BRIGHT FOOTBALL.

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18421, 31 August 1931, Page 3

BRIGHT FOOTBALL.

LEAGUE TEAMS MEET. I AUCKLAND MARI ST SUCCESSFUL. MATCH WITH LOWER WAIKATO. In a game which had the spectators on their toes from the kick-off to the Anal whistle, Auckland Marlst defeated Lower Waikato by 13 points to 11 for the Sunshine League Cup, at Steele Park on Saturday afternoon. It was a fine exhibition of fast open football, full of Incident, and everyone of the onlookers, who numbered over a thousand, went home completely satisfied. If such games are regularly staged by the League In Hamilton, they are assured of big gates. Marlst, the winners, were top of the ladder in Auckland this season, while six New Zealand representatives were included in the ranks of Lower Waikato. The teams fielded as follows:— Auckland Marist.—N. Campbell, G. Bachelor, C. List, B. Schultz, 11. Brisbane (captain), T. Young, W. Hassan, F. Weatherby, C. Y’oung, T. Ralley, H. Carter, A. Clarke, J. Johnson. Lower Waikato.—C. Hill, J. Whorsky, G. Raynor, G. Tittleton, W. Mikl, K. Peckham, E. Abbott, J. Jones (captain), M. Scott, W. Tittleton, T. Timms, J. Menzies, B. Jackways.

Waikato Attack Early. Lower Waikato won the toss and played with the slight breeze in their favour. Hassan kicked off, the ball going to Jackways, who was pulled down before he could get away, Marlst were awarded a free, but the ball was returned to Brisbane who was well tackled by Menzies. Waikato attacked strongly, dribbling through to the opposition twenty-five. Tittleton Just failed with a free, and Marlst came away quickly with a sparkling passing rush to halfway. Abbott intercepted brilliantly and sent out to Jcnes, who passed to G. Tittleton. the speedy back punting over the heads of the opposition, and following up to touch down after Campbell, the fullback. had fumbled. Off-side play, however, nullified the attempt. Abbott took the ball from Tittleton, and Waikato again looked dangerous, but Marist relieved with a free, to halfway, where a scrum was set down. The Waikato pack essayed a passing rush, following a sharp exchange in midfield, but off-side play spoiled the movement, and the resultant penaltyenabled Marist to break through to the opposition twenty-five. Whorsky’s Brilliant Effort. Whorsky snapped up and set off on a speedy dash to halfway, and, following a mlskick by Schultz, he made a clean break through to score a brilliant try. Tittleton's kick went wide. Lower Waikato 3 Marist 0 From the drop-out Whorsky again set off along the line, but sent out a forward pass and was recalled. Hassan gained possession, but was well grassed before he got far. A scrum near the side line saw the bail go to Campbell, who punted hack to halfway. Marist following up to open a promising attack. Clarke took a free, the kick going astray, and Brisbane, coming up fast, attempted to run through. Jackways was handy, however. and brought him down. Waikato Are Unlucky. Waikato had the advantage of several scrums, ami when play was in the Marist twenty-five Peckham snapped up, ran crossfield, and transferred to | Mikl, who appeared certain Io score.; but Campbell cut in and grassed him I two yards out. Waikato continued to press, until a mistake gave Marist an opening, and play moved to neutral I territory. Brisbane sent the Marist pack away on a dangerous rush, which Tillleton held up by falling on the ball. Poon after the Aucklanders again got going, this lime being stopped by Hill, who was playing a great, game in the rearguard. Fast up and down play followed. Brisbane kicked down to Hill, who passed to Whorsky. who in turn sent on Io Peckham The Waikato five-eighths ran up tlie line efore passing out to Miki, who touched down between the posts. However. the referee rided Miki offside an<l give Marlst a penalty, play moving lack to halfway. Just before halftime W , 1..,-,, attacked, and In a scrummage in the Marist twenty®ve Abbott pissi d out to S:ott, who scored an easy try. Jackways adding Uie major points. Lower Waikato 8 Marlst 0 After the Interval. Peckham made an opening from a scrum early in the second session. Tittleton going through to the Marist twenty-five. Brisbane cut in to pick up and set off on a dash right through the opposition and dived oxer the line, but he was recalled for a knock on. Play was now centred a few yards from the Waikato line. Marist pressjug strongly. Weatherby took a good

pass and ran round behind the posts, but an infringement brought him back. Abbott cleared to Campbell at halfway and the fullback’s return was forced. A Productive Attack. Tiie Aucklanders attacked solidly, the ball coming out to Bachelor, who ran up the line to score near the corner flag, Clarke added the trimmings. Lower Waikato 8 Marist 5 Shortly after Tittleton was just unlucky with a penalty from near halfway. Play was now fast and spectacular, and moved quickly up and down the field. The ball came back to Campbell when Marlst were pressing round the Waikato line, and he dropkicked a fine goal from well out. Lower Waikato 8 Marist 7 Marlst continued to have the margin of attack, until Peckham and Raynor combined in a smart run to the opposition twenty-five. Brisbane picked up, and sent on to Young, who fumbled, and Tittleton, coming up fast, went on to score an easy try. The kick missed. Lower Waikato 11 Marist 7 Both sides were throwing the ball about in great style, and there was great excitement on the sideline as time grew short. Bachelor took a long pass from the ruck, sprinted up the line, and scored a smart try, and immediately after the drop-out the ball went to Clarke, who evaded several tacklers to notch another, making the score: Marist 13 Lower Waikato 11 The final whistle sounded soon after with no alteration in the tallies. Mr A. Harlock was the referee.

MT. ALBERT LEAD HAMILTON. LAST MINUTE VICTORY. As a curtain-raiser to the match for the Sunshine League Cup, the Mt. Albert (Auckland) and Hamilton thirteens met in what proved to be a .fast, spectacular game, the visitors winning, by 6 points to 5, after scoring a lastminute try. The teams met on even terms, and the final score was a fair Indication of the run of play. The teams were as follows:— Hamilton. —S. Muir, Astle, Robinson, Graham, Cotter, Hynes, Crewther, Stubbings, Robertson, O'Halloran, Glasgow, Paget, Hogan. Mt. Albert. —H. Bagnall, E. Armisbaw, R. Wilson, D. Mattson, D. Martin, H. Mattson, F. Martin, W. Bagnall, A. Whaley, S. Smith, R. Mackerell, C. Jamieson, W. Woller. Hamilton attacked early, to reach the opposition twenty-five line, where a scrum was set down. The ball came out to Graham, who was pulled down before he could get going. The attackers continued to press, until the ball went over the dead-ball line. D. Martin opened a promising movement in the Mt. Albert backs, which collapsed when a pass went astray. A good kick from the ruck placed the visitors in a favourable position, R. Wilson taking the ball through to within a few yards of the Hamilton line. An infringement sent them back to midfield, where Cotter snapped up, and transferred to Graham, who evaded several tacklers before he was grassed in the Mt. Albert twenty-five. Muir Puts One Over.

H. Bagnall returned with a long kick, but the home backs set up a strong attack, Astle going on to centre play in the visitors' twenty-five again, where Hamilton were awarded a free. S. Muir took the kick, from an awkward angle, and opened the score. Hamilton 2 Mt. Albert 0 Soon after the home side were given another free, the ball going to R. Wilson, who passed to Armlshaw, who ran right through the opposition to be forced out a few yards from his objective. Fast open play followed, neittier side holding ground for long. Robinson had the spectators on their toes when he went away on a brilliant run up the line, but he was grassed in the twenty-five. Mt. Albert attacked from two free kicks, and a strong rush culminated in R. Wilson being pushed out right on the corner Hag. Hamilton relieved, and pushed the attackers back to their own half, but Mt. Albert gradually worked their way back again, and a scrum just outside the home goal line saw Armishaw dive over for a good try with several men clinging to him as halftime came. The kick failed. Mt. Albert 3 Hamilton 2 The Second Spell. Mt. Albert got going from the kickoff. and kept the opposition penned up in their twenty-five for some time, until Hamilton cleared with a free. A serum was set down just inside halfway, the ball coming out to D. Mattson. who cut out several men to score wide out. The kick went astray, leaking the score: Mt. Albert 6 Hamilton 2 Following a series of scrums Hamilton attacked, but off-side play lost most of the ground gained. T’he home side again got going, Cotter ' being I>ulled down when ho reached the twenty-flva.