A CLOSE GAME

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 85, 13 May 1929, Page 4

A CLOSE GAME

HASTINGS H.S.O.B. SECURE FIVEPOINT IV IN. T.C.O.B. BEATEX 8 TO 3. Making tlieir first appearance of the season on the Napier ground, Hastings H.S.O.B., the new senior side, beat T.C.O.B. by 8 points to 3. The game fluctuated as the respective sides had the advantage of the elements. Witli the wind and sun in their favour in the first spell Jhe visitors scored eight points. With tlicse agenries in tlieir favour in the second half the home team was on top and notchcd their three points." Both sides played loosc, , open football, the forwards specialising in roving operations while the hacks es.sayed handling boiits occasionally. The ground was in exoellent order for plav and there was quite a good attendance of spectators. Tlie game commenced at great pace, the visitors, who were playing with the wind hehind them, delighting the crowd with the way they commenced to throw the ball about. Botli sides, liglit and fast, appeared to be very fit, and were setting to in great st.vle. With the assistance of ihe brceze, the Blues maintained a fairly consistent pressure during tlie fiist quarter of an hour, at the end of which Miller had an unsuccessful sliot at goal from a penalty. By their snappy passing amongst the backs and the roving propensities of their fast forwards. Hastings IT.S.O.B. were kceping T.C.O.B. on the defence, only spasmodic dnskes hy ihe Greys threatening danger. The visitors were the first to score about half-way through tlie spell. From a lme-out the ball was sent back to Joll, who fooled the opposition and ran over near the posts. Botlierway had an easy task in .adding the extra points. ITastincs H.S.O.B 5 T.C.O.B 0 Pla.y alternated up and down field m nice style, both sides throwing the ball ahout. On the whole the visitors were having the better of it. They scored again in ahout teu minutes from a scrum in the Tech. quarter. The ball rollcd out the side of the scrum and Miller picked it up and barged over tlie line with two taeklers hnnging on him. The try was well out from the posts and Botlierway missed ihe attempt to convert. Hastings H.S.O.B 8 T.C.O.B 0 Toward the end of the spell, Tech., following a great solo run hy Elliott, worked into the Blue territory, wlicre Evans missed an attempt to improve on a penalty* Half-tinie sounded with the score still Hastings H.S.O.B 8 T.C.O.B 0

In the second half Tecli. had the wind and sun at tlieir backs and commenced to utilise the high punt to njivantage, and began to throw the ball about just as their adversaries liad done in tlie first spell. Twice the Blues had to force in the face of hot forward rushes. but Tech. were lucky to escape once wnen a niovement, started from a lightning break by Botlierway, broke down under tlieir goal. _ Play liung round midfield for some time, but gradually the Grey forwards worked back to the Blue end of tlie field, wkere Manning missed an attempt to open his sicle's account from a mark. A .great piece of in-and-out passing amongst Elliott, Evans, Kelly and Yarwood took play riglit 011 to the Blue line, where it liung for quite five minutes, Tech making great efforts to score, while Old Bovs excelled theniselves just as mucli on defence. Finaily the Blues cleared to neutral territory. Tlie respite was only temporary, however, and the Greys spent another exciting ten minutes in tlie visitors' end before Manning missed a fairly easv penalty shot. Tlie Blue defence held up in firio style before three attacks. From the fcwelfth ffee lrick tlicy had had during the game Tech. again failed to open tjieir account, Evans failing in an effort to raise a penalty goaL Tecli's persistent efi'orts won reward right on the call of time. Cusliing diving in for a try from a forward vush. The kick at goal missed, and the game ended with the score : Hastings H.S.O.B 8 T.O.O.B 3 Mr G. Lonergan had control of the whistle.