TAIHAPE CHAMPIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 220, 17 September 1928, Page 5

TAIHAPE CHAMPIONS

POWNALL TROPHY EASILY RETAINED WANGANUI SOUNDLY DEFEATED. (Special ‘‘Chronicle” Reporter) When it was known that there were many defections from the Wanganui side originally chosen to play Taihape on Saturday, there was still retained by the river city a glimmer of hope th.’it in their epiest for the Pownall Troph.v the team taking the field would prove successful. That glimmer faded com pletcly, however, before half the. game was over. 'Taihape piled on 16 points in the first spell, ami kept their line intact, Wanganui’s three points coming from a penalty kick by Tilley. Throughout the whole match Taihape were masters. The blues rarely looked dangerous, their best effort being made immediately following half-time, but at no period of play did they impress as being better than the opposition. Under the guiding influi'nce of “Moke” Beiliss the trophy holders knew what they were about, and deserved victory, by even a greater margin than was actually the case. The teams were as follows: Taihape,—Harrington, R. , Collier. Hall, W. Collier, McLennan, Graham, Still, Beiliss, Burr, Horton, Leahy, Stone, Heise, K Sinclair, Kilkolly. Wanganui.—Fulton, Hair. Tilley. Narbey, Coupland, Ormond. Blyth, Stiver. Pine, V. Crolry, Fromont, Stewart, 'Tate, McCrae, Nodwell. Wanganui Score First. Wanganui kicked off, Taihape having lhe advantage, of the wind. Kilkolley returned the kick to Narbey who found touch. Stone was a conspicuous tigurcin a dash for the line Taihape goi the ball from the tight, Still semi ing a long pass to McLennan, to Hall, to W. Collier, who beat Hair and was collared by Stiver. Taihape were penalised and Fulton found touch in tin* home twenty-five. Flay hovered there for a time, the red forwards forcing it back gradually and wore eventually penalised in a scrum. From the resultant penalty Tilley goalcd from well out —Wanganui 3; Taihape 0. Wanganui got the ball from a serum, Blyth, Ormond, 'Tilley and Hair handling. The winger beat his vis-a-vis but an ever-watchful Beiliss brought him down. The blues opened the play once again, Blyth passing to Ormond, who cut through and passed again to Blyth, to Tilley, to Narbey, who was forced out and Wanganui’s momentary attacking role lapsed. Allowing the reds to resume the of fensivc once again, Beiliss paved the way for the first try by kicking high. Heise, foilowing up, got possession and the attack surge! on to Fulton, who got his man and Reg Collier was forced out. From the throw-in the home rearguard swung with action. Still, Beiliss, Graham. McLennan, Hall and W. Collier handling, ihe winger going over for a fine try. The scorer added the points.—Taihape 5; Wanganui 3. Heise and Burr, with Beiliss in their wake, headed the home pack away from a dangerous corner. ■ Fulton saved just in time. Beiliss was again responsible for a scoring opening. Taking the ball from th air he challenged Wanganui's last line in a characteristic. dash and passed out for Hall to pick up and score. W. Collier found the uprights —Taihape 10, Wanganui 3. Taihape were penalised but Tilley’s kick was fielded by Leahy who put his team in a good attacking position with a kick to touch at the blue twentylive flag. Holding to their advantage the home side pressed the blues heavily. Twice in quick succession Beiliss was all but over. In the end a five-yard scrum resulted from which Stiver cleared to half-way, giving his side a momentary breathing space. Hall marked to pull Stewart and Nodwell up but his kick was charged down and the Wanganui attack surged right to the home lino, V. Crotty and Stewart working tirelessly. The reds were pontliscd. but Tilley made, a poor Attempt to goal from easy range. Waiting for a high kick to bounce let the reds within art ace of the Wanganui line, Beiliss being pulled down. The attack was forced clear a little and a scrum from a knock-on resulted, in which Wanganui were penalised within easy range, allowing W. Collier to goal. —Taihape 13; Wan ganni 3. A cross kick by Blyth was taken nicely by W. (Jollier, who beat Hair and transferred ro Stone, to Sinclair, to Beiliss, to Reg (’’oilier, who had a clear run in on the opposite side of the field. W. Collier failed to add the points. — Taihape 16; Wanganui 3. There was no alteration at half-time. Immediately on resuming J,. Fro mont came clear of the ruck to field the hall on the bounce, but his pass was fuumbled by AFcCrae and the ball landed in touch. Wanganui held the red’s penned in their twenty-five for a time, blue forwards battling at the line to reap reward when Pino crossed. Tilley could not goal.—Wanganui 6; Taihape 16. Burr broke from the line-out and challenged the. defenders in a. strong run, passing to Kilkolly, who scored. \V. Collier goaled.—Taihape -1; Wanganui (5. Stiver was obstructed when within scoring distance and from the resultant pcnaly Coupland could not goal—another easy let-off. Taihape Masters. At this stage the blues showed a Iranferred to W. Collier who appeared to peared to be a team letting up, but the home defence was too sure, the attack ers being swept back right to their own goal. The Taihape attackers moved up quickly to a cross-kick by Pine which was fielded by Harrington. The full-back found a gap with a nice punt and regaining on the bounce, ferrod to W. Collier, who appeared to score, but the referee awarded a fiveyard scrum. It was evident that the home side wore definitely masters and on the call of time a passing rush in Wanganui's twentyfive lot Stone away to ground the ball under the posts. ’Twas a mystified scorer, a still more mystified referee, and a hilarious crowd which perceived the touch judge’s flag aloft. Stone had accepted the ball from a player who had a foot in touch and the timekeeper’s bell cut short, the arguments on the touch-line, a fast game ending with Taihape still worthy holders of the Pownall Trophy —champions in the Wanganui Union. To final scores were:— Taihape 21. Wanganui 6 Air A. Henwood was the referee.