FOOTBALL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 57, 29 June 1914, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

RANFURLY SHIELD MATCH. TARANAKI (17) v. WANGANUI (3) A good deal of-interest was manifested in the football match at Hawera on Saturday between Taranaki and Wanganui, in view of the fact that on the previous meeting of the teams on June 3rd, Taranaki' eould only win by three penalty goals to two tries (one converted); and the interest was increased by the fact that Wanganui had challenged for the Ranfurly Shield, won hv Taranaki from Auckland last season. Three New Zealand representatives were unable to piny for Taranaki—Roberts, Loveridge and Cain—and this, on paper, seemed to give the visitors a better chance of annexing the shield. In the end, however, the home team won by the handsome margin of 17 to 3. In the first spell the homo team only scored six points, the Wanganui defence being sound, though only on two occasions did they invade Taranaki’s territory. The teams were as follows:

TARANAKI (Amber and Black). Stohr Young C. Whittington Meuli Cameron Brown Colman Taylor Whittington, Patterson Young Smith Robertson Dewar, Birchall. WANGANUI (Blue and Black). Lockett Tomperton F. Meuli R. Collier R. Campion, F. Collier 0. Swann. Smith R. Batley A. Takarangi R. Leahy, O’Donnell, T. Leahy J. Collier, H. Collier.

Wanganui won the toss and elected to kick with the sun at their backs. In the early stages of the game Wanganui were forced twice, and after a spell of mid-field play another force was registered. Taranaki attacked strongly, and monoeuvres by Cameron and Meuli and Cameron and Colman very, nearly culminated in scores. The Taranaki forwards played up well, and the ..backs made a number of good passing rushes, all being smothered by the visitors’ solid defence. The first score came after 25 minutes? play, Stohr kicking a goal from a mark by Meuli in the corner. —Taranaki 3, Wanganui 0. Wanganui set up a rush and got past half-way, but Whittington sent the ball to the line at the corner, and from a scramble following the line-out, Taylor dropped over. Stohr failed with the kick.—Taranaki 6, Wanganui 0. Soon after play resumed, Wanganui were forced twice. For a short time Wanganui were in Taranaki’s twentyfive, but when half time was called play was in mid-field again. Cameron slipped when taking the ball from the kick-off for the second spell,' and Taranaki were forced, and before three minutes was gone, a iWanganui forward rush by O’Donnell, Leahy and Smith ended in the latter scoring a nice try. / Lockett’s kick failed.—Taranaki 6, Wanganui 3. Wanganui then attacked strongly, and pressure on Taranaki’s line was relieved by a long kick by Broujii. The visitors continued to press. Stohr .had a shot at goal which f(?U short. Then there was a succession of Taranaki attempts to scere, but Wanganui defended successfully. Off-side play gave Stohr another shot at gov., and the ball went over the bar cleanly—Taranaki 9, Wanganui 3. Play was kept close to Taranaki’s line till the home forwards set up a great mush and carried play right to the other end of the field, where Stohr had a kick at goal which went wide and was forced. A good Wanganui rush was spoilt by R. Coiliei diopping the ball when a score seemed certain. The Taranaki foiuards rushed .the ball to the other end and Taylor dropped over under a jumble of jerseys, 'a force being awarded. Give and take play followed, Young (Stratford) having to retire through a knock received when collared. The ball was taken well down to the visitors’ line, anti from a scrum here, Brown sent the ball to Colman, who cut in, ran round and scored under the posts. Stohr added the major points.—Taranaki 14, Wanganui 3. Taranaki attacked strongly, but were solidly countered. Young returned to the field, and a few minutes afterwards Brown was disabled temporarily. Play was taken to the home twenty-five, but Young (Waimate) pot the ball past half-way and rushed it to the Wanganui line, being beaten by the bounce when diving for the ball. Taylor and Smith (Wanganui) got their hands on the hall almost simultaneously, and a force was given. The home team then set up a great rush from midfield, and the ball travelled from Bvown to Colman, to Cameron, to Whittington, who outpaced the fullhack and scored near the corner. Stohr’s kick failed.—Taranaki 17, Wanganui 3. Taranaki were attacking when the game ended with the score unaltered. Mr W. J. 'Meredith controlled the game.

[ At ball-time tbe scores were; —England 5, Australia 0. The filial scores were:—England 23, Australia 5. (Received 9.25 a.m.) Sydney, June 29. : The papers, offer no excuses lor Australia’s defeat on Saturday. They admit they were solidly trounced by a team which excelled in every departhent. The Englishmen held their own in the scrimmages, where they bunched together excellently, supported tehir backs consistently, were equal to the Australians individually, and infinitely superior collectively.' Several alterations will be made in the Australian team for to-day’s match. The Englishmen play the same team. (Received 10.15 a.m.) Sydney, July 29. The third football test match, which was originally fixed for Saturday next, will ho played in Melbourne at a later date. TARANAKI BEATS WANGANUI* [Pbb Press Association.] Wanganui, June 27. Taranaki beat Wanganui at the League game yesterday, in the presence of a fair attendance, by 16 points to

PRIMARY SHIELD MATCH. STRATFORD V. WEST END. m f■ 1 " This match was played at West End Park in glorious weather on Saturday last. The home players were outclassed irj • both forwards and hack, but put up a good fight. The score was 38 to 3 in Stratford’s favor. For the winners, Nolsn <(7 trie's 2 goals), Smith (1 try I goal), Neal (I try), Blair (1. try), and Hancock (1 try), were the scorers. Wosj;, End kicked a goal from a mark. Mr Barry carried the whistle. FITZROY V. INGLEWOOD. Fitzroy had a field day, winning by 47 to nil.