FOOTBALL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 395, 13 September 1911, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

OTOROHANGA 29 v. TE KUITI 8,

With the exception of a fairly stiff breeze blowing straight up and down the field, the weather conditions were perfect for this, the crucial game, of the season. The game was to decide the resting place of the Caps and the Banner. Otorohanga's luck was in. They drew to play on their own ground, they won the toss for position on the field, and they also won the toss to decide the length of spells. With good judgment they decided to play two 45 ; 5, and opened the match with the wind at their back. Mr J. Burke controlled the gams in his usual impartial manner, and Messrs P. Mora and R. F. Gregg acted as linesmen. The teams lined up as follows: OTOROHANGA. J. McColl J. Harris, P. Turner Tal. Clarke Jim. Clarke Jacobson Geo. Clarke, Mexted D. Turner, Patten, Etrery, C. Wilson R. Holden Bert. Clarke Symes TE KUITI. Rothery Devine Blissett, Rehi Devver, Hornibrook, Raku, Garth, Pitcon N. Cole Hurley Hikaka, Williams, S. Cleaver Chamberlain Pitcon kicked off for Te Kuiti, and after an exchange of kicks Te Kuiti found the line. From the throw in Otorohanga forwards rushed the ball down to the 25 flag where Cole stopped. Otorohanga pack got away again, Williams took the bail from a difficult angle, and with a good kick found the line when things looked dangerous. The relief wag very shortlived for the local forwards carried the ball over very shortly afterwards and Symes scored first blood for Otorohanga. Bert. Clarke tried to add the major points but missed. —Otorohanga 3, Te Kuiti nil. Hurley kicked off, Bert. Clarke returned and found the line. D. Turner got away from the line-out, but threw on and for an obstruction Rothery got a free kick, but Otorohanga stopped the ball. After loose play Te Kuiti tried passing in their own 25 but Otorohanga intercepted and with a soft kick got past the full back and Bert. Clarke, following up fast, scored Otorohanga's second try. No goal resulted—-G to nil. Clarke returned with a high kick and found the line. Loose play followed the line-out, when Cole for Te Kuiti and Jacobson for Otorohanga both got in some very nice work. A bit of a scrummage and Patten picked up and scored. Bert. Clarke converted 11 — to nil. Following a scrum Tal. and Jim. Clarke put in the prettiest piece of play in the day. The ball passed quickly between them several times and the latter grounded the ball over the line. The shot at goal failed.— 14 to nil. From an interchange of kicks Hornibrook and Cole dribbled the ball down to the half-way flag, this being the first time Te Kuiti had ventured so far from their goal line. Peter Turner marked and Wilson landed a fine goal from half-way.— Otorohanga 17, Te Kuiti nil. Hornibrook followed up fast and smothered J. Clarke,and Te Kuiti getting a freekick had the ball in Otorohanga's 25 for the first and only time during that spell. The forwards got another rush on back to the old place where Rothery relieved by kicking out, when the whistle sounded half-time with .the scores —

Otorohanga 17, Te Kuiti 0 With the wind now in their favour Te Kuiti opened up briskly and soon had the ball close to the home line. Exciting play followed and Otorohanga forced. D. Turner and B. Clarke got away with a passing rush which Rothery stopped. Jacobson marked at the visitors' 25, Wilson made a good kick but it fell short, however, and Mexted followed up well and scored again for Otorohanga— Otorohanga 20 —nil. From the kickoff the local forwards rushed and Mexted scored in a very short time, no goal resulting—Otorohanga 23 — nil. From a mark Te Kuiti kicked high and following fast, carried play close to Qtorohaoga's line, where a

lot of scrummaging took place. Hornibrook and Devine dribbled the bail over and Devine scored first try for the visitors right under the posts. An easy goal resulted —Otorohanga 23 —-Te Kuiti 5. The game now became a little more interesting and Rothery got away, but Jacobs in found the line with a screw kick. From a scrum in front of their own goal Otorohanga fowards dribbled the ball with one rush right down the field and crossed the line but lost the ball and the visitors forced. However, they were not to be denied, and very soon Bert. Clarke scored again for Otoruhanga, making the total 26 —5. Play was now backwards and forwards, when Cleaver and Rothery dribbled well and Hurley scored the second try for Te Kuiti, no goal resulting -26—-S. With the exchange of kicks Otorohanga pushed matters and G. Clarke scored another try for the home team —29 to 8. The local forwards attacked once again and when the visitors were forced the whistle sounded nu-side with the scores— Otorohanga 29, Te Kuiti 8.

NOTES. The winning team are to be congratulated, not only upon again winning the caps, but also for the fine manner in which they have stuck together throughout the season. This should be an object lesson to the other clubs in the Union. Te Kuiti in par ticular are defaulters in this respect, and it is indeed hard for the selectors of the team to find that on the morning of the final match of season they are five men short. If football in Te Kuiti is to prosper it will be necessary for this club to take matters more seriously and to practice occasionally and to turn up when picked. We sincerely hope that next season a change for the better will be noticed.

NORTHERN UNION.

HUIA 16, v. HAMILTONI 2

The above match was played on the local Domain on Saturday and resulted in a win for the home team by 16 to 12. . The game at times was very fast, and the visitors were treated to a very fair exposition of the game. In the first spell, with the wind behind them. Huias should have done better, and missed several chances to score. In fact, the local team's display was nowhere near up to what it should have been. In the second spell, contrary to expectations, they livened up considerably, and although Hamilton put on three tries and a penalty goal, the local team managed to keep tnem sufficiently in check to win with a margin of four points in their favour. Bonnar, J. Hetet, T. Hetet, and Taylor did good service for the winners, the former especially so, his 'side-stepping being a treat to watch. He repeatedly threaded his way through the opposing team, and completely beat tham. In scrum work Huais were, if anything, slightly inferior to Hamilton, but did good service when they secured. Tries were scored for the winners by Bonnar, (3). J. Hetet (1), while F. Kerr potted a goal and J. Hetet converted his own try, and for Hamilton by Coe (2), S. Hughes and St. George, none of which were converged. T. Searancke refereed impartially.