THE FOOTBALL SEASON

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXVI, Issue 7912, 8 October 1929, Page 3

THE FOOTBALL SEASON

found hehdrul cup hitch r•' ;■ WAIHI MEET PIAKO DRAWN GAME PLAYED The senior representatives of the Waihi and Piako Rugby Football pinions met on Saturday at Paeroa in a match that it was generally expected would determine the possession of the Poland Memorial Cup for season 1929, but as the game was drawn 3 points each—the competing teams will have to be bracketed as "equal first” unless the unions concerned decide that another game be played. This, in view of the lateness of the season, seems improbable. Piako kicked off and attacked strongly until Thornton pushed them back with a fine line kick from a mark. This was followed by another line kick by Saunders which carried Waihi to within striking distance of Piako’s chalk mark and Dillimore made a creditable but unsuccessful attempt to drop-kick a goal. After several minutes of loose play between the Piako 25 and , midfield, with the advantage to the Valley men, a penalty was awarded to Waihi and from a little inside the half-way Johns kicked a fine goal, which proved to be Waihi’s only score —Waihi 3, Piako 0. Shortly afterwards a penalty to Piako gave them a chance to even matters up, but Karl Ifwerson, who was entrusted with the kick, failed to steer the ball over the crossbar. Keeping the leather ip. Waihi territory Piako had their opponents defending till call of time and Ifwerson came close to making up for his previous failure with a running dropkick, the ball going under the bar by a matter of inches only. With the change over [Piako continued to have the better of the play and after an unsuccessful shot at a penalty goal Ifwerson evened the figures up from a second breach against Waihi with a nice g oa l—waihi 3, Piako 3. From the kick off Piako again had Waihi defending until Snodgrass took a good mark and cleared with a fine line kick. The relief was, however, only temporary and play w;as carried back to Waihi territory where a breach of the rules by the defenders gave Ifwerson a chance to put his side in the lead, but the shot missed and half-time was sounded with the honours easy. SECOND HALF On resuming Waihi became aggressive and worked their way into Piako’s quarters, where Saunders broke away and got to within a few yards of the Valley team’s line before being grassed heavily. At this stage the Piako men were showing a tendency towards roughness and this went close to costing them the game, the referee awarding Waihi a free kick from which Johns made a good but unsuccessful shot at goal. With the ball in again the Piako forwards came away with, strong dribbling rushes, which compelled Thornton to force down twice. Waihi then ralrlel and after a bout of fast and even play, mostly in Piako ground, Allen (Waihi) got possession and ran strongly for the opposing team’s line, only to lose the ball when a score looked likely. Back came Piako and a penalty against Waihi in a fairly handy position gave Ifwerson his fifth chance to goal, but the leather went wide of the mark and Thornton forced down. Following the 25 kick the ball reached Ifwerson (Karl), who after a ground gaining run passed to his brother Neil. The latter dashed for the corner peg and looked all over like scoring, but was carried over the flag by Thornton. Piako ■continued to attack hotly but the defence held and after K. Ifwerson had had still another—his sixth—shot at goal from a penalty against Waihi the final bell rang with the game all square. ' Mr Bryden, of Te Aroha, proved an efficient referee. The “curtain raiser” to the cup fixture was the final for the Fleming Shield between the Paeroa and Piako schoolboys. The match was won by Paeroa in decisive fashion by 20 points to nil.