FOOTBALL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 16 May 1910, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

SENIOR

LI3VIX-WANDERERS (8) v. HUI

M.AI (0)

This game was spoiled, through the heavy showers, which lasted up till just after three o'clock, delaying the start some twenty minutes. Despite the large amount of rain which fell the ground was in firsltclass order. The game was devoid of any brilliant back play owing to tho .slippery nature of the ball, the forwards doing the majority of the work. Hui Mai bad the advantage of the first spell, a,lid gave'the home team a. very lively time keeping them from scoring on different occasions. Levin-Wanderers turned the tables on their opponents on | changing sides, and held the upper hand. Seiascia, Levin's ihooker, was absenit, and he was sadly missed; Hui Mai getting more than their share of the ball in the scrum. The referee, Mr W. Broughton, was impartial in bis decisions, but he was far too easy with the players and did not keep them under control. Hui Mai kicked off with the sun in their eyes, and at once attacked and Stuekey saved with a nice kick to the touch line. A bib of ' forward going about the centre the field took place, neither sidegaining an advantage. Smart passing" by the Levin forwards brought the ball towards tho visitors' quarter, bnlti Martin saved splendidly. An exchange of kicks between the backs, was followed bv a spirited dash by the Levin forwards, but their efforts proved abortive. Keeping up the assault Levin had hard lines, a. breach of the ruleslosing 'them a good chance to score. IToro saved the situation with a good kick to half-wav. The ball was rapidly transferred to the other end, where a. splendid chance tr score was spoiled by over-anxious ness on the part of Hui Mai forwards. TTopn initiated a. coo' 1 run but was collared, mid the bal 1 wis sent into toueh. Another <roo' r forward run bv Hui Mai ended ir j what looked like a certain chnncI to score, but the oppnrt.il nit v was I lest. The visitors kent up the at-

tack. mid Stuckey saved with a fino kick to tho touch lino. Keepin si up tin' attack TTui Mai made another desperate attempt to score but failed to obtain any appreciable advantage tlirontrli a mull. Levin fetched tbe ball a way to the 2"> line, and Lewer made a fine run. but made a mistake and Inst a good cliance to score. The vonue was again changed for a. moment, but Levin returned to tbe alttae.k. and kept their opponents busy to keep their line clear. The pressure wa.l- - by a .speculator by a Hui Mai back, and later a Levin Wanderer was penalised in front of the goal. Martin had a shot from about forty yards, but failed ti. find tho uprights. From a free kick in the centre, Martin Winiata kicked across the field. A reus following up fast. TTui Mai full-back mulled and a scrum was formed, bnit. tho vistors' got the ball away with a fast forward rush to the half-way. Levin now attacked .strongly, the ball being tightly scrummed oil the Hui Mai line, Hui Mai being penalised for off-side. Ceoto had a shoifc at goal, but it proved .abortive, and half-time found the visitors' paving attention to tho homo goal. At the in/terval neither side had scored. On tbe resumption Levin attacked strongly and from a cross-kick a scrum was formed in front of Hui Mai's goal. After .a hA of scrummaging 011 the visiters' !line, Stuckey had a pot, but the ball went low and a force down resulted. Levin made another attack, bult Martin .saved, and the ball went into touch. Another kick from a penalty was taken by Martin Winialra, who made a good attempt to convert, but the ball went wide of tho mark. Hui Mai were force;! down twice in quick succession. The scene of operations was again changed, and 'tho visitors' attacked strongly .and a mull by Stuckey nearly let them over. The visitors' were awarded a free kick about thirty yards out, (and Martin had a shot at gral, bu!f the ball rebounded from a Lovin forward, and 1?. George kicked it over the lino and just missed scoring, the ball going into touch-in-gouil. Levin carried operations to the other end of the field, whore from a forward rush Jos. Saxon snapped the ball up and dived over the lino close to the posts. CVxito converted. Roused bv this revorse, tho visitors took up :t-ho running and a scrum was formed in Levin's 2n, where a lot of hard work was witnessed. Levin returned to the assault through a most determined rush by tbe forwards, but bard kicking ended in a force down. A loit of uninteresting play followed, neither sido gaining any advantage. Subsequently Hui Mai got a fast forward rush, and Levin were forced from a cross-kick A forward rush about the centre of the field, in which .nil the forwards took part emled in Hilly Wilson whipping over the line smartly and scoring a well-dtesorvod try. Coote failed to convert. Tho game ended with out any further score.

SIIAXXOX (9) v. KTA TOA (6). Shannon mustered a good team and established a record by travelling .to Otaki, a thing they have never done before. It was without exception the rule for Shannon to forfeit their games in tbe southernmost portion of tho Union, and their win on this occasion should prove an incentive to them to travel in itilie future. Owing to the late arrival of the train tho Kia Toa team had left the ground thinking that the Shannon team would not put in ian appearance. Tit would bo an Advantage to play these two teams at either Manaknu or Levin, as the south train does not roach Otaki lt.il! 3.30, which means that the match cannot commence before

4 o'clock, and it is impossible to finish tho game before dark, even hy playing the shortest spells. Tho Otaki ground is not in the beslt condition for playing on, and it was more by luck than good management that the players escaped without serious injury. A considerable improvement could be effedted by shaving off some of the bumps and putting a roller over it.

Shannon won tho toss and Kia Toa kicked off in an almost dead calm. Within the first few minutes iShaninon showed. Uliat tihjay were out for keeps, and made a determined onslaught on the home team's line. The defence, however, was good, and the attack was successfully staved off. Concentrated work by tho Whilto and Black backs carried the ball into neutral territory. The visitors got going again and just missed scoring from a scramble near tho line, a force resulting. The relief afforded tho homo /team was of brief duration. Tho Shannon pack, headed by Timms and Wright, made a dash for tho line., and were only brought up by a knock-on when within an. ace of scoring. From the .scrum the Iki.lL was shot out to Wright, who goib over. Tho kick at goal was fruitless. Otaki now livened up a bit and put more dash into their play, and for a time gave 'the visitors some anxious moments. Tho Yellow forwards got round quickly and worked the ball back to half-way. From this till tho end of tho spell play hovered in neutral territoi-y. The second spell commenced sensationally, Shannon putting on two tries in quick succession. Following up tho kick off the Yellow forwards smothered tho Home hacks, and Timms, securing tjio ball, dashed over the line. The kick at goal failed. The drop out was returned well into Kia Toa territory. Tho return was smothered, Smith cutting in beat several opponents and scored near tho_ comer. Tho try at goal was again fruitless. After these reverses tho Home team infused more vigour into their play. Fast upanddOwn play ensued and finally settled in the visitors twentyfive. ' Kia Toa were tossing tho ball about in their old time attractive manner. 'From a scrum near the line S. Cook secured,, and breaking through the defence, scored. The attempt at goal proved abortive. From the drop out the hall travelled up and down ttho eld. The Shannon forwards wowted like Trojans, their hacks proving very safe. A fast passing rush by the Home team, the ball < passing through all the rear division, saw Prim thrown out on the corner flag. Otaki wero now fitting the upper band. A dash up the field by tho Shannon forwards was returned by a good kick down the field by Taylor, who was playing a fine game. The Otaki backs got going again, only to lose the ball in front of tho posts. From (the scramble Hen are Rawiri picked up and got over. The a tempt at goal was again futile. Timms, Wright .and Smith were the pick of the Shannon forwards, and Henderson, Pope and MeLelland of the backs. Of the Kia Toa forwards Wilson and Cootes showed up mosifc prominently in tho forwards. and Prim, Tavlor and A. Bevan of the backs. Mr R. Btirgo referoed. JUNIOR. TALVUI (8) v. HUI MAI (3). A heavy shower delayed tho match, which was played on tho Manakau ground. The wet state of the ground prevented the backs from taking the initiative, consequently play was confined to the forwards. In the first spoil Atkinson got over for Hui Mai, which w:«s no! improved upon. 'Hiis advantage was maintained till wilthin ten minutes of the call of time when Tainui came to light and Smith got over. The try was not improved upon. Almostt immediately after MeColl scored, Wilson adding tho major points. One of the outstanding features of the gamo was the play of Ferguson, the Tninui half, who from start to finish was tho mainstay of his team. Bailey, Wilson and Richard wero the pick of tho remainder. Of tli'o Hui Mai team W. Nees showed np very promlineintly, and has fine play .was greatyl appreciated. The next best were Atkins, Nicholson, Drake and Marsh. Mr Rivihi ..ehepeihana refereed. KERERU (II) v. LEVIN-WAN-DERER A (3). The above teams met at Koputaroa on Saturday on a wew ground, and with a greasy ball. Tho Levin team comprised twelve men all told, including one cr two players who did not profess to be footballers. Kereru played one man short. The game throughout was played in the boiSt spirit, and was evenly contested, Kerern's tries being scored through Levin's shortness in the rearguard. Stowell scored the homo team's four tries, one of which was converted by Ash ton. Levin's try was scored by Blackburn from a. loose rush close to the local line, Musgrove's kick failing. For Kereru Stowell showed a lot of pace in, the backs. Ashton also player) well, doing some good kicking. For Levin Musgrove worked hard and was the best on the side. Blackburn and the two Devonshires were tho pick of the rest. Mr F. Rout refereed.

T,E V TX-WAXDER ER ii. (8) v. SHAXXOX (D). This match took place at Shannon on Saturday, and resulted, as indicated above in a victory for Levin. Bartholomew and Heta scored lor Levin, tho latter try being converted by G. McDonald, who played barefooted. Levin had tho better of the game all through, Cyril Bartholomew and Heta being the pick of tho team in tho backs. Pukn was the best of a hard working lot of forwards. The game was vigorously contested, and good spirit was shown throughout. Mr Tlionims officiated as referee. THE TEAM FOR AUSTRALIA. The selection of tho New Zealand representative team to tour Australia was made on Saturday in Wellington as follows Full-back : O'Leary (Auckland); threequarters: Cameron (Taranaki), Mitchinson (Wellington), Fuller and Fryer (Christchurch); five-eighths: Mynott (Taranaki), Ryan and Roberts (Wellington); half, Burns (Christchurch); forwards: Front-rankers: Herring and Maguire (Auckland); locks: Paton and Ridland (Otago); break-aways: Blight (West Coasft), Francis (Auckland), Pa tor son, Tvimev and Mitchell (Otako), "Rangi" Wilson (Wellington), Hay ward (Thames). This team is one consisting almost entirely of new blood, containing only two of the All Blacks combination of 1901-5. WELLTNGTON MATCHES POSTPONED. All football matches in Wellington wore postponed on Saturday owing to rain. PALMERSTON~RESULTS. Tho matches on . Saturday resulted Kin Tea (G) v. Feilding (0), Pnlm'orston (21) v. Old Boys (0). A telegram from Dunedon this morning says that Tvimev, who has been selected as a member of the Xew Zealand' fcotbn.il h"d. the cartiWe' of his left nnklo torn in Saltnrda.y'a game,