BRITISH FOOTBALL TEAM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 251, 16 July 1908, Page 8

BRITISH FOOTBALL TEAM.

DEFEATED BY TARANAKI. A LUCKY WIN. . ' (D\' TZLEGRArn—rHESS ASSOCIATION.) . . New Plymouth', July 15. The weather cleared up unexpectedly for the football match to-dav, and the ground was in fine condition. With the fin'o pack Britain .was putting in the field, the -issue was looked'upon locally as much, in doubt, but the Taranaki forwards, contrary to expectations," held their own ,in all but dribbling. Towards the end of the game, they secured tlio. hall in the scrum very frequently, but-the deadly tackling of tho British backs, coupled with tho fact that Dive and Cameron, had to exchange ■ places owing to, tlio latter's weak, shoulder, took much of. the sti'ng lout of the local- back, attack'. V Tlio feature .of the game , was Hardgreavo's linekicking,'.which excelled all: round the exhibition of the Britishers.. The match was remarkable for tho. splendid tackling on both sides, and the - few opportunities to ,'scoro that occurred. ~ During the. greater part of the garno tho play was "on tlio British sido of halfway, yet only one force-down, was registered, while tho ball did. not : cross Tarn-. nakiVlino at all. ' The; winning'"score was obtained five minutes, before time. Hunter snapped an' qporiing when the British backs were, out of position, and enabled Dive ;to got up speed, outflanking the opposition with his pace.. ■ .... . . . . 1 THE TEAMS. \ The teams weers as follow:— .... Britain.—Dyke, Williams, Tuan ~ Jones, Vassall, Chapman, W. .Morgan, Davey, M'Evody, ■ Harding;'Dibblci' Down, E. Morgan, Hind,, Achor, ..and Smith."'-' . .. Taranaki:—Hardgreaves, Cameron', Dive, C. Sheehan, Hunter,-Mynott, Coleman, T. Whitting, Cane, "Smith,: Crowley, Tamu, O'Sullivan, Rolhcry. , I FIRST SPELL. - -• - v The Englishmen/won- the', toss,- and. Coleman, .kicked off, ,Dyko returning . to centre. The, Britishers .carried :tho first scrum, 1 and Tamu, -getting ■■ off-side,' -Harding; liried'"in Taranaki's; twenty-live.' 0 'Sullivan broken way from the lipe : and. sent the oval to Dyke; who -kicked..to half-way, .with a".fine,effdr't. Secur-" in'g.' from' the ' :scru'm);' Morgan; '.passkl' '.' to M-'Evedy; who kicked into Taranaki's twentyfive,where;/thei Britishers-brolio Sway, :but were-penalised, play, easing yto, midfield. Tlio-' ■visitors screwed, the next'scruiii, but Hunter snapped "front their' feet,'enabling Cameron to' find tho line. Mynott, playing- inside- to .'Hunter, dashed, round', the next 'scrum, arid whipped'the ball away .'from Morgan, but' ■was well collared by Tuaji Jones. Hard- : greaVes, however, followed iip the advantage' with a big kick into the; visitors' - twentyfive. O Sullivan. broke, away from''.the next jine'-out. ■ Davey,. intercepting, kicked /to Cameron, who returned, to near' the' corner. Hunter secured' from theHhrow-i'n,' but failkl 'to pass', and' "Tuan" Jones 'found tho lino at , midfield. Exchange of ■ kicks ended in ,'Hardgreaves's favour ,in British- quarters, •but the visitors replied with" a fine passing rush between Morgan, M'Evedy,' Vassall, and 'ChApmani who was grounded by Sheehan ; in Taranaki-.territory.. , O'Sullivan. again. broke' away, .and., short/passing between ■ Whittihg-' : ton,* Rothery, and Sheehan was bnly/cheOked i liisido Britain's quarter. . ' The Taranaki for- : •wards screwed ;-the -next .scrum; but'a/pen'alty'; enabled; Harding, to ,pl6ar,; : . Following ,up, E-. Morgan - secured,- and' gave - Harding lan. [opportunity' to -;get in another kick, ..which bept Hargireaves, l but . Cameron - saved, temporarily. .Two, kicks .in- succession ivore charged, by tho attacking : Britishers,- and the ball rebounded- -'out/ : clo'se £o Taranaki's goal-line. Morgan seciired from the succeeding scrum, but was. beaten for; the ball by "My,nott arid Sheehan, who removed \ play to half-way; . Mynott, smothered." Davey' after'. ; the -next scrum,- and. kicked/out-in :the;,visi- ■ tors' tweftty-fivo. Wliittiriptoii niarked from the. throw-in,. and Divo■, had an.- unsuccessful ! shot at.goal, Vassall returning to contre. 'Coleman"stayed the progress Of a . determined British 'rush', and Myn'ott'' sent',' the ball ..well :into the- visitors'.;end,: where Dyk'o. • eluded tho. following-up Taranakitesj arid re,moved, play to'the neutral zone.'/ Desperate forward play folloivfcd, and tho , Britishers w.Oro; penalised.' Coleman':kicked high', 1 ' arid' O'Sullivan, following fast secured; and, dashed -ovor,-.but ivas called :back for, a knbbk-on. Britain carried'tho' next scrum, : but'Coleman beat Morgan for. tho ball; ahd serit it to Hunter, who transferred to Dive, and it was then passed to Cameron, who '.was' col;lared 'at the. corner. ' Taranaki,keepiiig.up tho -i attack, Dyko had to-riin back over tbe line to A' penalty against'.the locals, enabled. Harding to find the "line at centre, where Mynott and Coleman broke away, hut Hunter kriocked-on. Harding, now endeavoured to open up the play, but the British .rushes wero invariably nipped at. tlio start by Mynott, Hunter, and,Sheehan, ( who ,were.playing close up. Exchange of kicks ended in honours eVen. ' Harding i got .the ball away cleverly from the side -of.;the, next, scrum, gaining twenty, yards, but a penalty enabled Hardgreaves to nut "th'e visitors on the' defonce momentarily. Their forwards then cariie .away with a coinbiued. rush that was' not checked, till within ten'yards of the-local line,/but. Hardgreaves, with a magnificent: line-kick past', half-way, sent them, back.'- For a breach in connection with a scrum Britain was penalised,' and Coleman,'centring high,' Mynott secured and : made;a dash, transferring to, Crowley under tho.visitors'*,goal, but! tho latter hung'on' too. long, arid was' penalised,:Harding clearing. • Hardirigi.Srnith, , and .Morgan,came away past the loc'al .back,,but Hardgreaves. made a brilliant.recovery,-,fintl-; irig the lino with a;'long kick. Tight play'at midfield- followed. W. Morgan . and, Tuan Jones essaying to break away, Hunter intercepted,. arid with the/assistance'of- Dive:had 'Britain oil the defence, when, half-time sounded without; score. ' : ;, ... SECOND SPELL. . 'Playing against .the -wind,- Taranaki-im-mediately rushed .play into their Opponents'' territory.. Britain securbd from the first soruni,. but. was ■ unable to pass, - and -My;n'oti, -.Hardgreaves,/ and/ Dive, carried'play well inside .t-hb' British t.weiity-five', ";wheiic6 Vassall oleared, Smith .following up and sending the ball out • at. centre. , O'Sullivan, Roth'ery, and Tamu jgot. : a\vay from a line-, out strongly, but Harding;ind : Jones stemmed the tide, returning with' the: ball 1 to past 'contre'. '.-Some fast exchanges'followed at mid-fiold, Shlith and Dibblo"'eventually breaking but wore'u'nablo .to;-pass Hardgreaves,' who .'sent; the ball'back-into Britain's zono. ; Roth'ery got, away -from- a line-out; beating Morgan/and Jones,' but, wis upset by Chapman, who secured-and set the bicks. going, .Morgan,Af'Evedy; and' '.Jones sweeping .down, .but.William's' miSscd his pa ss at a. critical moment, and Hardgreaves returned to centre. Taranaki,' who 'wefo 'How getting the ball' from ■ the scrum, :worked pjay - back' with" line, kicks. ' '. Following -a kick fast, Mynott collared M'Evedj' ( with.,the ball; but Dyke came .to the rescue.. Willing play for : somo minutes, near, the British line, W. -Morgan - eventually; .clearing, From a scrum the : local fonVardfe replied with an irresistible rush, but over-eagerriess resulted in' a, penalty, 'and Ha'rdirig cleared, gaining furtlicx ground from a mark by''Williams immediately after.- Closely-coritost'cd forward play followed, with niaiiy.' hard' knocks on both sides. Tlio Britishers . gradually .worked play into local ground. ■; Returning 'to ; tho attack', Coleman, and- then. Hunter made dashes, - followed by' a lively rally by : tho local ■ fOnvardfe, which Vassall stopped.' / Hot • exchanges '' : in. ; : British .territory. kept tho visitors biisily on' the-de-fence which was sound . Eventually a centre kick: by, Coleman - allowed -Divo,' Mynott, 'and Cameron,/to got on top' of. tho-British! backs, tho/ball .going out, close ,to their, line'..;'A penalty brought temporary relief. 1 ! Tamu"iind Cane, following, fast, caught Dyke. with: the ball near the lino. Divo had another unsuccessful shot at goal,- Britain-forcing down. Hunter ,fielded the kick-out,and sent Mynott and, Divo away, but-a-knock-oir resulted.in a scrum, which the; 'Britishers, . carried, ; and Harding . with beautiful foot- work, headed the-way through , the backs till Tuan Jones snapped,up and- transferred to- Vassal. Tho latter transferred • to .Williams, who was chased .and, caught, .hv, Cameron, within 15 yards of the goal fine., tisirdi'ng threw his forces on the other flank,''but' Dive, smartly intercepted, and charged down, ' kicking ; over

Dyke's head, but failed again to secure the ball, which went out/ Davey and Edgar MoVc'an then'headed a.'fine; rush back, Camoron having to race back to save. Infringements brought Taranaki " relief.' Mynott, Tamu, and Rothery. broke!away to' tho British' 25, wliero .Coleman threw into tho centre of'the field, Hunter, snapping-up and sending a' pass to Dive, who streaked round tho opposition and scored near-the corner. Cameron placed a fine goal: Taranaki ; ... ... -.5 t Britain ..'.-Nil.; With five minutes to'go;'arid securing'the ball from tjie .scrum Taranaki . kept up a persistent attack, but the defence was not: again caught napping, and the garii.o ended wjlhout further, score.Mr.. E. Wylie, of Wellington, refereed .strictly.' The, forwards onb.oth sides ..excelled.' thenir selves, but we'ro too. evenly matched - to.' allow of much spectacular play..' Mynott probably' playe.d the best game on the ground;'despite' the, close attentions.of M'Evcdy.. and Harding. Coleman also; played! a fine game; 'and Hardgreayes gava ohoihis. his best exhibitions of Dyke played.a sterling game. Tuan" Jones, Vassal}," ~md W. Morgan. were tho .'most prominent' of-!tho' other' British, hacks...lt is estimated tlia.t' 10-GOO -'viewed llio ga me, which - was contested-,in ! excellent spirit, anil without. ;''bc3'.pardons.' 1 There were thirty-six scrums duririg' : the? game, and Britain secured seventeen itime's and'Taranaki; eleven, whilo eight;-.were.-indroisive. .It was' generally felt;' that.though/tile 'igdme-'was considerably . moro than, half ; tho 'tirne con-tested-ill British territory l , thev.'local "team, were..somewhat fortanate\.to..pull:;it.:out of tho fire at tho last moment.:, Without, a-doubt the visitors are-.vastly;.improved.,aiid an inir proving team, and their ,was .no want of dash amongst their forwards,, to-day, 'whilst' tho excellent precision ' with ' wßili' .".thebacks fielded tlio liall and got down"to'.the;rushes disconcerted Taranaki's plans of attack.