FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 145, 16 July 1909, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

THE TARANAKI CHAMPIONSHIP. WAIMATE v. STRATORD-A DRAWN GAMK

Yesterday the Stratford first fifteen, winners of the Taranaki Kugby Union's cup competition in the northern division, travelled to Manaia to play off the linal with the Waimate Club, who have mine out on top in the southern division matches. The day promised line, and very large numbers of "barrackers" made the journey from Stratford oy various routes and varied means of conveyance. As a matter of course, the whole of the southern countryside was well represented, and the streets of Manaia wore an unusually animated appearance before and after the match. Betting was rife, and it is computed that there must have been upwards <u five hundred pounds of wagers on the result of the game, the supporters of each side being confident of success, but >iut suilieiently so to raise the price above "evens."

. ae teams were played to the ground ■y the Manaia Brass Band, under Bandmaster Cosgrove, and the hulk of the . rowd followed. The Manaia ground is L;ood for the most part, but the northern end is very rough, one large hole -.ear the goal posts being especially noticeable. Since last year fences have been erected in, orderi to keep the touchjlines dear—a much-needed improvement. The football club should proceed now to have the goal-posts padded. There was a very large attendance, the gate-takings amounting to £36 15S, and the spectators were wildly enthusiastic, the local ladies particularly demonstrative. Rain fell during the second spell, and had the effect of making the ground and ball a bit greasy. There was a slight breeze from the northward, assisting the side which happened to ibe playing downhill. The game was a hard one, not brilliant, but generally interesting, and a good one to watch. Waimate had the better of the play, and with a little luck must hare won, tries being missed by the merest margin on several occasions. They played two wing-forwards' and one five-eighth, Stratford using only, one wing and two five-eighths. Waimate's tactics were to keep play close; and their forwards were sufficiently powerful to carry out this plan during the greater part of the game: When the game opened up the Stratford men asserted their superiority. There was an entirely unwarranted amount of deliberate obstruction and tripping on the part of the southern men, a practice which the referee should have severely penalised. On only one occasion was notice taken, and then a free kick was given but the offender was not even i warned. During the game Harkness was ordered off, charged with having ejaculated "rats" upon the referee giving an off-side decision. He denies the allegation, but Melville admits having used the term. Stratford played through more than half the second spell with only fourteen men. Mr. P. O'Dea was the referee, (but, whilst quite impartial, was very easy on such offences as tripping, picking the ball from the escrum, and obstruction. Messrs J. O'Dea and W. Powdrell held the line Hags'. , The teams lined out as follows: Stratford: Full-back, B. Fearon; threequarters, Kilpatrick, Dixon, L. Tocker; five-eighths, D. Cameron and 0. Tocker; half, Bonner; forwards, Bradley (wing), Kivell, Harkness, Young, Smith, Boon! Melville and James.

Waimate: Full-back, D. Ryan; threequarters, Prince, Bourke, Pini; five-1 eighth, Franklin; half, Christie; forwards, Birehall and Patterson (wings), Davis, Ryan, Tamu, S. McKay, Youn", Moffatt and Wilson. ° Waimate kicked off, and settled play down in the Stratford end. A couple of tfcrums served to shorn- the Blues' preponderating weight and strength, and they were also gaining on line play. Within a few minutes of the start terrific hooting greeted a piece of scragging that should have earned for Wilson a place amongst the spectators for the rest of the game. Franklin secured a mark in a fairly handy position, but Pini was unequal to the task of placing a goal. From a mark by Dixon, Cameron sent play to lialf-way, but presently the home forwards came along in a mass with the ball at toe, and Fearon. forced. .From a free-kick the Stratford forwards got a rush On, but Pim snapped the ball from them, and kicked out at half-way. A nice openin" was made iby Bonner, who passed to Tocker. Cameron had an excellent opportunity, but Tocker's pass was a wild one, and Franklyn intercepted. The visitors were now hammering away in the Waimate end, Bradley, Melville and Smith working like Trojans. Exees&ive kicking gave the ball to Ryan, and presently Stratford was again defending. Although the Red ''hooker" was getting the ball repeatedly, that availed but I'ttle, for the Waimate pack pushed and uerewed the scram, and spoiled the chance of the ball getting away to Cameron, the 'extra Waimate wing forward being also a contributing factor to the insetting of the initial stages of Stratford's hack play. Penalties against Stratford were frequent. From one free kick the home forwards made a desperate effort, and Dix»n was lucky in forcing. Waimate continued the attack, Ryan missing an o.pcning. by blind pass-' mg A counter-attack by the Reds was met by Christie, who wriggled through. Things looked serious for the visitors' but Kilpatrick gathered in near the line and with a clever run and a line-kick' relieved the pressure. A sharp, low kick bothered Bonner and Tocker, and as the result of a headlong rush by Wilson, Ryan, and Davis, the visitors were forced again. Cameron was now using centering tactics, but Jus men were not well ill position, and the Blues bften got the better of a nicely-placed pass. On one of these occasions, Bourke made a dashing run upheld, and out. Lineplay enabled the Blues to force Stratford down to their own 23 again, after a lot of solid play, but Cameron secured and putting ,in a dodgy run, lined at half way. Harknesa streaked away 'from the line-out, and Cameron and Tocker supported. A scrum ensued on the W annate side, where a loose rush looked promising, but the Blues cot another of rt long series of free-kicks', and the rush ended. Dixon, Tocker and Dixon set up a nice little movement, the ball going over the line, but Dixon was a little late. Waimate forced. A mis- ? °T r ! Ct th * I!lm ' s «P !«'<> the Stratford end again, where Tamu, loung and were prominent in !i f <■ ?? Vy work ' the brant the defence falling upon Bonner, Cameron and Tocker, after the front rank had been of. Cameron created a inversion by booting a hard punt down the field beating past the Waimate fullnacJt, who appeared to kick behind the line. A force-down resulted. X 0 acor» liad been registered at half-time, a position which, as far as the home team was concerned, was mo re the result of bad luck than bad management. Each team was claimed by its supporters to be a second-spell scoring set. and developments were anxiously Awaited. 15am fell at intervals through the second spell Soon after the resumption of play, Wilson led a swarming rush (own to the Stratford end, Tocker linm* I', sa ™=- Cilmor °n managed to , throu gl; his opponents and kicked as ie was collared. Kivcll was carrying on, and seemed fairly likely to reach the line, when he was given off-side Tamu returned play to the other end With a long kick, and Stratford secured a lucky force. Then the Reds had a taste of what Waimate could do Thov were penned hard down on the line for some time, neither side appearing to pin anything. The attackers were attempting passing runs, but the visitors' tackling was superb. Eventually, after the Stratford supporters had had several attacks of "heart-in-my-mouth»

Smith, Bradl'ey, and Melville carried the ball to lialMvay. After a lot of indecisive .play in midfield, Tamu narrowly missed a score, and then. Christie threw one away .by hanging to the ball. Tini rushed for the line, but Tocker got film low. Scrum play followed. There was tremendous 'excitement as the two Tockers brought a Stratford score within measurable distance, but the effort failed. Bonner at this stage did some sharp kicking to line which saved his side a lot of trouble. Harkness had to leave the field, and Bradley went into the pack, Stratford playing without a wing forward. The ball was flying about rapidly now, each side securing , temporary advantage, moat of the play being in the visitors' territory. Three or four kicks t'o Waimate were given, but although the hicks were easy, iPini failed with each. Pini was making some vigorous onslaughts on the line, and once or twice was collared only just in time. Pini missed an easy shot at goal from, a mark, and Frankyn repeated the dose. A passing xush initiated by Christie enabled Pini, Bourke and Prince to get dangerously near the line, but they were drowned one after the other, and the bull went out. Another passing rush, in which all the Waimate backs took part, was •equally resultless. Stratford forced ai/ain. Forward nlay of a close nature ensued, until Tocker opened up the game, but was obstructed. A minute or two later Ryan was caught tripping Cameron, and a frec-kick was given against him. Boon secured the ball near his goal line ,and certainly saved his side from a score bv breaking clean away. Melville and Cameron followed up, and Stratford pressed 'hard for a few moments, but without result. -Tamu sent a long kick down to Fearpn, who failed to get it. Dixon speculated, and lifted the ball to the corner flag, where it just escaped Pini, who had come sweeping along. The ball went out. Every nerve was strained now, for it was thought Waimate would score off this advantage, but the whistle sounded "no side," with no score on either side.

Of the home team Pini, Ryan, Prince and Christie were the best backs, and McKay, Wilson and Tamu the best of the forwards. For the Stratford team, Cameron, the two Tockers, and Bonner played splendid defensive games, and each of tlieni had his share of the aggressive work. The forwards were overweighted, but played pluckily throughout Probably Smith, Melville and Kivell Were about tile most prominent. THE SOUTH TEAM. The following team has been chosen by the selectors for the southern division to play in the test match, North v. South:— Full-back: Tiney (Paten). Three-quarters: Slicehan (Patea) Prince (Waimate), l'ini (Waimate). i'lve-eighths: Roberts (Kapongu) and Beamish (liawera). Half: Thurston (Hum-era). Wing-forward: Swninson (Paton,) wSr^ d 8! , T f Sulli ™» (Opunake). Whittington (Hawora), Young (Waimate), 1» (Waimate), J. Crowlev I&ponga) T Sheelitui (Patea), R va *„ (Waimate). Emergencies: Back Lux ton (Kaponga), Crowley (Haweia). Emergencies will play i„ the next test.