POLO.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2737, 16 February 1910, Page 6

POLO.

EAST COAST POLO ASSOCIATION. ANN UAL TOURNAMENT. The weather was on the warm side and a fairly stiff nor’-wester prevailed for the second day’s play of the annual tournament of the East Coast Polo- Association, which commenced at Aiakauri at noon yesterday, i Three games were got off ‘during the afternoon, Pov•ertv Bay 1. and Mangatu I. meeting in the Open Cup competition, while a couple ox games were also played in the Handicap Cup competition. There was not a large attendance of spectators, but those who did attend were treated to some brilliant play by the Poverty Bay I. and Hawke’s Bay quartettes. ‘The pleasure of the proceedings was somewhat marred by an unfortunate accident to Ralph Reynolds, of the Mangaheia team, whose leg was broken through his pony crossing its legs and throwing his rider heavily in the second spell of the Mangaheia v. Poverty Bay 11. game. First aid was rendered to the injured player, and Dr. Scott subsequently temporarily fixed the injured leg in splints, and the sufferer was conveyed to “Sandown,” bis father’s residence, where the fractured limb was set. Reynolds bore the painful injury with much fortitude. Afternoon tea was dispensed by Mesdames Richard Sherratt, Randall Sherratt, Tliornley Sherratt, and Miss Monckton.

OPEN CUP. POVERTY BAY T I. v. MANGATU 1. These teams took the field at noon, as under: — Poverty Bay I: No. 1, E. Monckton; No. 2, T. Sherratt; No. 3, R. Sherratt; back, J. R. Murphy. Mangatu I.: No. 1, Allan Campbell; No. 2, AY. Wright; No. 3, McKay Campbell; back, Malcolm Campbell. Umpire, Mr. R. G. Black. Poverty Bay asserted their superiority from the commencement of the game. Their combination was too good for the inland team, and their hitting was much cleaner and better directed. They immediately commenced to pile on the score, and registered four goals to nil in the first spell. In the second spell, the Poverty Bay quartette, playing well together, quickly rang on three more goals, their combination defeating Mangatu on each occasion. Towards the close of the spell, a bit of smart work on the part of Allan Camp - bell and MoKay Campbell resulted in Mangatu scoring their first goal, the spell ending: Poverty Bay 7, Mangatu 1. Jack Murphy, who was playing in his very best form, put in some brilliant work at the eoihmencement of the third spell, which finished up with another score to Povertv Bay. From this on to the close of the game Poverty Bay had matters pretty well all their own way, and niled on the goals at regular intervals. * Though the Mangatu men were dashing riders, the combination and clean hitting of the Poverty Bay foxir were altogether too good for them, and the game ended with the hoard showing:

Poverty Bay I. 20 Alanga'tu I. 2 HANDICAP CUP. MANGAHEIA (scr) v. POVERTY BAY 11. (13). The teams were constituted as under : Alangaheia: No. 1, R. K. Murphy; No. 2, G. Al. Reynolds; No. 3, D. Black; back, R. Reynolds. Poverty Bay II.: No. 1, G. Black; No. 2, S. E. Gillingham; No. 3, H. White; back, P. Slierratt. Umpire, Mr. H. Russell (Hawke’s Bay). Play opened fast in midfield, but -clever work by George Reynolds and It. K. Murphy worked the ball up to Poverty Bay’s goal, and the Coast men drew first blood within a couple of minutes of the start. Free open play followed, but a free hit to Mangaheia for crossing saw Ralph Reynolds shoot another goal. A combined rush by the Mangaheia four nearly resulted in a goal, the wind taking a long shot by Ralph Reynolds just outside the posts. Play was exceptionally fast on opening the second spell, and it was during a fast dash at this stage that Ralph Reynolds, who was playing a dashing game for Mangaheia, had the spill which resulted Hi his leg being broken above the ankle through his pony falling heavily with him. After the delay caused by the accident, R. G. Black •ciime out as substitute for the injured player, and played No. 3, George Reynolclc going back. A good bit of work by Dick Black and Rob Murphy enabled George Reynolds to score Mangaheia K s third goal. The Poverty Bay seconds at this stage infused more dash into their play, and koepiag better formation they took a hand; At at- • tacking, and fullv extended their opponents. Phil. Sherratt put in a lot of ,r o od work at back- for Poverty Bay, but was slow in putting the men in front of him on side on several occasions. Gillingham, G. Black and White played, hard games, and if anything the Poverty Bay quartette had the best of things "in the last- two spells. The charm-e in the Mangaheia team appeared to spoil their own combination, and they fell away in the latter stages of the game. After an evenly fought game, the- board showed: — Poverty Bay 11. ... lo Mangaheia ... ••• o HAWKE’S BAY (scr) v. MANGATU 11. (24). These teams then took the field in the Handcap Cup, the teams lining out as under:— , TT -n .. Hawke’s Bay: No. 1, U. Russell; No. 2, C. Nairn; No. 3, E. Nairn; back, W. McKenzie. Mangatu II.: No. 1, H. Nicholas; No. 2, E. Nelson; No. 3, J. Lynch; back, L. Walker. The Hawke’s Bay team made a change in the disposition of their men, by placing the Nairn brothers between Russell and McKenzie. The alteration had the effect of greatly improving the strength of the- side, and one could hardly recognise them as the same quartette- which olayed on Monday. In their respective nositions of No. 3 and back, there are- probably no better exponents of the game, in the Dominion than H. Russell and W. McKenzie, and they were at the top of their form yesterday. No more brilliant play has over been, seen on a local .polo ground than that given by the! Hawke’s Bay men in this game yesterday. McKenzie and' Russell were splendidly mounted, their ponies being a good deal superior to any on the ground, and the Mangatu men were quite piitplayed and outpaced from start to finish of the o-amei The Nairn brothers, considering this is their first season at the came, shaped promisingly, and backed their more experienced comrades up well The Hawke’s Bav team went off at’ a great pace, and started to pile on the ooals with bewildering rapidity. The vScored' at the. rate of a goal per minute, and! by truly brilliant play

rang on eleven goals in. the first spell. The Mangatu seconds' stuck grimly to their 'work, but so fast were the ponies and so dashing the hitting of- Russell and McKenzie that it was like battling with phantom players., mounted.' on winged steeds. The Hawke’s Bay quartette made the pace a_cracker, and some idea of the manner fn which. they piled ui> the score mav be gathered from the fact that they put on six goals in the -second spell, five, in tho third, nine in the fourth, two in the fifth, and. three in the last. In order to try and stop McKenzie’s terrific hitting, a Mangatu player called out, “Ride him off,” and futile attempts were made to obey tho order. But it ivas like riding up against the side of a house. The Hawke’s Bay back is hardly the stamp l of a player to ride off easily. One of the most brilliant games ever seen in the district ended with the board indicating :

Hawke’s Bav • ••• 34 Mangatu 11. ... ••• 24 There will be no nolo to-day, owing to the Wanganui College v. Christ’s College Old Boys’ cricket match taking place at Taruiheru. The tournament will be continued tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock, when Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay No. I. will meet in the final for the Open Cxip. The game should Provide a really splendid contest, and should attract a very large number of spectators. If Hawke’s Bay can reproduce their form and flash of yesterday, they should just about carry off the Cup. The match between these teams on Thursday will also count for the Handicap Cup. The Handicap Cup will also be continued on Thursday, when Mangatu I. meets Poverty Bay 11.