FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 152, 23 July 1909, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

NORTHERN UNION GAME. I By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The. Northern Union game has made startling progress during the week. On Monday a meeting was held, at whicii 6ome 130 persons were present, and a league wa3 formed. Since then matters have matured, a meeting being held at North Shore last evening, when a strong club was formed. The club has ivo teams to put in the field, and has practically taken the pick of the auiuu-ur players from their district club. This evening a preliminary meeting was herd in the city, about 20 players attending, and steps were taken to form a duo. It is stated that a Newton Club will be formed next week, there being considerable dissatisfaction among the I members at the management of the Auckland Union. The officials of the. league have secured their ground at Kpsom, and will commence a series of * fixtures at once. NORTH v. SOUTH TARANAKI. Notwithstanding the extremely disagreeable weather conditions obtaining yesterday, cold rain showers predomin- 1 B ting at Stratford, about 500 spectators

witnessed the ''trial" match, North v, 5 n ® ollt h 'iaranaki. Levick and Merchant, owing to indisposition, were absentees 1 ( from the North team, Charters, of El- S tliam, filling the gap. Each team played d il 1 c. 14 T"' I>romijl ™t absentees from 2 the South team were Pini and Tamu (of J "annate), both indisposed, and Whit- t tington, unable to obtain leave. The f ffips were filled by, Bonnor, Luxton and Potier ( a North emergency). t s . Eain ( ' ut ' n n the major portion of E » the game, and the ground was in a E very slippery condition, completely pre- ■ eluding good football. Notwithstanding s( these disadvantages, a willing and at T times exciting game was witnessed, vie- al . tory resting with the South by II points to 6. iThe North team, which on paper | should easily have excelled, lacked "ginger," there being an evident lack of

■ concerted action, both back and forward compared with the concerted movements i of the Southerners. In the first spell i tries were scored 'by C. Sheehan, Thurston and Potier, the Litter convertino his own try with a splendid kick, the spell ending: South 11, North 0. In the second spell, Bert Stohr scored after a fast passing movement by the North hacks, and Dive finished up a fine individual effort by crossing the line, J. Stohr making fine but ineffectual efforts to improve. ■ The game does not admit of detailed description. The Southerners played with more "devil," particularly in the forwards, and by 'backing up and supporting magnified the lack of combination in the Northern team. For the winners, most prominent amongst the forwards were Swainson (a fine, daehfatr forward), Tom Sheehan, Young and Potier, while amongst the backs, C. Slieehan and Prince played sound games! They were ably seconded by Thurston, Tinney and Roberts, the two latter giving promise with another year's experience of developing into 'top-Hoteliers For North; Allen, Du Blois and Smith were prominent in the tight play. Cain played hard,, but, like Melville, did not exhibit his usual dash. In one department, as an adept at foot work, Charters stood out on his own, and were he to infuse more dash into his general play, coupled with his weight, would be one of the most useful forwards the province possesses. Kivell was not in his usual form. Amongst the backs, Brown, though having fewer opportuni* ties thfin his vis-a-vis, Thurston, shaped cleverly, and both half backs showed not I the slightest hesitation in getting down to the hardest forward rushes. Mynott was all right. Jack Stohr as outside five-eighths did not get a fair test, but justified the confidence of the selectors. Bert Stohr played a sound gam'e, while Cameron was "off," having received a nasty 'bump early i n the game. Play did not come Dive's way to a great extent, and he did not seem to be putting 'himself out until he showed his worth ty; scoring after a determined effort. Dixon at full back played a very sound game. On the whole, the game showed tHt while there should ,be no great difficulty in selecting the rep. team, it will foe one that will not discredit the province. The next match will take place at ITnwera on Saturday, 31st inst. The rep. team will be picked immediately afterwards, going on tour the following vSaturday, when Wanganui will be playTAKANAKI RCG-BY UNION. A special meeting of the .Tnranaki Migbv Union Management Committee was held at Stratford veeterday to confer the question of "tbe final for the senior championship, Waimate having protested against the decision of the Union that the match should be played st Stratford, and the Union having called upon tile club to explain their action. There were present; Messrs Clarke (chair). O'Sullivan, Skoglnnd, Garcia and JlcLeod, Messrs Young and Christie, delegates from the Waimate Club, attended, and expressed regret for the action taken by their club, but pointing, out in extenuation that their club considered they had not been fairly treated The position having been amicably explained toy members of the management committee, the delegates expressed their willingness to fall in with any decision made ;by the Union. It was resolved that the match be played at Stratford on Thursday next; that the explanation of the Waimate Club be accepted and that tliey be thanked for the sportsmanlike manner in uhich they had met t'he Union over the matter.

It was further resolved;, with a view to obviating similar trouble 171 the future, that it be a recommendation to future management committees of the Union to break away, from the custom 01 tossing" to decide playing grounds .•n Championship fixtures, and that the Lmon fix the grounds of play. nJ? ar^ne6s ' 10 tt 'as reported bv Mr. ODea in the Stratford-Waimate match, was cautioned, in terms of the recommendation of the referee. ■THE ASSOCIATION GAME.

XEW PLYMOUTH v STRATFORD. Stratforil came to Xew Plymouth with men short, and good substitutes were found in Bullot and Fenton. The frame was controlled by .Mr. V. Oolbeck. trom an onlooker's point of view, the pome was well fought out, but it' -,v.is quickl.v seen that Stratford were handicapped by the absence of Bodle and Gollingwood. The Bret spell was very fast i both teams attacking and defending in fine style. Xew Plymouth drew first blood after a good passing rush iu the forward rank, with Gwilliam putting in the finishing touch with a good drive. Stratford opened out the game more and used good judgment in .placing the ball to their wings. Vann was very conspicuous in this respect, making tire best of his many opportunities. Stratf&rd had a few rushes up the field, but unfortunately the final touches were missing and half-time was registered—Xew Plymouth 1. Stratford 0. The second spell opened with a rush, the New Plymouth front rank being soon up the .held on their own. Thomas had good opportunities, but was too slow on f'! c toj" an| l a- good opening wfis lost, rhe rsew Plymouth team seemed a bit tired after this, and their defence allowed Stratford to get through. I'en'°n evejitually- put in a neat Stratford lost a really good opportunity ' soon after this. Bullot put in a beautl--ill corner, kick, but it wanted Collinswood's head there (he hod been inadvertently left at Stratford) and a oeautiful chance was lost.' After much give-and-take play, the hall got near to Plliott, who was waiting fo r Gwilliani's pass, and he put in a good shot, which beat the Stratford goal-keeper. The teams seemed to tire somewhat, and many pfaym were inclined to play the man rather than t|;e hall, which, although legitimate, is not good football I in the eye,? of the spectator. However, towards the closo of the game Smart headed m from a good corner by Gwilliam. The game got very scraggy, and owing to the drizzling rain the ball was a bit greasy. Time was called soon after, the victory resting with New Plymouth. . Taking the .game as a whole, Stratford played very nluckily against odds. With a full team Xew Plymouth would have been nowhere. All played well, imd with a good spirit. One has seen New Plymouth give better exhibitions r,f "soccer" than was given yesterday. Main' players are either too slow on the ball, or manage to kick the ball to the wrong part of the field of play.