FOOTBALL.

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXV, Issue 54, 5 July 1937, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

CENTRAL H.B. SUB-UN|DN TAKAPAU HAVE A CLOSE CALL. Saturday’s football competitions were carried through under good weather conditions. The outstanding feature was the solid' game put up by Omakere against the champion team, Takapau, the latter finishing up with a margin of one point only, a try scored a few minutes before the call of time giving them the game. Otane put up a good fight against Waipukurau, considering the defections in their team. This club has still to find a decent place kick to win matches. Te Ante, who have been “resting” for some time, made a re-appearance, and although they were successful against Tikokino they have not yet recovered their old dash.

In the junior competition Waipawa went down to Porangahau, due in a measure to the effects of the long journey out. Waipukurau went down badly to Te Aute, andi Old Boys had an easy win over Talfapau A. This puts Old Boys in the lead with 19 points, Waipukurau 18, AVaipawa 15, Takapau A 14, Porangahau 10, Te Aute 6, Takapau B 2. SENIORS. ANOTHER LOSS W OTANE. Otane (Blue). —Higgs, Scrimgeour, Pene, Smith, Riach, Tolley, Bracken, Burgess, Beale, Greene, Orr, Kaukau, Stephens, Wright, McAA r ha. AVaipukurau (Blue and AVhite).— Lane, Rupuha, Johnston, Ferguson (2), Norman, Benson, Higgins, Pedersen, Spotswood, Crapp, Gibson, Lovatt, McKay, Walker. Otane set the game in motion and play hovered in mid-field for some time till Lane broke away and looked like scoring, but Otane cleared. AA r aipukurau kept up the attack, and Greene saved trouble with a great dribble that carried play to AAraipukurau’s 25. AYaipukurau's forwards and! backs combined in a passing rush that nearly had Otane in trouble. AA r aipukurau were awarded a penalty, but Higgins could not oblige. Otane broke away and Bracken put in a good kick, to follow through and catch the full-back in possession. Otane were awarded a free kick andl Greene opened Otane’s account. Otane 3, AVaipukurau 0. AA’aipukurau opened up play. AValker broke away to send M. Ferguson over in the corner. Higgins could not convert. Three all. From a serum Lovatt set his backs going and M. Ferguson scored his second try. Higgins’ kick just missed. Otane 3, Waipukurau 6. Otane tried hard) to gain the lead and had Waipukurau on the defensive at half-time. On the change-over MeAVha broke away in a good run. Otane were awarded a penalty in a good position, but the kick was fruitless and play came back to mid-field). AYaipukurau backs opened up the game, and Higgins put in a good run to score under the posts. He also converted. AVaipukurau 11, Otane 3. Waipukurap set up assault after assault, and success came to them when T. Ferguson crossed to ground the ball. Higgins was having an off day and could not add to the score. Waipukurau 14, Otane 3. Otane now took the offensive, and a. penalty gave Greene a chance which he did not accept. Otane were striving hard to pull the game out of the fire, but were finding the Waipukurau forwards a tough nut to crack. Otane kept at it and Bracken sent the hall out for all the backs to handle and send) Smith over in the corner. Greene again missed. Waipukurau 14, Otane 6. Burgess had a shot from a penalty, but it brought no success. AA’aipukurau broke away, hut MeAVha cleared and Smith gathered in to run from half-way and score. Burgess’ attempt at goal was very poor. Time was called immediately after with the score—AVaipukurau 14, Otane 9.

Mr AA r . Phillips ably controlled) the game. AAHN FOR PORANGAHAU.

Playing at Waipukurau Porangahau defeated Old Boys by 19 points to nil. The boys from the Coast were on top all the time. Ross opened the winners’ scoring with a try after a few. minutes of play. The kick at goal failed. A little later Ross repeated the performance, and this time Pahl added the major points. The next to score was Hokianga, the kick failing, andl the score at half-time was 11—0.

Shortly after the resumption of play Moana broke away and scored between the posts, Pahi hoisting the flags. Shortly before the whistle Moana went over for another try, bringing Porangahau’s score to 19 points. Mr T. B. Jackson was in charge of the game. ’ A AVIN FOR TE AUTE.

After being off the field a month owing to sickness at the College, Te Aute resumed their engagements on Saturday, the seniors meeting Tikokino at Tikokino. A good even game resulted in a win tor the College by 12 points to nine. The score”at half-time was 6—3 in favor of Te Aute. French and Ngahere scored tries for Tikokino, and French kicked) a penalty goal. The names Of the scorers for Te Aute are not available. The Rev. J. Hogg refereed. After the match the Te Aute hoys were entertained at afternoon tea by ti, o Tikokino Club, a courtesy which was much appreciated. NARROW ESCAPE FOR TAKAPAU, Playing at Omakere the Takapau seniors Just managed to get home, the winning try being registered in the last few minutes of play, and the game ended—Takapau nine, Omakere eight. It was a great game. Mr Frederickson had charge. JUNIORS. AVAIPAAVA TEAM DEFEATED. The Waipawa junior team journeyed toPPrangahauonSaturday_and

were decisively beaten by the village team by 12 to nil. In fairness to the AA r aipawa team,it,must be stated that several of them were stricken by car sickness on the long journey, and this no dloubt caused them to lose their customary dash, but the villager's played a splendid game and thoroughly deserved their victory. The first score came from a hack movement in the Waipawa 25 when Longley dashed over for a good try. Scott’s kick failed. A. few minutes later mulling by the AVaipawa backs let Roach over from a forward melee. The kick was unsuccessful. After the interval, with the scor’e six to nil against them, AVaipawa tried hard to make up the leeway, but Longley again won in a race for the line to make the score nine to nil, the kick failing to go over. The AVaipawa. backs were caught out of position soon afterwards for K. Scott to go over for a. good try which remained unconverted and the score 12 to nil. In the closing stages AVaipawa played with their customary form andl were unfortunate not to score on several occasions, McCleary andl Fair being very unlucky with efforts, but the score remained unaltered. Mr G. Scott was in charge. At the conclusion of the game the visitors were entertained at afternoon tea by the Porangahau team, and Mr F. AV. Holt, on behalf of the visitors thanked them for their hospitality. Cheers were given for Porangahau and they accorded AA T aipawa the same compliment. OTHER MATCHES. Otane defeated Takapau B by 10 points to six. At Central Park To Aute heat Waipukurau by 31 to seven. Old Boys defeated Takapau A by 34 points to three. INTER-SCHOOL MATCH. An inter-school Rugby football match was played between AVaipnkurau D.H.S. and Waipawa D.H.S. teams at Central Park, Waipukurau, last week. A very good exhibition was given by both teams, the play being fast and the defences adequate. Nearing the end of the game the score stood). Waipukurau 9, AVaipawa 8, hut just before the whistle blew Waipawa vent over but (lid not convert, and the game finished —Waipawa 11, Waipukurau 9. Mr E. G. Ivedgley refereed.