FOOTBALL

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43344, 30 June 1908, Page 2

FOOTBALL

MATAMATA 11. V. TE AROHA 11. This match was played at Te Aroha on Saturday last before a fair number of spectators and proved to be an interesting game to witness. The ground. was in a sloppy condition after the recent rain and as usual under these conditions the play was mostly confined to the forwards. Mr L. Buchan had charge of the game and Messrs Price and McPike acted as linesman. The first spell was fast and evenly contested by two splendid sets of forwards, and both sides narrowly escaped scoring on one or two occasions. The backs on either side were solid in defence, but were somewhat hampered by the greasy ball, it being impossible for them to fling the oval about with any success. Soon after starting, W. Shaw (Te Aroha) met with a slight accident, and had to retire for a few minutes, subsequently returning to the field of play and doing good work. The spell ended without any score.

The second spell was even more hotly contested than the first, and although there was no beg pardons it can be said, with credit to the lads of both teams, that there was nothing approaching rough play, and the game was played out in excellent spirit. Te Aroha attacked from the jump, and the forwards got in some splendid rushes, but the Matamata backs were always equal to the occasion and got down to these rushes in fine style. A forward rush in which Donovan, Peat, and S. Jennings figured, ended in the latter player scoring near the corner, the kick at goal failing. Encouraged with their success the local lads got to it again and in the course of a few mjnutes they were rewarded by seeing Peat cross the line with the leather with several companions in support. No goal resulted and the points read, Te Aroha 6, Matamata nil. Nothing daunted the visitors made strenuous efforts to score, and after giving the local boys a warm time, were at last rewarded by seeing S. Rae score a try in a good position ; and the kick at goal went wide and. the whistle shortly after sounded time, Te Aroha thus winning an in teresting game by 6 points to 3.

The result of this match leaves these two teams level for the J unior Cup, but another round is to be played. When these two teams meet again an interesting game can be looked forward to.

For Matamata : S. Rae at threequarter was the pick of the backs ; his kicking was good, and well

directed, always finding the line. T. Laran, N. Garland, and F. Martin also did a lot of work. F. Greenwood on the wing, is a hard worker ; but has a tendency to get offside.at times. McLeay, Johnstone, Farrell, and McArthur were the pick of a good set of forwards.

For Te Aroha : Dick Brennan got in a lot of work, but he should remember that there are fourteen more comrades in the team. W. Shaw, notwithstanding his .ipjury played his usual safe game. S. Wallace played well behind the pack, but his wings could have sheltered him a bit more. Sam Jennings was the best forward on the ground. J. Maloney, Bygrave, and Peat, the latter an emergency man, all played a good game. Brunton and P. Heathcote on the wing did yeoman service.

WAIHOO 11. Y. MORRINSYILLE 11.

This match was forfeited to Waihou Morrinsville being unable to raise a team.

GOLDFIELDS Y. AUCKLAND.

AUCKLAND, June 27. The programme of the Auckland representative Rugby 7 football was opened to-day in showery weather and on a slushy ground, the chosen o! the Goldfields Union beating Auckland’s team by 9 points to 6. Despite the day fully 3,000 attended, and were rewarded with a good exposition of Rugby, the game being full of incident.

In the first spell Grace, of Goldfields, opened up the score, Wilson, o Auckland, equalising matters before the spell ended. Neither tries were converted.

In the second spell rain came on, and rendered good handling out of the question. From combined forward rushes Morpeth and Oapill scored tries fer Goldfields, while Bater, by a brilliant piece of work, scored for Auckland.

The Auckland reps, meet Thames at Auckland next Saturday. The Auckland team was weakened by several members being engaged in the test match at Wellington to-day. The success of the visitors was dife more to combined efforts than individual brillance. Johnson, at threequarter, was the soundest Goldfields back; Skillen, first at tlireequarter and then at fullback; Lennard, fiveeights; and Brenan, half, were the pick of the remainder. Silcock (wing), Young, Capill, and Grace were, on the day, the best of a good lot of forwards.

D. Miller, at fullback for Auckland, was very safe, and got through his work in a very cool manner. The play of the three-quarter line was not clean, their work even in the circumstances suffering by comparison with the opposing line. Bater was really brilliant at times at five-eighths; Murray, his partner, showed palpably that he was out of position. Kiernan has given better exhibitions at half.

*..... , . . . McDonald (wing), Walsh, Maguire, Griffen, and Kinder were the piok ol the forward division. ,gy - /- THE AUSTRALIAII&AME. . . AUCKLAND, June 57. - ; In the Australian game Waihx scored 10 goals and 4 behinds and d®- , |; = feated Auckland, who’ scored, nine goals and six behinds.