FOOTBALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1920, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

TRIAD MATCH

On Cuss Square on Saturday afternoon a trial match was played between A and li teams, selected from Kokatuhi, Excelsior and Kiwi Clubs, with one representative from itoss. 'Hie ynnie was a fair one to witness, $lO best feature being some fairly good passing in which Irving and M egan were the most noticeable. Some of the forwards showed to advantage, noticeably Devaney and Haile. The game ended fairly evenly, the score being 9to <>. .Mr Conning was referee.

DIGGERS V. KUMARA

More interest was shown in this game —tlie final of the first round of the Senior Cup Competition—and the attendance had reached fair proportions when the teams lined out, quite a number coming from Kumara to watch their team’s display. After a fairly willing go, the game ended in a draw, with the score three points each, a try scored by M'ells to a try scored by Murtha. The opening of the game saw Diggers start a nice passing rush, and from an awkward pass, Wells just managed to get control, and with a good dash scored a nice try, which was unconverted, within three minutes of the start. Kumara then set up an attack, and play ebbed to and fro, when, as a result of some mishandling among the Diggers’ backs, a nice forward rush saw the Reds take the ball over the line, Murtha scoring in a good position. The kick tailed. With less than a quarter of an hour gone, there was a promise of high scoring, but there were no more points added b.v either side. The game ebbed and flowed up and down, but the display, though willing at times, was not of a high class, even though there were many openings,' which neither side bad tbo finish to make use of. The Kumara men played with plenty of dash, but lacked generalship, and though they bad by far the best of tlie play, they were not nearly as often nearly driving home as were their opponents. The Diggers, though getting the ball nearly all the time ki the serums, showed very poor form close to the serum, with the result that the three-quarter line wqs practically starved, and that in spite of the fact that the, first passing run of the day ended in a, score. The Kumara forwards, though beaten in the scrum, showed a lot of dash in the open, following ]> fast and well, and when they kept the ball at their feet they did well. Tlie hacks, though fairly safe, showed very little initiative, and this was where the team suffered throughout, lack of experience being the failing point, preventing advantage being taken of many opportunities that came their way. This was especially noticeable when taking free kicks, as little use was made of them, and the kicking did not gain a great deal ot ground. Both sides had a number of penalties within range, and though the attempts made were fairly good, they were not successful. Diggers lost the game i-iv tills respect bv their failure, as they had double the number of shots within range of their opponents. There was an extra lot of talking among the players, the visiting full-back being specially noticeable, an unusual cir.cumstance with a player in that position. One untoward incident happened near the end of the game, when the play was of a very willing, if not altogether scientific nature, two players indulging in fisticuffs, and this caused some commotion, the two men being ordered off the ground by the referee. Air Steele (Kumara) was referee, and though lie gave players considerable lattitude, he gave both teams a very fair run.

The first round having been concluded, the position is as follows: Ross ? Kiwis 6 Diggers 3 Kumwra 5 Excelsiors 4 Kokatahi 3 The representative team journeys to Grey next Saturday to meet Grey representative team. The team is already picked and will comprise 20 players. All men whoso names are in the team will have all expenses paid by the Southern Division. The second round of the competition opens on July 31st. The' fixtures will he drawn this Wednesday. NORTHERN V. SOUTHERN. Tlie following team was selected on Saturday night to represent the Southern Division in their match against Grey on Saturday next:—Full-back, B. Dowell; three-quarters, H. Wells, A. Wogan, W®.Owens; five-eighths. A. Duncraft, and E. Irving (captain); half M. Wallace; wing forward, N. Scott; forwards, J. Nancekivell, J. Devaney, Hahn, C. Smith, H. Dimnaick, T. Carley E. Martyn. Emergencies, backs: R. Cherrie, Jas Woolhouse, W. Steel; forwards: Cunningham, Nielson and Muir.

The Grey tea*n is as follows: Backs: Jamieson, O’Callaghan, Russell, Hall, Walton, Mundv, T. McKay; forwards: Reynolds (rover), Williams, Pring, Deere, Chapman, Mclntosh, Hail and King. Emergencies, backs, T. Clarke and Pascee forwards, C. White and Win cheater.

Tlie Canterbury League team played Greymouili on Saturday winning by -19 point to 8, and at Blackball yesterday again won by 17 points-to 3. BULLED DEFEATS INANGAHTTA WESTPORT, July 17At Westport to-day Btiller played a return football matcli with Inangabua and won by 19 points to six. For Buller Falla, Mnmm and Schadick scored ' tries, Scbadick also kicking a penalty goal. Casey kicked a penalty goal and converted two tries. O’Regan kicked two penalty goals for Inangalnia. The game was fairly interesting throughout, but was not marked by much brilliant play. AUCKLAND BEATS TARANAKI. AUCKLAND, July 17. The Rugby match, Taranaki v. Auckland, was won by Auckland by nine points to three. Tlie Taranaki forwards were good, but tlie backs were not equal to the home players. The game was of a rather scrambling nature, with flashes of brilliant individual play, that, however, led to nothing. Auckland liad the better of the first half, when the visiting hacks did not show the combination they displayed in the second half. The scores were: Auckland two penalties, kicked by Badeley and a try by Nixon, all got in the first half; Taranaki, a try scored by Roberts in the last quarter.