West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 20 August 1934, page 12


EAST PERTH IMPROVES.

Exciting 'Match Won by Nine Points.

In, .one of the -most -.interesting , matches of ther, season J!ast, Perth defeated Victoria Park by nine points at Perth Oval on Saturday. After .its, poor, display acainst

west ipertn,- iaast irerth caused 'rather a surpriBei: and the yictory was the more meritorious and valuable. East Perth started in fine style and was too fast for Victoria Park, whose usually strong defence' was riddled bv the systematic attacks.1 Gradually- Victoria Park settled down and the second quarter was keenly contested, , brilliant. marking and fast, coordinated passages characterising the play.. If the second half lacked the speed and system of the first half, it was more vigorous and willing. , By three-quarter time Victoria Park had fought its way to t a'. four-point lead, which, however, was quickly wiped but' by East Perth. With 12 minutes to go East Perth was five points ahead and Victoria Park rallied desperately. It was not for want of opportunities that Victoria Park failed to make headway. The opposing backs played well and then Screafgh, a wonderful opportunist, Bealed the issue with- a goal for East Perth, the ball bouncing through from a long shot. Both teams had changed men about' considerably. East Perth's moves were successful;' but Victoria Park failed to cover up the weakness in defence, caused by the absence of Hungerford and ?Brown and Wormald'g, injury. Following ?were the teams: — ; . . EAST PEBTH.— Bacte: . M. Ryan, Bennett, Mather. Half backs:' Hitaon, Little, Cronin. CectreK McCuUough, G. King, GnhL Halffor.warda: Demprter, Dolan, Garhaut, Forwards: S. liller, Crow, B. Lawn. ' Buck: ' B. Byan, V. Booth, Screaigh (rover). Nineteenth' man: J. King, (replaced Little, injured foot, in third quarter). : . ,?-??' : TICTORU PABK.— Backs: Hetherington, Crook*, Warner. Half-backs: P. Fitzgerald, Shepherd, Wormald. Centres: H. Daveyt H. Grigg, Pnddey. Half-forwards: Ransom', Gook, Heightley.. Forwards: Wilson,- Bewar, Johnston. Buck: G. . Davey, O'Oallaghan, , Lucas (rover). Nineteenth man: A. Gripjc (replaced Wormald, injured ankle, in second quarter). . UMPIRE. — C. Cook. With the assistance' of a slight breeze .Victoria Park attacked first/ but through finnicky methods could, not., score. Wormald hurt his knee and was shifted into the forward .area. Up' and down for, about six minutes the ball flashed and some of the backs were coming through with great dash. Then East -Perth broke through and Cronin,' who had changed with- Lawn after receiving a knock, scored a goal. Victoria Park scored a goal, but East Perth was playing the better football. Its marking was good and its forwards fanned out and usually managed to beat the slowmoving backs. Guhl and Cronin were combining cleverly and when Victoria Park's players began to r open , .oat '?? poor . kicking' wasted.' opportunities. ? , At quarter time yictoriaj-Park ; led with 6.4 to 3.1. Shepherd's hand-ball enabled Victoria, Park to make a good move which, resulted in a goal from Wormald. In: the ruck B. 'Ryan- was a power and. Cronin ob^ tained an easy. goal. Hetherington, who was how goal-sneak, goaled for Victoria Park, but East Perth scored two. more goals.' iWormald had left the field owing to an injured ankle. When Victoria Park used the -long kick there were immediate benefits' 'and the side as a whole- was much -surer and faster than before. Lucas goaled and then Gook' and Wilson combined perfectly to score another. East Perth steadied and increased the dwindling lead greatly, due to Crow's efforts.' At half-time East Perth led with 11.7 to 9.6; : .i-;r-A goal was. presented- to East ? -Perth' Soon after the resumption and M. Ryan twice saved well. In defence O'Callaghan was playing strongly and did a riot to make up for .Johnston's weak kicking-off: When Gook marked, in, front and goaled, the difference was 1.4. Victoria Park improved considerably and the play was vigorous. East Perth's defence was hardpressed and Victoria Park gained the lead when IL' Grigg's play'' enabled Gook to score a goal. At three-quarter time Victoria Park led with 13.9 to 12.# '.iThati-Eaat /Perth was in earnest;' 'was

sftown wnen it Bcoretl a goal and a behind in the first minute of the last term.. Bansom' -played brilliantly-. to- score' a good goal on the run for Victoria Park. Again East Perth, ?went to, the front:,. when it scored a goal. * There were anxious moments for the backs on each side and the players worked hariL Crow scored a goal and Victoria' Park attacked- determinedly, but without cohesion. Then Wilson's goa reduced.Victoria Park's deficit to .five pomtB. Victoria Park dominated the play; but could not score the' vital goal; A point was the; only result of sustained pressure and Screaigh's goal saved the match for East Perth. ^Victoria Park failed to 'score again and the match ended' with the scores as follows: — , ' ' . EAST PIERTH ? '~ '6.14 (110 pts.) ;^Wf^A?P/^RIC; .;; 15.11 (101 pts.) r Scorers.^-Eaet Perth: iCrow, 3.4; Cronin, 3.1;' Sereaigh, 211 ?' Dolan, 2.0; Miller, 1.4; Dempster,1 1.1; Lawn, 1.1; Little, 1.0; Mather, 1.0; Garnaut,- 1,Q. Victoria Park: Wilson, '5i4;; Gook; I 22; Wormald, 2.0; Hetherington, 2.0^G. Davey, 1;1; Ransom, 1.1; Lucas, 1.1; H. Grigg, 1.0; A. Grigg, ?'tfa-; Keightley: 0.1. , VEast Perth had good service from most of its 'players' and probably Screaigh was the best.'.He roved in hi«' best style and made numerous openings. On* the wing Guhl did* well, being most effective' 'in passing to the forwards.' In goal Bennett defended, and- kicked off excellently, with ?M. Ryan1 giving great helpi S-BJ'Ryan .was strong in the^ruck and' Crow arid Cronin 'were valuable-'' forwards. McCullough, Little (until' hurt),. Garnaut and King were the^best of a good remainder. Theretoere weak' links' in Victoria Park's, aide. Wilson's .work in attack was at times 'brilliant-.'-* HfrGrigB and Puddey did well on the centre line. Ransom and Gook were efficient forwards, and Dewar and G. Dayey worked hard, in the ruck. Warner defended^ solidly1 and - O'Callaghan was good on occasions'. - Fitzgerald was patchy. Before he was hurt Wormald played weD.