THE FOOTBALL SEASON

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXIX, Issue 8302, 26 April 1932, Page 3

THE FOOTBALL SEASON

OPENED ON SATURDAY IN WAIK!

ATHLETICS DEFEAT MATAURA

FAST AND INTERESTING MATCH The Rugby football season in Waihi was commenced on Saturday last with matches at the local Recreation Ground, Waikino and Katikati. Usually the opening games of the year are inclined to be ragged and uninteresting and to show a lack of form, but the contest on Saturday between the Athletic and Mataura Clubs’ senior fifteens was a pleasant surprise, play being fast and keen right from the opening whistle and a well-deserved victory going to Athletics by 19 points to 9. The winners have a good all-round team and should acauit themselves well in the club competitions this season. The Mataura pack put up a good fight against their heavier opponents but the back division was not as strong as in former years, though a match or two should see an improvement in it. The playing area has been re-grassed and improved since last season, when it had become very bare and sodden, and was in good condition for play ,the grass having made rapid growth with the recent rains and no anxiety need be felt as to its standing up to a strenuous season’s play.

RUN OP THE GAME Athletics kicked off and Brown cut through with the ball, being blocked ten yards out from the scoring line, a hard forward scrummage terminating by McConnell pushing across to score within a few minutes of the start of play. The kick was at a difficult angle and E. Shergold was unsuccessful —Athletics 3, Mataura 0. A long line punt returned the half-way kick and both packs gathered round for some tight play in Mataura ground and for the first quarter of an hour the ball was mostly inside the Mataura twentyfive line, seldom travelling back as far as half-way and the defenders were hard put to stave off the repeated sallies by the heavy Athletic pack. The second try came when C. O’Neill (Athletics) short kicked and, his team bustling hard, a fumble on the goal line by Mataura allowed Ludwig to touch down near the sideline. Peebles missed -with the kick —Athletics 6, Mataura 0. Athletics were playing a solid game, attacking all the time, and their third try came quickly when E. Shergold kicked across the field close to the scoring line and Peebles snapped up the leather and crossed the mark, he also being usccessful in converting— Athletics 11, Mataura 0. Prior to this, play had been practically all in Mataura ground, but now they decided to have a turn at attacking and an irresistible forward movement gained them considerable advantage, a line kick taking them back again however. From the line-out Quinlan (Mataura) passed to Radford, to Walker, McConnell stopping the rush with a kick up-fleld, taking play back to Mataura ground. Hill fallowed up and, securing possession, passed to C. O’Neill, to Peebles, to Brown, who was forced out near the goal line and a forward rush returned play to neutral ground and then gradually worked it into Athletics’ twenty-five. From a throw-in in a handy position the Mataura pack crossed the goal line, but a force down saved. The twenty-five yards kick was returned by Hughes, who followed up and crossed the scoring line near the corner, G, Robinson missing the kick —.Athletics 11, Mataura 3. Both teams were playing well, ,with the advantage in Athletics’ favour and Carpenter saved his team from a nasty position with a timely mark, the forwards, with the two Robinsons in the lead, taking the leather to the other end of the field, Halftime was then called. THE SECOND HALF The second half opened quietly till concerted action by the Athletic forwards carried the ball across the opposing goal-line, Mataura saving with a force-down and then taking play to the other end of the field, Radford missing a score through kicking too hard, it being Athletics _ turn to save by forcing. A long kick by Carpenter soon had Athletics in difficulties again and the attacking forwards tried desperately to cross the line, giving the defenders an anxious five minutes, a second force-down finally relieving. Play, however, remained in Athletics half for a spell, the Mataura forwards keeping on the ball and making it very willing. From a line-out Hill made a good run into Mataura s quarter, Morrison and Ludwig carrying on to the line, but a long kick, which was well followed up, turned the tables and A. McDonald finally vound up a strong combined attack L with a try for Mataura. Spiers being unsuccessful at converting—AthieHcs 11. Mataura 6. Then, a. half-

UCS J-J-I ivxtttau*a. M. ' way, C. O’Neill picked up and after a good run transferred to Brown, the latter losing possession under the posts and Mataura forcing. Thoni " ton caught the twenty-five kick and raced down the side-line to score in the corner, Shergold failing to convert —Athletics 14, Mataura 6. llw was fairly even for a tunc, the foi-v.-arda doing most of the work and doing it well, McConnell ana Hearne finally reaching Malaura’s tweiuyfive, where C. O’Neill picked up and passed to Peebles, to Brown, the latt.*r cutting in and scoring neni >- no'j's. McConnell convertel—A'hlctice 10, Mataura 6. Long kicks, line-outs and scrummages kept Jileather on the move till Walk--got possession and trans.u cd_ t Linian. who made a run of about

tmiruan, wuu . thirty yards to score for Mataura in a handy position. Pobevls failed to convert — Athletics 19, Mamma J. With time getting short. the }j® no let up of the pace, both fifteen,, SpearS to he in good and standing the pace well. The foi wards kept the play tight, and when v the final bell sounded they were still going strong. Mataura being on the attack the scores, however, remaining—Athletics 19, Mataura 9. Mr J. Payne controlled the game.

OTHER MATCHES Tne junior match between Athletics and Mataura was well contested but inclined to be ragged, the teams lacking finish—to be expected in the flra t match. It resulted m a draw,

3 points all, Kingsford scoring for Mataura and M. Berryman for Athletics. Mr B. A. Heath refereed. At Waikino the local club’s senior team suffered defeat at the hands of the Convent Old Boys by 5 points to 3, spectators being of the opinion that the home men were unlucky to lose what had proved an inteiesting match. Mr A. Eklund was the referee. The juniors were also beaten by Convent Cld Boys, the scores being 33 points to 3, the hone team, though appearing solid ewugb. be ina very dii organised. Mr R. Walsh had control. «

At. KatUati the home juivovs defeated the Athletic B (Plains) juniors by 11 points to 8, both sides fielding good solid combinations. Mr Blomquist refereed.