A GOOD START

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 68, 22 April 1929, Page 4

A GOOD START

PIRATES EASILY MTN EIRST MATCH. T.O.O.B. BEATEN BY 17 TO 0.

By easily defeating T.C.O.B. in the opening game of the year, last year's cliaxnpions, Pirates. comnienced the season in fine style m a game 011 McLcan Park. The wearers of the skull and crossbones showed theinselves to be very lit and played witli an effective eo operation that was very creditable so early in tbe season. Afttr concentrating on holding their opponents in tbe first spell, Pirates, with the wind behind them. scored heavily 111 the second, winning by 17 points to 0. Tbe ground was in excellent order, but a lieavy wind biew straight down 1 tlie field. Pirates appeared without Huxtable, j McLea, Reed and Russell, members of last year's champion side, who have fcen transferred to the Petone ratlway vorkshops during tlie off-season, and pronioted juniors were noticcable in th.eir ranks. Tecli. were also changed iri personnel from the team that wore the Grey jersey last year, Northe, Pirie. Brodie and Spooner being 110ticeable absentees. Tech. played witli tlie wind behind them, and by means of using tlie higli punt and following up fast were soon in the Pirate half. Play in tbe first five minutes was in favour of tbe Creys, but then tbe Pirate forwards. led by Mill and Single, took tbe ball down to the Grey quarter, wliere it bung for scme timo. A succession of line-outs ensued beforo a fast lonsc forward rush took the ball to the Pirate end, where Manning failed in an altempb to pot a goal from an acute ansle. From the drop out McDonald broke awav and Smale and Coutts haudled in the rush that was potted only under tlie goal moutli. Tech., playing an open gaine and using the wind occasionnllv, worked hack to the Black end, wliere Yates and Nairn were saving Pirates with useful touch finders. Onee 01- twice the Pirate hack line swung into line. but the movemcnts biokeedown through the insirie backs hnnging on too long. Manning had a shot at goal for Tech. from near half way, but the effort fell short. Pirates. despite the fact that they were facing the wind. wer,e having quite their fair share of the play, and whenever the hall got amongst their hacks danger threatened for the Greys. Sclfish ness bv the inside backs, howei er, invariably spelt the breakdown of these efforts. The game was open and fast, and up and down field, providing plenty of incident for the spectators. Once a pretty piece of in and out passing fy Elliott and Manning roused the Grey supporters to hopefulness, but the movement hroke down in enemy territorv through a forward pass. Then Elliott had a shot at goal from a mark, but it was an abortive attempt. Pirates had to force twice in succession within Ihe next ten minutes for safety, but their defence was proving very sound. Half time sounded with the score : — Pirates 6 T.C.O.B 0 The second spell opened in whirlwind style, first Teehnical and then Pirates being right on tho goal-line. The ball swung from oue end of tbe field to tbe other to the accompaniment of great excitement. Pirates were tlie first to draw blood, scoring from a loose open movement. McDonald, following up a kick, secured the ball in tlie Teehnical quarter and passed to Yates, who won the lionour of securing the first points of the year by crossing well out. Tbe attempt to convert failed. Pirates 3 T.C.O.B 0 MTith tlie wind behind them, last year's -champions were now pressing heavily, play being ahnost continually in the Teehnical half. It was only a few minutes later wlien Pirates scored again. Anstis opened tlie play up on the blind side of a lnose scrum and Russell dived over in the corner. Yates made a fine attempt to convert from the side-line, but the ball veered outside the prop. Pirates 6 T.C.O.B 0 Play now slowed down somewhat, but Pirates soon got on the move again and added a further try. Farquhar secured tbe ball on tbe left wing and swerved in past three opnonents to the centre of the field. He fed McDonald, who passed to Adams, for the forward to run over under the posts with four other Pirates ninning alongside hira ready for a pass if necessary. From straight in front of the posts Yates easily added the extra points. Pirates H T.C.O.B 0 Within three minutes Pirates scored again, fiingle securing from a line-out and running over near the posts. Yates found the angle too great to convert. I'irates 14 T.C.O.B 0 Yates, who was plnving first fivoeighths, scored a fine trv a few minutes later. Keehle. Smale and Single drihbled the hall down to tlie Grey line, where a scrum developcd. Anstis shot the hall out to Yates, who cut ■ in liicely and dived over. Farquhar failed to convert. Pirates 17 T.C.Q.B 0 Time sounded soon afterwards with the final score: — Pirates ... s.. : 17 T.C.O.B ... ... 0 Mr C. Lonergan had chnrge of the whistle.