FOOTBALL

Waikato Independent, Volume XXI, Issue 2415, 14 June 1921, Page 5

FOOTBALL

f THE RUGBY GAME ' HAUTAPU DEFEAT,S CITY A WIN FOR ROTO-O-R ANGI LEAMINGTON 14. MATANGI 3 The playing fields of Cambridge again attracted the usual enthusiastic followers of the leather on Saturday. On account ef the League game at the Square that ground was not used for the Rugby fixtures, and two of the three senior matches were played Leamington Domain, the remaining one being set down for the Showgrounds. The spectators were provided with some fairly fast football on occasisons, and interest in the play was occasionally kept at a high state of tension. The season in Cambridge so far has. seen some surprises in Rugby football, where Ipams have played true to form,. and a more scientific knowledge is being evidenced in various ways. On Saturday, Roto-o-rangi played Maungatautari at Leamington registering 8 points against their opponents who failed to score. Maungatautari’s airplay was somewhat disappointing as it was confidently expected that they would be an improved team. Matangi succumbed to Leamington on the same location the, final score being Leamington 14, Matangi 3. The City team was beaten by Hautapu at the Showgrounds by lo points to 9.*.. Illuminating reports of the matches appear below'. .*» MAUNGATAUTARI v. EOTO-O- . * . , RANGI This match was played at Leamington and proved fairly / interesting. Roto-o-rangi took the w'ith only twelve men, but finally made up their quota. Maungatautari kicked off. Play hovered about midfield for some time, and was of a very even nature. At length Roto-o-rangi worked the play to Maujigatautari ’s twenty-five where Moisley secured, and, making a fine dash, cleverly eluded several opponents and scored between the posts. Pima failed to convert. For some time after the commencement of the second quarter, play moved rapidly up and cpwn the field. Near their- twenty-five Roto-o-rangi were penalized and Peake had an'unsuccessful shot at goal.. Soon after Peake made a fine dash, being stopped near the line. Then Roto-o-rangi got a free kick which gave them relief. Shortly after half-time was called. \, On resuming play of an even nature ’ ensued for some minutes. Then Maun 1 gatautari attacked and looked dangerous, but'the ball went into toueh-in-goal. The remainder' of the spell was uneventful. ? During the last quarter the play, was very, fast and exciting, each side making strenuous efforts to score. The Maungatautari backs were conspicuous in a fine passing rush, the last player to receive the ball being pushed into touch a few feet from the goal-line. Roto-o-rangi defended strenuously but Maungatautari, mainly owing to a fine dash by Box, kept up the attack. Then the scene changed suddenly, several Roto-o-rangi men making- a fine dash right' through their opponents. In the end S. White secured • "and dashed over. Moisley converted. Shortly after the final whistle blew with the score Roto-o-rangi S, Mannga- ‘ 'tautari 0. On the whole Roto-o-rangi were superior throughout and considering they were three men short for the greater part of the first spell, well deserved their victory. I. Peake played Ms usual dashing game, while Box, the centre three.-quarter man and Johnson were fair. For Roto-o-rangi Moisley, RowcJ Clow, Wiles, Brown and Knight were most conspicuous. Mr_E. Walker was referee. MATANGI v. LEAMINGTON These teams met for the second time this sgjison at the Leamington ground and a fairly interesting game resulted. Leamington kicked off against a fairly stiff breeze and momentariily attacked but were forced back. Give and take play followed for j a time and then Leamington attacked strongly. / Finally A. Paterson worked his way over in a scramble and was awarded a try. J. Tucker converted with a splendid‘kick ■ from a difficult angle. At the beginning of the second quarter Matangi attacked strongly -but a force saved Leamington. Then Tatton broke through the red defence with a line dribble, but fell when a score seemed likely. Again Matangi invaded the blues' territory but.,could not get over. Leamington were frequently penalized / and Cranston had several unsuccessful shots at goal. Then the Leamington backs got on a pretty passing rush from which .T. Tucker scored, but no goal resulted. Half-time was called the scores Leamington 8, Matangi 0. , ... On resuming the blues attacked for a time, but at length were-forced back towards their goal. They were frequently penalized, and from a free kick

Cranston landed a goal for Matangi. Exciting play followed, the spell ending with Leamington attacking. During the last quarter- Leamington did most of the attacking, but lost chances by.-off-side play, Matangi being awarded several free-kicks. Finally a miskick by one of the red backs gave N. Paterson a chance and h'e clashed over at the corner. Soon after C. Wallis and Fisher got away and the last-nam-ed scored. Neither try was converted, and shortly • after the game ended with the score Leamington 14, Matangi

For the losers Cranston, Faulkner, Porteous, Thompson and Devine showed good form. Dumblcton, who early in the season showed good form at half, was weak and his display probably disorganised the attack. For Leamington N. Paterson was easily the best in the forwards, displaying pace, strength and. skill' throughout. Of the others in the forwards division Hall, Wallis, Abbott and Robertson were conspicuous, the last-named showingmuch improved form. In the back division Paterson, Makgill, Tucker, Haworth and Tatton all did good work, but the last-named is developing a bad habit, of hesitating when pressed. Rotter at full-back had an easy time, but did what/little came his way successfully. Mr F. Thomas was referee. HAUTAPU v. CITY Hgutapu set the game in motion and forced their opponents on to the defensive from the commencement. -A rush from Hautapu followed but it was rather poorly gauged City beingawarded a free kick. Ingpen kicked a, fine goal. Upon play being resumed the Hautapu forwards carried play into City's 25, one of the Bourke brothers being responsible for bringing the score up to 3 —3. The kick at goal failed. Forward play was the order for some time when Tui for the rods broke away kicking downfield. They full back, McNeill forced, but a breeze sprang up blowing towards the City end ox the field. City were penalised and Hautapu had a kick at goal; but Bourke failed to bring the figures up. A forward rush was then made by City McNeill saving on two occasions. Hautapu carried play to the opposing side’s .25. Thompson shortly afterwards drop-kicking a splendid goal. The score at half-time was Hautapu 7, Citv 3.

Upon the game being resumed Ingpen gut the leather moving and Thomns n. followed this up by finding the line. The , game- here suffered a slight interruption by an injury to Church, one of the City team. Hautapu then opened up a rush and* play was carried to City’s -territory. A score seemed likely but Hautapu .were penalised for off-side play and City changed the play to the Haurapu line., A free kick'for City ' followed, Ingpen again kicking'a good goal. One of the Bourkes followed up a break away by Hautapu and scored, added a goal and brought tho score to Hautapu 12, City 6. A few minutes later Ingpen kicked another goal for City/ Hautapu soon overcame, their, opponents’, defence although they had a little difficulty in repelling the attack. The wind helped Hautapu, three of whose men fell on the ball and scored. Thompson registered the final sepre for the victorious Hautapu side, running half the lcngtli of the field. The kick at goal failed, and the match ended Hautapu 20, City 9, \ Mr Kukutai was referee. THE JUNIOR MATCHES City played Leamington at the Showgrounds tieing with their opponents. Tho final scores were 3; —3. Mr Greenwood was referee. Another tie, 3 —3, ended the match between Tauwharo and Matangi, played at Matangi. Mr Somerset held the whistle.

UNDER LEAGUE RULES WIN FOR LOWER WAIKATO DISPUTE - ENDS OTHER GAME The League game enticed a moderately good but very demonstrative attendance to Victoria Square on Saturday afternoon. Before the end of the first quarter the curtain-raiser, Hamilton A versus ‘Cambridge A, ended in a dispute over the Cambridge captain being asked by the referee to leave the field for attempting to trip up one of the opposing side. No scores were registered. The teams for the principal' match, Lower Waikato v. combined Cambridge and Hamilton match were as follows: —Lower Waikato: Sherlock, Paki (2), Wilson (2), Graves, Allen Johnson, Hall, Bishop, Scott, Hutt and Ravner; Hamilton-Cumbridge: Dufty, Cronin, Collett, Hemmingway, Stewart Smith, Cherry, McMillan, Bent, Mawhinnev, Kelly, Meehan and Manning. The combined team were sojnewhat outclassed by their opponents particularly in the scrums, although the match at times was of the fasts and furious order, it was indeed the finest exhibition of the League code *in Gam-

bridge to date. The winners thoroughly deserved their victory and secured a much more convincing win than that recorded at Hamilton recently, when the same teams met at Scddon Park, on May 14tli. The scores on that occasion wore Lower Waikato 27, Hamil-ton-Cainbridge 23, the victory being regarded as rather a lucky one. Last Saturday the game ended rather.spectacularly with the figures Lower Waikato 27, Hamilton-CainbridgCi 10. Mr It. T. Hill was an impartial referee.