FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8101, 4 May 1906, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

CLIFTON (14) v. lIS GLE WOOD (0).

(By Our Special Reporter.)

The above teams met at Waitara 03 Thursday. Although the initial match of the season much interest was shown, there being a good attendance of spectators. The weather was fine luring the afternoon. Soon after play •omraenced it was seen that Clifton were the superior team. During the whole of the game they had their op. ponents on the defence. The Ingleivood backs did not show up too well. Phis was partly owing to the fact that thoir half was too tardy 111 getting the ball away on the occasions that the [nglewood pack secured the leather, thus allowing the Clifton forwards (who played with fine dash) to gallop through almost every time. The game was fast and roving, but there was a good deal of infringing Mr Griffiths, of New Plymouth, refereod. During the match he penalised the players on several altered rulings, recently liid down by the Referees' Conference. The most im. portant of these was the penalising of in Inglcwood player for deliberately wastiug lime by shooting the ball baik jver the touchline after it had just been thrown in, when Clifton had their opponents hard pressed. Footballers should make a note of this ruling. Messrs Leach and W. Proctor officiated | as line umpires. Clifton won the toss and elected to defend the northern goal, being favored •vith a brisk breeze from the northwest. From the kick-off play centred. Clifton soon put on the pace and swooped down on Inglewood's territory. A timely kick eased things, Clifton igain attackod, and by a loose rush took the leather over, Purdio scoring. Potier converted. The Clifton forwards, when the ball was kicked ou', again attacked, a series of scrums following. Abbott had a slight opening, and, securing, set out with the leather. Ho was closely watched, 'lowever, and soon gassed. Potier secured and marked. The kick was from an easy angle, but the wind was tricky, and no score resulted. Shortly after Clifton had another shot at goal, the ball going wide. Play again centred. Clifton's five-eighth, Palt* ridge, was injured in the shoulder at at this stage, and had to go off, a substitute filling his place. Hush after rush was made by the Clifton for. wards, and some good chances were spoiled by over eagerness, the ball being forced two or three times. Inglewood warmed up, and transferred the scene of action to the other end of the field. It was only momentarily, however, and Clifton returned with vigor. Inglewood got down and saved time after time. Half time sounded with the ball in neutral territory. Clifton 5, Inglewood 0. On resuming, Clifton adopted aggressive tactics, and soon had the maroons in trouble. From this out, Clifton had' all the best of it, and several times got into close proximity to their opponents' gbal. From a brisk rush Matthews (Clifton) secured and got over. The major points were not added. Clifton 8, Inglewood 0. Flushed with success, Clifton continued to make the pace. Occasionally the play centred, but most of the sßcond spell was fought out in Inglewood's 25's. Tait, a Clifton forward, hurt his nose and retired for a term. From a scrum five yards from the Inglewood goal line, the Clifton backs secured, and, by a neat bit of dodging and passing, Potier secured the oval and dashed over. No goal resulted. Clifton 11, Inglewood 0! For several minutes play .was uninteresting, save for ail interchange of loiig kicking. Tli.'ii, from half-way, Clifton forwards headed a grand rush, Stimpsou securing and crossing the line. ' The kick again failed, owing to the tricky gusts ,of wujd. Clifton 11, In;lewood 0. After this Cliftoir di I mt press so hard, but still niad • t!ie play. The paoe of the victorious forwards was beginning to tell on the Maroons, who sullenly defended. Another scrum and an order to " heave" placed the ball at the toes of half-a-dozen Cliftonians sweeping up the field with renewed vim. The oval was toed a bit too brisk though, and the 1 nglewood three-quarter line took it up to thcuv opponents' 25 s, where they were awarded a free kick. The ball screwed and fell wide. For the remainder of the spell Clifton headed several rushes in their endeavor to add to their already big tally, but the defence was sufficient to block further score, the Inglcwood full-back playing with good head and showing excellent fielding and kicking ability. The wbistle sounded with the ball in neutral territory. For the victors Stimpson, Davidson, Crossman, and Telfar were the pick of the forwa-ds. In the back division Potier, Williams, and Lisli showed up prominently. In the Inglewood team, De Laimcy, on the wing, and Lawson in the forwards, were very successful, Abbott and the full-ba:k being the best in the rear division.

STBATFORD I. (3) v. TUKAFA I. (0) (By Our Special Reporter.) The centre ot interest m senior football, as far as this district was concerned, was the Stratford-Tukapa match at Stratford. The weather conditions were execrable, strong and " hitter driving wind, with rain blowing across the ground. Under these conditions, good back play was impossible. The Stratford team were confident of success, and a run-away yictory was predicted by their suoporters. But the game ended without any sensational score, Stratford winning by a Iry only. This does not by any means represent the play, which is more truly evidenced by the fact that the visitors were compelled to force on half a-score of occasions. The game was started by Tuk&pi kicking si!, playing downhill, with the wiud iu favor of thoir oppments. The opposing tactics were soon evidenced, the lighter team trying to make the game open, whilst the mere bulky Stratford forwards were evidently determined to keep il close, and the ball at the toe, This latter was a sensible move, for the ball wis too slippery to handle with certainty, and the men in re I and black were anything but adepts in picking up; in fact, it was quite a rare treat to see a Stratford man pick up the ball without fumbling. From the first the superior weight told, and Tultapa played on the defence. The lirst scrum showed the Blue's superioiiiy in this department, and the town hookers " kept this lead until Ward was disabled and placed in the third row. Dyne, James, Masters and Fearon were the prominent men in the rushes of the Stratford men, who were in vigorously repulsed by Mynotl,

Frewin, Stanncring, Bidlaud and Hardgraves. Every now and then the defence was turned into attack, and the Blues just mentioned, assisted by McLean, Crowley and Allen, showing up prominently. Time after time the Stratford forwards hurled their weight on the " little blue beauties," as they were christened by an enthusiastic barracker, but the defence of the town team was admirable. Pressure was relieved occasionally, but only for short spells, and Tukapa had to submit to force, downs frequently, but one of the occasions in the first spell when the vtsitors seemed to get the upper hand for a while, Mynott missed a splendid chance, Frewin sending the slippery ball at au awkward angle, when there remained only two men to pass. On the other hand, Masters lost a sure scoro for Stratford by a moment's hesitancy. He who hestitates on the football field is lost, and before opportunity could be taken of the opening this slashing forward measured his length on the grass. The second spell commenced with both sides seeking first blood. A Stratford rush was spoiled by Kivell mulling. A few minutes later Hardgraves stopped a vigorous dash by the lied forwards in a manner that drew cries of "tripping" and disapproval from the crowd on the line, . Things got more and more willing, and Tupaka seldom got outside their own territory. Three ".forces " in live minutes was the worse record they put up. The defence of the team was, however, plucky and dogged, and it was only after about ten minutes struggling and straining right on the line that Masters nipped over and scored the first, and, as it proved, the only try of the match. The kick at goal failed. From this time there was little incident of note, save' a splendid but unsuccessful shot at goal by Don Cameron, and a tin# piece of passing among the Tukapa backs, which ought to have ended iu a score. Mr F. Bowers was referee.

Dyne was the best forward on the ground, and his club was also well represented iu this division by James and Osborne. Don Cameron was the best of the. local backs. Tukapa's forwards, though ridiculously light in comparison, did great work, Crowley, Allan, and Perry being well to the fore. Mynott played a sterling back game, and Hardgravcs', Frowin, Stannering and McLean ably seconded his efforts. Honcylield, who like Stannering, has just commenced his senior work, put in good work. Tukapa's paek included two juuiors, iu place o! Seamark and Loveridgc.

STAE 11. (17) CLIFTON 11. (31. Star v. Clifton met on the Bacecoursc, New Plymouth, m a very willing encounter. The game, resulted iu a win for Star by 17 to 3. McKoy, S. Brown, G. Pearce, Hopkins and J. Eeardon scored for the winners, the latter's try being converted by C. Pearce. Early in the gaiuo Loveridge scored for Clifton from a forward rush. Some of the players bear striking evidence of the strenuousness of the game. Mr Hopkins held the whistle,

TUJK.APA 111. (26) v. CLIFTON 111. (0).

Tukapa won by eight tries and one goal (26 points) to nil. Mr Hopkins was referee. The home team was superior in all points.