FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 626, 4 October 1909, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

: THE NORTHERN UNION GAME. , / . WIN FOR TARANAKI, '. . When the supporters and followers of Northern "Union Kugby decided to match Wellington, against Taranaki, tho main idea in their minds was to provido an attractive game, by which means thoy hoped to convince tho public that tho sport ot North England is superior to all. other, games played with the inllatcd leather A secondary object was the placing of the League gamo on a satisfactory fiunuciat footing. With a view to the objects aimed at, tho match at Petone was hardly tho; success, dosirod. It was played before spectators who could not have numbered moro than about 509, nnd, except .in tho closing stages;of the-contest, it was. not-a very brilliant exhibition of. Northern Union', football. Many of the.playors had not .tho form expected of a .representative team, and some of them weire not sufficiently imbued 'with the points in which the attractiveness . of_' the Northern. Union gamo is said to lie to display; these' to advantage. '■•..., '■' . l ' Wellington,, playing .with the ..sun in their oyes, started oil well,-their'backs, generally from a lead bv House, breaking away several times, .but .having their efforts annulled' by the expert way in..which'the .opposing rearguard smothered passes; Twico tho ball got out to. Twohill on the left wing, and the second time ho succeeded in crossing tho line. Barber failed with tho kick. Shortly after this Proebstel made a iino opening, spoilt, only. by. Instono's.knocldng-on. .Then, for a short time,, tho tide" was .turned, Hardgrave",' on-a'lono hand, giving the Wellington backs "some trouble. In .defence of this attack Twohill showed that the Eugby, .instinct yet animated him, and .fonnd.the. lino in. (i.way. that:would have earned him golden opinions on, a Eugby field, but this ended only inV'scrums back under -Northern, rules. Later ho redeemed these mistakes with a'fine run,/ended,just,two yards off the. line, and, a little later still, scored, tho second' try. of the game after a prettj; passing rush—Barber,. Sullivan,, and Twohill. This try also was unconverted. Apparently tho score of six to nil put new lifo into the. limbs of Taranaki, for they attacked so consistently that Moir, from a scramble near tho-corner, .was enabled to pick'up tho .ball and- run'.right round;.. touching- down botween the posts.. Hardgrave failed 'with an absurdly ensy kick. This .score was" followed -by. another, ..Walshe getting over, and iHardgravo again failing to convert.' Just before halftime,. ;• .Wellington again placed themselves in tho.lead.as tho result of forward work.'from which-Sullivan managed to drop'over tho line. The. try -was, unconverted,'.' and, Hardgrave, endeavoured to reduce - the lead with a-'nne..p6nalty.'.kick', at ;half-time. -Wellington had still the-.iidvantage. .'. .' .'■ .. ■ When, the game was resumed, Wellington set themselves to improve their lead, and Twohillcoming; tb tho front, with his third-try,'they succeeded,. House added another to, .the. list of failures to convert. Then caine the smartest bit of play of iho, game..'.Bncldnnd, 25 yards •from the 'line, dodged.through almost all the opposing backs, -and,, ;seeing .Pukere" with nothing t0...d0 -but drop between, tho. posts, passed, tho ball to him. -Again HardgTavo failed to improve on..the .try. ■ Next OlDriscoll got away, with' Twohill in hot pursuit,, and this .attempt also resulted in .ft; try, between tho 'posts, this time converted by.- Stroud. Having- lost the lead, W/ollington, for.a short-.snaco , appeared 'to; be, demoralised,; and that short space of time was long enough for-Taranaki to. put on 8 ,-points—an ' -uncorive'rted try. secured by, Allen from-a splendid opening made b,y. TodserJ: and', a forward 'try scored-by Frewin.andvconverted.by Stroud.;-With but a fewminutes, to go, Wellington managed to' reditctf tho lead of 110 points by 6,. Barber scoring twice, in-fino stylo; but'moro than this they could not ; do; and the. match ended: ■ '

, '.'■ Tar.Hhaki,,'',' .„; '_.:. ■'•' '.;.:'" ■' .;;■' ../22 : ' ' ■ WeJlingtp^;.::';,'..-.-." ~.., : ; ; -■ ;.:. ',-.:.,< 'ls ii6i - Jfr.;'L. llafifirwood , :'^-'.t:r.- ;'"' ;■' :".'':<?V.■».,.-.. '.' ) RUGBY, >,vv :-■'■: vr :V'CIVIL SEEVICE TOUEIfET. ' : ; .-• At the. polo ground,.'Miramar, on Saturday thi>.'final of .tho Civil Servico tournament was, played between.tho,Combined Advances, Tax, ■anJ yaluation,.Dopartmonts and 'the 'Public Tiust Office., Curuiyne, kicked off, against, 'a: ' strong.'- wind, for tho ' combined,;■'' Departments, Hales , finding-the lino at tho tw'entx-fi?e. Closo work.followed the line-out. Lovell secured tho ball from a,scrum,'and : passed to Clark, who '.tried to beatvthc-;fiold,"-but faileji.. ,badly. A good kick.by MTJenrian' saw the "ball go out ■ ut. the'.Trust'.'twonty-five., ''He.ro'TnuK broke, liway,' but" was 'Eeciifdly tackled W Ryan, anil' Trust/relieved '-the? situation.'" AltlJouffli' play-' ing with'the sun.in their .cy6s,.the'Conibinod., tpamrmore -than held, theft owJi:'. A-nice .■passing rush,. started , by' Ryan, saw .Menzies away,' bnt-he was'.wellVtackled ; by ; ."-Burke,-- and theCombined men were rolioved with Clark's long kick into touch, ; M'Lennan 'made a gopd but fruitless shot-at goal; from.-afpenalty given for: :off-si(le-'plny on the , part of.-a Trust man. Half-; : :timo passed., without inny. score. ..With tho .sun. and, wind, behind them, -the Combined mon made the.pace warm, but owing to,the splendid defence .of/tho.-Qrtist men, , they weroinot l able to'score. From; a.'.scramblo near half-way,, .Lovell ( started a , ' passing rush, , tho.ball travelling to •Do'wland,- who, .when tackled,!.sent . a long.pass, .to Hill.' .Tho,latter,'came up .at a., gieaf.-pacei'and was'.almost .over!when no'..iros Bt6ppe4:,by,'4 : -Trqst..man. .A little.later ..Ryan: started i'jnijh, , ,which ended in .men.b&lng 'forced. 1 ,"Tom" 'value ah..tho' i ,defence of:.tli9' Trusi; got jh Spwb' long line kicks.. ■{■)• a'close, the: Combined men hugged tho line. 'CurEayne'forccd his way overithe line, but tho tr/ was disallowed. Timb was then called, andas no score'had been obtaihedby, either side,, ■ths two. captains agreed to play tijl a.score ■was registered.'' The.Combined' Departments still played with the: wind,, and made .things, merry for their-opponents. . From a.Ecrum at the half-way, LoVell set' Ins/backs..in motion. ;The ball went .from Clark to Jl'Lonnan, and then tO;Hill,:who was safely tackled |by Hales. A free kick to.tho Public Trust saw Hales put. the ball out at tho twenty-five. Loose play iql-lowed,-until Burke found the lino well dam in the Trust ; twenty-five.. Hore a scramble took • nlaco, in which H.'Clark had to:retire with a twisted ankle.'From a line-out.Curtayne hroke' ?away with three, .or four.opponents , tackling him, but, he was able to cross the line and score. ■ -.The whistle sounded, immediately'after- 1 wards, thus leaving ■ the • Combined ■ Departments the champions of, the Service., For tho winners, p.urko and:Lovell in' tho racks,..and: 'Curtayne'and Peart in. the forwards; wore .noticeably .energetic*.."Jfobby", Clark,-who had'just ■ recovered ' from a severe;;attack or 'in-, llubnza, was not'iip to his usual.form.- Hales was a. tower-of strength .for the Public /Trust, his-tackling and,kicking being stanr dard.' Ryan', was well placed at five-eighths.-Tho forwards, although a good, deal lichter than their oppononts,. more, than held; .their own. Tho game, was witnessed by-a fair crowd,, including many ladies from the different Do-, partments. Mr. T. H. Jones was referee, ~

;:;' OTHER MATCHES, j A friendly game .of football was played be-' tween teams representing Messrs. Head .and Feniviek, and Messrs.''C. and A. Odlin; and. after ■'■a ■ -n-ell-contested ■ game' tlie former .won by 3 points (a penalty, goal kickod;by Carr) ,to nil.' Sauvarin, rarrell, Carr, Baumgart, ■ and Sogers played well for. tho ■ : jfinners, and M'Guire for Odlin ; s, Bead • and. jFouripM team have been very:,successful thjs season, playing , three matches and winning .them all: They"defeated- Balllnger's employees' by 5. to nil; Creaso and Co;.by'lo to s;:and p. and A.. Odlin by 3 to nil. ~ ..--. .-...■.. .■.,., .. ~. Teams representing Kirkcaldie and. Stains, and Macky, Logan, and. Caldwell ; met at- ; Mira-. mar on Saturday. ■ Macky and Logan held theirown in the first spell,-but wero outclassed.in the second, and finally, beaten by 31 - to ■ nil. Ovorond,<3), Richards, Leahy, Wilsop.-Fraser, Smith, and W.'Fisher:scored for "Kirks.'.and. W Fisher, and Richards converted: one try each. Laurence, of Wacky, Logan's, ;met with an accident, and had to retire shortly after the game started: ■■■■■.-.■ ,: ».'."■"■' " ■ '■ A football match b'etween Watchmakers and Jowellors; played on No. i ground, Miramar,' on Saturday, resulted in a win for the former 'team by 9 points to 3. The game was fast, and supplied of amusement for. tho spectators. '■ The-'most consistent players in the winning team were:—R. , Hill, J. Bennett," Wcbstor, and Coulson (backs); .]Vnkclin, M'Donnld,. M'Girr, Crawley; .and- Thompson (forwards); and for' Jewellers: Partridge, ■ Heddcrwick, M'Lcan, Cotter'ell (forwards); and Mnrphy, Forbes, ' Wntts,. Bryns, Stewart, and Tasker. (backs). . Threo tries ..were ..scored for. tho. Wntchmakcrs by Hill, and Murpliy soored for ( Jewellers. . I'he : Association Banner will bo presented to the Wntchmakcrs at a! euchre tournament on-November 20. .. ? . . Tho annual cup matclr between tli<S staffs of the Hutt and <Petqno Borough Councils was jiinyed nt Lower Hiitt on Saturday afternoon. Tho Hutt Council team won by 8 points to nil, after.ji hard game,' in- which Collins;nnd Dunbar scored, and Cudby kicked a goal!' t: i. CLOSE OF AUCKLAND RUGBY: SEASON....' . ..- Illy TclccraDh-Pross Aisoclhtlbo I ' ■■'■ . Auckland, October. 2. The Auckland Rugby Union formally closed thn eoasou this afternoon with a sports meet-.'-iiAif-imd seifß-a-sldn touraamejit, Hisxq was

an attendance of about 2000 persons. Tho prin-. cipal event of..tbo.tournament was won by Tinivorsity, who" defeated City in tho final bj 11 points to 6.''.■''..'; ■•"- ■■ , \ :'i J . ' • ■■'"• ASSOCIATION. . ; ' CHARITY CUP SEMI-FINALS. SWIFTS AND Y.M.dA. TO PLAT, OFF. Tho semi-final heats for the Charity Gup wero played at Miramar on Saturday afternoon, when Swifts met Thistle, and Y.M.C.A. tried conclusions with Rovers. Tho-games were not very interesting, but tho fact that tho winners of tho senior league first division .competition, Swifts, and the. runnors-up, T.M.C.A., are left in to fight out another finish should ninko tho -final interesting next Saturday. " -.' J Y.M.C.A. V. HOVERS. ! ■ • Tho Y.M.C.A. v. Kovers heat resulted' in a win for Y.M.C.A. by i goals to 2, after n fairly good game. The losers , made a good showing, and had,not their crack goal-keeper, Oldnall, been an absentoo the result might havo been different; at anyrato.tho winners' scoro would have been - less . than four goals. Timperleyl (2), B. Gibson, and W. ■ Gibson'scored ior-YiM.C.A , ., -and ' Gillespio and . A. , Lowe scored for Eovors. Mr.' li.s L. Salmon' was referee. . ■■; .•,. ." : •,. j. :; ,;. ~ SWIFTS.V.,THISTLE. The Swifts-Thistle contest dragged wearily through two-thirds of its length,-tho only interesting fact about the first spell being a goal placed:to Thistle's credit I>y one of the forwards. 'This-lead was held until within .1 quarter of an hour of the call of time, when Swifts awoke to the, seriousness of tho .position and rattled on three goals before'tho whistle went. Tho first score was obtained by Sparrow, and the next; which resulted from a_pretty piece of'concerted play between Scott, , Vessey. and Sparrow, was put through by Scott. Scott was also responsible for .the last goal,.'the out-' come of o penalty kick. Mr. ,W. Wood was referee. " ■ ■'. ■.'■■.■■■,' •. ;.'.' v

' A "house" match, between the employees of E.-Haniiah.and Co. and tho Equity Boot Co., resulted" in a win for Hannah and Cp.'s men by 7 to'nil. The ;scorers were: Hunter (3),' Marshall (2), Nolan (1), and;tho other 'goal went through'off an Equity man. The'sprinkling of regular players in the Hannah combination caused tho downfall of tho Equity men.. Mr. Jf. Davidson was; referee. ' , ,' -r...