 37 beat Pareora 0. ■ Temuka put up a cricket score against Star 8., beating them by 41 to 0. The following scored for the winners:—S. Ward (6 tries), S. Collins (2 tries), and T. Palmer, A Mihaka, -F. Maugin and J. Spillane (1 each). Palmer kicked seven goals and Mangin two.