FOOTBALL SEASON

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXVI, Issue 9064, 27 April 1937, Page 3

FOOTBALL SEASON

OPENING OF GUP COf/iPEHIiONS KATIKATI DEFEATS ATHENRE • C. 0.8. WIN FROM H. 5.0.8. The Waihi Rugby Union’s cu competitions opened on Saturday lai and judging from the two senic games played on Rugby Park tl prospects for good football this se< son look bright. The ground was i fair order, though the grass ws rather long, but a high, westerl wind, accompanied by heavy rai showers, made conditions anythin but ideal. In the first game —Kati kati v. Athenree —the former won b 3 points to nil and were the bette team on the day, having a good heav; pack and working well togethei Athenree included a number o young players and the greasy bal appeared to have them in difficulties while a lack of combination ant confidence was whirl will be remedied with a game o: two, after which they may, be lookec to to show some bright football. In the second match —High Schoo: Old Boys v. Convent Old Boys—th« latter had a narrow win by 3 points to nil, the game being well contested from start to finish and the teams appearing to be on a par. Both combinations are fast and combine well and are able to last out the full time. ATHENREE V. KATIKATI In the Athenree-Katikati match the teams were as follows: Athenree: Tairua, Luke Murray, R. Ainsley, T. Nathan, Wharepapa, F.. Young, W. Taunau,. T. Paul, J. Pio, L. Watene, R. Wharekawa, Madge and Henry. Katikati: R. Walford, L. Mountier, eßece, Syddal, S. Walford, Smith, R. Price, G. Holmes, A. Dick, A. Dick, A. Young, Curtis, Crawford, Morice and Byrne. Athenree kicked off against the wind and following up they broke ■through the defence when the ball slipped through the hands ,of the -Athenree half, a line-kick to neutral .-ground relieving however. Dick iheaded a Katikati forward attack, ibut Murray picked up and raced back till tackled by Reece and a spell of ■open play in the Katikati half saw Athenree attempt to handle, Nathan failing to gather in a long pass, and S. Walford kicking clear. A combin«d Katikati forward rush had AthenTee defending and Price got his men away smartly from a scrum and raced round to pick up again and make a run before being forced out close to the line, Ainsley receiving from the throw-in and punting clear. Katikati. to do most of the attacking and kept their opponents on the defensive, the Athenree men trying to handle on several occasions, hut the b.all .appearing to be too greasy for them A further Katikati advance saw S. Walford reach the scoring line before being tackled, Price finally going over for a try and the kick failing—Katikati '3, Athenree 0. Walford, Crawford and Dick were prominent in a further Katikati rush and Athenree were hard put to it to keep them from again crossing the scoring mark, a long kick to touch eventually clearing, and'half-time sounding. THE SECOND HALF Early in the second, spell the Katikati forwards went' to the opposite twenty-five and held the advantage till a force-down relieved and following the 25 yards kick Wharepapa, Young and Ainsley handled, the latter punting to the side-line. Price, Smith, Walford and Reece passed when Katikati hooked from a scrum but the latter was bottled up, Ainsley kicking clear and Murray following up and attempting to break through but being solidly tackled. Athenree now began to handle better and a passing movement saw Nathan pushed into touch inside the Katikati 25, a long kick, helped by the wind, however, quickly taking play to the opposite end of the field. A heavy shower of rain made the ball very greasy and though Katikati went to the line they were unable to touch down and a force resulted. Play was ragged until Ainsley put his men on the advance with a handy punt and he just missed with a free shot at the posts, the ball being forced and time coming with play in the Athenree half. Mr A. Eklund was in charge of the .game. H. 5.0.8. V. C. 0.8. Convent Old Boys: Pratt, Prentliville, Hayes, Lloyd, Tas. McNamara, Jim McNamara, H. McNamara, Roband, Berry, J. Furey, Morrison, E. Furey, Kelly and Johns. High School Old Boys: Dobson, J. Berryman, C. Lyndon, Bell, Woodlands, Hearn, P. Lyndon, Pennell, Hughes, Atkinson, O’Neill, Rowe, Hovell, Wolfenden' and Jarvis. The Convent Old Boys opened 3t. against the wind and for a spell they were on the defensive till H. McNamara found touch, Hearn and Woodlands returning, however, and from a five-yards scrum in front of the posts the forwards mixed it till a free kick relieved. Play remained ir the Convent Old Boys’ half, Lloyd being tackled by Berryman when he picked up and made a run for it Then Johns dribbled through and th< backs picking up in the High School’: quarter, Hayes scored in the corner the kick" failing—Convent Old Boy: 3, High School Old Boys 0. C. Lyn

don put.the High School Old Boys on the attack with a long punt and following a combined rush Woodlands failed with a penalty shot at the posts, H. McNamara returning to the side-line. C. Jarvis opened up for t the High School and the forwards packed close to the scoring line, a free kick to the attackers again being unsuccessful.. The blue pack returned to the Convent Old Boys’ 25, but, following an exchange of kicks, Prendiville .and J. McNamara relieved. Fast open play saw the High School Old Boys again inside the greens’ 25 till the call of halftime. THE SECOND HALF T. Lyndon and Hovell led a High School rush, Woodlands, C. Lyndon ■and Berryman getting away fast, but the latter being thrown into touch short of his objective. A further nice passing rush broke up when C. Lyndon' was tackled and tight forward play in neutral ground saw the greens break through and carry on to the High School’s quarter, H. McNamara picking up but kicking

over the dead ball line. Fast, open forward play in heavy rain took the greens back to the High School's corner, but Pennell, Wolfenden and Hovell led a counter-attack to halfway from where Morrison and Berry were prominent in a further Convent Old Boys' rush, but line-kicking forced them back and the forwards again mixed it in neutral ground. The greens again got the advantage till a penalty against them sent play i back to half-way, the High School attacking from a scrum, but Pratt finding touch and time sounding with play again inside the High School Old Boys' half. Mr J. Wyatt refereed the match. In the junior game on the Recreation Ground the High School Old Boys defeated Mataura by 17 points to 3, and in the third grade game the High School had a victory over Mataura by 19 points to nil.