FOOTBALL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18537, 7 April 1930, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

OLD BOYS’ MATCHES. TIMARU DEFEAT OAMARU. (Special to the “Herald.”) OAMARU, April 6. The annual games between senior and junior fifteens of the Timaru and Oamaru Old Boys’ Clubs were played here yesterday in fine weather. The day was ideal for football, being cold, and with an entire absence of sun. In the senior match Timaru were not unduly extended to win by 15 to 8, after making most of the play. The Blues went to the attack from the outset, King sending his line away smartly from a srum. Gray was tackled in possession. Sumpter booted through and followed fast, only to be out-manouvred by Robertson, the Blue centre, who sped round and made , a nice opening which he eventually spoiled through failing to send on when he had three backs outside him. A bout of tight play ensued. Lack of foot control cost the Blues a possible try when Aitken, McDonald and Black broke through from a ruck, the ball going into touch. Clean hooking by the visiting frontrow men gave the backs plenty of ball. The home fifteen was still on the defensive, the backs being frequently called on to strap the opposing packmen who were using their superior weight to push the local forwards off the ball. Fleming marked right in front, but well out, and made a good attempt to drop a goal, the ball going under the bar. Kent fielded and brought it out, lining at the twentyfive. A smashing Blue forward rush carried the defence, the Reds saving by forcing. The home side made its first incursion into Blue territory when Kent intercepted Robertson’s pass to Trotter, and streaked through. Fleming grassed him cleanly, and Black retrieved the lost territory with a fine dribbling rush. The Blues were swarming on the Red line, but a penalty enabled Sumpter to gain respite. Three passing rushes broke down before a resolute defence. Timaru went close to scoring when the front men raked smartly and King whipped the leather out to Gray. The five-eighths cut in and short-punted, poor judgment enabling Taylor to force. From off-side by Ross, Mahan made a creditable attempt to open the visitors’ account, the ball just going outside. Short passing between Aitken, Black and Simmers tangled the defence, and a spell of torrid play fol--1 lowed right on Oamaru’s goal line. I The hard-working Red vanguard finally succeeded in clearing. The Red I backs launched an offensive, and Kent and Sumpter broke through. Kent short-punted, which Sumpter followed through smartly, but the bounce beat them, and Fleming cleared nicely. I Ross cross-kicked dangerously, Mahan j fielding and racing down the side line. Sumpter pushed him into touch inI side the 25. The home pack carried ! a line-out, and Robertson and Ross i went on past half-way. The latter 1 transferred to Kent, who kicked into jan open space. The winger, Webb, | was in hot pursuit, but the ball rolled ] into touch, when he had practically a clear field ahead. Oamaru was the first to draw blood. Play was in mid-field, I when Webb kicked across to his other i wing. Sumpter fielded, and after putI ting in a short dab sent to Kent. An- : I ticipating a short punt, Sumpter raced into position and when Kent kicked : the speedy winger outpaced the opposi- : tion to score alongside the posts.

Gaffaney converted. Oamaru 5, Timaru 0. Carrying scrum after scrum, the Blue backs and forward launched a determined offensive in the home side’s goal mouth. Effective smothering kept them out. King essayed a shot at goal when Black and Bassett heeled to him in a handy position. The ball shot off the side of his boot towards the wing, and in a great race Webb frustrated Trotter’s attempt to touch down by booting out behind. Just on the interval Timaru got over for a well earned try. A long throw-in by Trotter was accepted by Gray, who sent on to Steele, to Robertson, who threw a long pass to Mahan, who shook off several weak tackles and crossed just as a couple of forwards dropped him. He failed to convert the try, and the spell ended Oamaru 5, Timaru 3. On resuming, the Timaru backline shook itself out into an effective attacking unit. Handling with more precision, they harrassed the defence. King opened up from a ruck, and the ball travelled out to Mahan. The Blue winger put in a strong run, Ross stopping his progress with a great tackle from behind. Trotter made a zig-zag solo run, getting right through to the full-back before he was grassed. The Blues carried a scrum, and the backs went away. Steele missed a pass, but Gray swung round and recovered the leather. His action, which was off-side, escaped the notice of the referee. Gray kicked through and fast following by Simmers saw him scramble over clear of Taylor to touch down. Mahan missed with the kick. Timaru 6, Oamaru 5. Oamaru replied j with a spirited forward sally. The ball | went out to Sumpter, who came infield i again, when his path was blocked and i linked up with his forwards. Cain rei ceived and handed on to Gaffaney, ! who swerved through half a dozen | before sending on to Hedges. The I latter threw away an easy chance by j knocking on a few yards from the ' line. The Blues raked, and King cleared. The home side returned to the attack, but it was short-lived. Passing rushes by the Blue second line eventually carried the defence, weak tackling by Kent and Sumpter letting them through. King, Gray, Steele and Robertson handled in turn, then Mahan gained possession. He put in ! a strong run before sending into Black, i Black sent on to Gray, who slipped

i over. Mahan again failed to find the ! uprights from a handy position. | Timaru 9, Oamaru 5. The Blue backs, I who were seldom without the ball, now j dominated the play, and sorely tried I the defence. From a penalty just in- ! side half-way Gaffaney made a good | attempt to goal, the ball just falling j short. Gray jinked his way down the 1 side-line, and gained a big slice of i ground before he was pushed into i touch. Then Trotter broke through, | and sent £itken over, but the rover | was brought back for off-side. The ' visitors raised their total to twelve as j a result of a neat bit of work between ■ King and Mahan. The half received ! from a scrum, and shot round on the : blind. He threw a long pass to Mahan ! who outpaced the opposition to register ; his second try. King failed to convert. | Timaru 12, Oamaru 5. A few minutes I later Mahan, to whose wing most of | the play was going, narrowly missed ! scoring again, being dragged down | right on the line. The home side i flashed to the attack as a result of a 1 dropped pass by Robertson, but Kent j kicked too hard and Fleming forced. I A free to the Reds gave Gaffaney an i opportunity right in front, which he ' turned to account. Timaru 12, Oamaru ■ 8. Play in the closing stages continued | in favour of Timaru, and just before I the final whistle sounded Trotter got over in the corner as Taylor tackled him. King missed with the kick, and j the game ended—Timaru 15, Oamaru 1 8. i Mr R. J. Hinkley was referee.

, Timaru had a runaway victory in j the junior encounter, winning by 26 , points to three. For the winners, tries were scored by Miller (2), Bell (2), Marshall and B. Stowell, Stowell converting four. McKerrow scored [ Oamaru’s only try.

WAIRARAPA UNION DECISIONS. By Telegraph—Press Association. MASTERTON, April 6. At the annual meeting of the Wairarapa Rugby Union at Carterton on Saturday the proposed charges of admission to matches of the British touring team were criticised. The Union decided to instruct its delegates to oppose the reservation charge of £l, and also the admission charge of one shilling for school children. After an extended discussion, delegates to the New Zealand Union were instructed to vote in favour of the broadcasting of matches of the British team. Delegates were instructed to support the proposal to revert to the international rules for this season. The chairman of the Management Committee said he thought the legality of the amusement tax of one and tenpence on a season ticket costing a guinea should be tested. A solicitor had told him that this tax could not be enforced.