FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 40, 27 May 1910, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

XAitA .iiv L uLi-i .UP lON SHIP CON IIiSTS. The Taranaki Rugby Union's c'nampionship fixtures were continued yesterday. Tile principal match was the Stratford-Tukapa fixture at New Plymouth, when, contrary to tlie general expectations, the Tuka.pa team .muiingcd to mane a drawn game of it. The StarCiiiton match' was a soft thing for Clifton, and Eltham accounted lor lnglewood.

FIRST GRADE. TUKAPA I. (9) v. STRATFORD I. (!)). For two years past the meeting of the Stratford and lukaipa. senior fifteens lnw always been looked upon as an important fixture, and a match worth winning. This year it was thought that the weight of the Stratford men would prevail, backed up by players like Don 'Cameron, Dixon and Co. On the day's play they were the better team, and their score included two tries, whilst Tukapa failed to-cross the visitors' line. There were two notable features tii the match. They were; Jack Stohr's fine kicking, and the manner in which the very much lighter.; to hold their own. Ling-outs and scrums were generally in favop o£' I she.'vj&it(s , s. • Stratford played witlioi.it the'ser'yices'of Boon and Smithy' : and_. JHarkifefe'' kiid Kirkwood- filled "jSife . Jfcjje tukapa team was 's'afyls, week, excepting jtllat' "Blycle, replaced Francis in t'he forwards. . Tfie' score was all, ma 4e r ' f vn,^liefflrst' r 'spell, and Stratford puj;' points'jjj^he second. ~ Stratford and soon parried Mpg|)a end, : where occurred tyja , tf^jipe, and it looked as to emulate the of years .ago, ,points in about its,. iiiM).y. minutes.., Stolir returned;: ..^a-lf-'iyay with, a well-judged line<iififert, Fairbrotheiv figured-, n-j proi«Mfiejitly s . -in some strenuous forward Bixon [ got hold of the 1 1)^11'•ftjui §owi 'jrfoiced the j Blues' again o& !! -the?def^8iv<si<-i-0ff's4de play-gave the fMeifcitk', and Stolir sent a' ,J l6nf t( WSe s'J'tfown o.to Stratford end.' headed a stemmed successfully, &s•''s. Jo'ffefe following ths '_kicß'siM!fos §BO6 out near the Rt»di , '^tbrii,e!i , /flh^.' A (Jhiigcrous passing rustl'' was' set. Cameron and Tocker, fct 1 i his pass, Ward'took "tlie baff at toe, and MathessotffiiiiPuj!'' A free kick a. 1 .fyr playing the Tukapa a ilirkntess was penalised '. for and Stolir landed a good goal."' Tuiiapa 3, -Stratford (J! ' : .

Cameron kicked ,o'ff across the fiejd ff>r 'W& '{ 15ut 'Mi'Hvglit' l Uut, Snd'a &him line' 'Ciarke was not loltPWed. 'iip^uM' DiiPh' ) ! had| plenty of. iiiqe to. return it to the'corner, where Tukapa .(forced 1 . ( Soiii^ ! liard forward. plaj r , >ua.^theft''Cf^tlce" got .a fortunate, marjv ville reached heid 'of'..i' 1 big Stratford 1 in|f l>y> the l^t._. otolir,. secured in time ,| only wards .t^.Tukapa's" line. Clarke «ss,y' catqft./'.and; speculated s.tri'ki'iio;',hisr own man, biit the,; ,fpr . owiside right in front ..of tiiq pp/sts was. disallowed. .,aad crossed the line whilst his looked.,on. Cameron's' kick was njisdirepted. Stratford 3, Tukapa-3.vFrjopi.&i sopm at. JjaWway the ball .-was liwffcd out fco idge, and it passpd to ster, to 'Stohrj-.-afld •tQ.';.joKesy, ;' liel failed to take it. McAUum, fiftine.Tj'ight through with--arlp?wa.v&.i«](tahjrtaiift Jones secured ivinarfc i®H&',handy.;f osi- j tion, Stohr' lan'dmg' -Hsgoal.iilTukaf'pp, C., 3 c .'iC 'k mti '«.*• ».■'

A'fter' ,: 'the : n'kick<off^ , .pfe3s;>settied -Mr «■' short'" spelt atofcM/ litunei!.t^am's»iend; v but M'yhotfc r optened< np' ttowDgarae-' aradofeent a long kick' fullAoj He mulled, .S'tcfhrj apoiled s, hiSi de- J fence, but CitmerPH' tfut"in T and ibooted to-' the.line.- A''scrutfi''ift"trdfit dfytha/poste;s.hdul<F°fiftv¥J^Btfe^cP!!Cßfe Biirgess "played A'n^StOhV'gPaled front penalty fcißc.* Tu'kftpa IH-'Sfrat-'. ford 3. Shortl'/ f Gr^'LovPfidg^ l secured a .taft'rfc 'frohrk' li : fte-p.ut?'^i : Stohri made a great; 'kick' 'fftfrn'-'a'pfotit fbrty K yards, but the \ViHd'c^u^ht' , thW'bMi' :, knd. carried v it T«lya'P|is liaa the best of the wmaindth- of the spell',' and twice i: it'seemed-.ifchait 'Ward hn® 'got' over. '■ ' 91

Uiprin reStufttttg, kick-oil' to " l M^fr6tt, !: '^lifo'' , f<nind 'th'e;iinje r near' flic 5 they knew' 'td'!§lue's' oliuf loithe* latter sfeemed to li'a:ve-\"benMted greatly, from tbe"spgtr : ing more vigorously- n<)$ r anH' with' bes-, ter combination Ifpott''.badja. to score, but .passed- s6';Joitcs, >!o room to .^nd'w;is misiiedj out. Harkness'.' w ere conspicuous, ,(n a; : lireajf afoay rushj'j lmt *tolir returned tb!e oya|'. to' the' Reds'. J twenty-five- before ~th'py , got. far. ;tp to this, tim* tlier,e ..liadj berai. r o.ne or two suspicious, but , no\V pccuj-red a glaryig- instance ..o'bs|ri,ie(,ion clian't-- and ■ Hapkh»s%- kicking ai. ,aji opponent. Hard kicking let the lleds out, I but Loveridge tricked tliejn in ,a -throw-1 in.-- and. biK'kwl m s ,)jy Ward. and .Myuott. ought to ba»;e .scjpred. .Just afr torwanl.s Steele Wis .penalised for, wait-; ing off-side, and; tlierfree--kick fyr.ough|t operations to-,halMyay-.- McAllum- -made himself very prominent, and;, F. Loveridge and -Fiurbrotber-r also .. did strenuous work in - checking,.the. lieavy rus'hes-'of .theirv opponents,often ( .-cony verting defence-.-.into 1 attack. -About fwontt minrftes bad l gone,-nmd the..Blues had Keen getting'the'-,best of But they couldn't 'keep tipMiis -paoe- against; 'such "solid forwards;->&nd presently- tlifr attack eased off;' Cameron, \\>ho had de.r dined to'atlopt theirulo-'for/the'feltll to, be thrown in" at r ie'ast' five 1 yards 1 ironi : touch, chausrea' his"'tactics, and-'-relied more on his backs. - generally throwing in 1110 ball hiiii'selr/ v so' as to open up play—juSt ' as" effectively as in the first spell lie" had 'worked to prevent M vuott making' tlit game an "open one. The wisdom of .the' change' was soon apviarent. '" 'Myri'ott ' wds'. ibm'.p'elled lo fC'iw,TfMujsT to" kwl? beating; Clarke.'" X''fine''6h I pi\fe' I wa¥ nMe by. BoniiqiY and 1 iftflrdyetT'tlic,j>ositirjn, but ToVk'er 'failed tTiq p-iis. aijd Jlvnott cqntved.'" In "a" 'nice ;'^s?nqi' attack bv Myuott and Stohi;,jrqne's' was? iniable to »et up. and Camefßn l 'irWd at. the TuklfpiTTWftHty-11-Vt! ! flag. MeAllum was caught playing the ball on the ground, and 'penalised. The free kick placed the Tukapa line in danger, and Clarke forced. Dixon, Cameron,. Tocker and Burgess' made the best .passing run of the day, each drawing the'attack and beating a man. Burgess centred to Cameron in front of tbe goal, but in bis eagerness the iStratford skipper got

off-side. Melville, breaking down all opposition, crossed the line, and Clarke forced again. The Reds were now playing against luck. A long kick was sn:t down by a Stratford forward to Clarke. Mynott cut in with a cry of "My ball," but was not heeded, '"loo many coti/us," and Abbott got over, Cameron failing with the kick. Tukapa 0, Stratford t>. Bonner was' penalised for picking the ball out of a scrum, and Stolir lined near Stratford twenty-five. F. Loveridge made an opening and kicked. Steele and Ward, following past, each overran the ball when the opposition had been passed. An inapplicable decision b}- the Stratford line umpire robbed Tukaipa of about twenty-live yards, but a free-kick against IJarkness for obstruction equalised matters. Cameron. Dixon, Bingham and Burgess now made several nippy runs, and kept the Blues' busy, but there was generally someone about who knew how to "go low," and they were kept out. The play was principally along the side lines, Tukapa gaining by line kicks and losing in the line-outs. A misunderstanding between Stohr and Mynott as to who should take a .ball proved fatal. Stratford came with a rush. McAllum again committed the error of playing the ball on the ground, and Cameron equalised the scores with a good goal. Stratford was' attackfng

when the whistle went a minute later, and it was evident that they were lasting the game out better than their opponents.

ELTHAM (14) v. INGLE.WOOD (9). The above match, played at lnglewood yesterday, provided a very interesting display. After the kick-off Eltham in'dulged in passing. lnglewood tackling • too high enabled Dive to get into tiieir twenty-five, where Jury, with a fine kick, found the line at half-way. From the throw-in Nicholls passed to Raynor. Give and take play ensued until lnglewood were given a free kick for off- , -.aide play by Dive, from which Brown t landed a fine goal eight minutes after the start. lnglewood 3. lnglewood for 1 si, ti.me pressed Eltham, but Cooper kicking high, Dive got up before Brown, and the ball went out near Inglesvood's twenty-five. From the throw-in Potier secured. Smith tackled him high and of course missed. Potier centred the ball. Hopkins failed to secure, and Osborne scored 1 right by the posts. Brown ■kicked eft', Moir returning out near In- . cglevvood's twenty-five. From the lineCharters opened the play by passing to McLean, who transferred to Potier, but the latter knocked on and a scrum ensued. From the' scrum Gibson pas'sed to Potier, who ran and transferred back tq Gibson, who was put out. Some nice Eltham passing was seen, Cooper, Dive, McLean and Glentwoi'th taking part. Thfe latter streaked for the line; but Brown collared him nicely. Interchange of kicks then ensued, the ball ultimately finding t'he line near Eltham's 1 twentyr.flye, . Soon afterwards Olsen had a kick at''goal for oft'-side play by Elt'liam. Potier kicked off, the ball finding the line at centre. From the line-out, In'glejvood forwards, headed by Olsen an 1 fi&liapman, came through ~ to Eltham's goal line and looked dangerous, but a free kick relieved ; fof a while, i Back tliey tame again, howeVer, .Potier saving" with a line kick. . lnglewood forwards passed, but Russell, kicking too hard, found the dead, ball line, spoiling a likely score. From the kick-off Jury obtained possession and made a nice at--1 't'ehi[>t to pot, just getting under the bar. ; Eltham forwards then took a hand, Le..vicjc, Whiting and Nat'bey breaking ' away, Smith kicking out, Eltham backs looked dangerdus'.' Cooper, Moir, McLean and Dive handled the hall, the latf 'ter, when collared by Raynor, passing .to Glentwoi'th, who was well taken by Dive. Play still continued fast, neither side having any. decided advantage until within five minutes of half-time. Tokoliau marked for lnglewood, Brown goal■ing nicely. Soon after Olsen was offside. Potier centred, Dive securing and passing to Potier, who handed on to Glentwoi'th. Raynor, however, tackled gamely, and the whistle going almost ; immediately for half-time giving Ingiewood a lead of G points to 3. On turning round Eltham had the advantage of ,a .good breeze, which had just sprung "up 'soon after the 'kick-off. lnglewood initiated a .passing.'rush, Xicholls, Kayner, Brown and Russell handling the hall, i The. latter kickgd ; failed to find the . ,lin,e. : Workman .returned to Eltham's tweity-five. A forward rush by Eltham j 'transferred play' to Eltham'^ 1 twenty-five, I "and•■'•lnglewood* had; to force twice in ■.gnipk succession. ...Several scrums r sued. Eltham,. who .were throwing the ball, about nicely, made strenuous efforts to score, nearly succeeding on two <oi J ' three occasions; but Inglewood's de-

jfence was very solid. Nicholls' ultimately .-relieved by kicking out at the twentyfive. . From the throw-in Raynor ran aiid .passed to Wiger, the . ball finding the line at half-way. Salter and Narbey ithen came through"-for Eltham, Russell ■ saving by finding the line. Eltham still . : kept up the .pressure, and their efforts were rewarded, Gibson picking up from a forward rush and scoring at the corner. Dive made a good but unsuccessful kick. Eltham shortly afterwards increased their score by a try obtained i t from a passing rush, Dive scoring after ['hooper, McLean and Niver had handled Ftli'e ball. Potier did not goal. From lithe kick-off Eltham worked the ball [■down .again, but. Rayner and Brown saved. Eltham were still .passing nicely, but from a throw-on a scrum ensued, soon followed by other scrums. Levick marked and iput out at half-way. From the throw-in Smith and Moir, Rayner l and Workman exchanged kicks, the ball [ going out at Eltham's twenty-five flag. From the throw-in Cooper marked and kicked to Smith, who ran nicely and centred. Russell followed up fast, beat Glentwoi'th and passed to Xic'holls, who to Smith. The latter passed t I Rayner. who was going at top, and gathering the ball in nicely beat Dive and scored at the comer a pretty try, which reamed meritorious a.pplause. No goal resulted. The scores were now equal, and onlv a few .minutes to go. Both sides tried hard to get the winning points, so that plav was very fast, both [ forwards and backs taking a hand. From ' a passing run, however, Potier scored [.and also converted, making the score, ' Eltham 14, lnglewood 9. Soon afterwards the whistle went for time.

Mr. Koch made a capable referee. CTJFTOX (IS) v. ST All (3). Star .seniors travelled to Waitara yesterday, and met defeat at the hands of Clifton by IS points to 3. The visitors were without the services of the Grant lu-o'liers. C'oker, and Robinson, which •ie ssitated substitutes being played, on the day's play the better team won, hut the score is not a true rellex of the play, the visitors putting up a stern defensive game against their more sturdily built opponents, and at times showing aggressive ability. There was much evidence of want of combination in the Star ranks, while their collaring was decidedly "off." Tait, the swift W'ircr-three-'nuarters of the home club, was responsible for four of the tries scored. He was in rattling form, and his nippy, elusive tactics were the outstanding feature of the match.

Star set the game moving, Clifton having the win! advantage. Within live minute- of tli" start I'lir'ton were invading. and tli,' ball came back to 'fait, who cut. in and notched ra tiler an easv try in the comer. Bond failed with the kick. Cliitou 3, Star I). The .pace mended, and the visitors attacked for a short spell. The home backs got to work and shifted play, Goodwin getting it: a hmy, dodgy run before being grassed. 'Scrum woi'k succeeded in Star "25's, but a Ion" kick brought ease. The home forwards set up' a hot attack, and several passing bouts by (lie green hacks were onlv stemmed just in time. A pretty bit of passing "between Jones and Tait resulted in the latter getting across the line. The kick again failed. Clifton (i. Star U. Almost immediately on resuming Tait got possession, and amid some excitement registered his third try. Tile kick at goal was futile. Clifton !), Star I), liven .play followed, both teams having a turn at aggressive and defensive play. Tait, took the ball from a long high kick from a Star iback, and, putting on a rare turn -of pace, easily beat C'opestake on the three-quarter 'wing, and skinimed over the line. The try was not converted, Clifton 12, Star t). Star made the play hot with a good solid rush, and ij. llul secured. He put in a fine long rim, and was grassed on tile corner after beating several opponents. Line play in Clifton's 25's was nullified by Star infringing, and a free kick cleared Clifton's lines.' The home vanguard took the leather down the field, and from a loose rush the hacks secured. A .passing rush that looked promisin;™ was spoiled by Joiies sending a pass too low. .Just afterwards Clifton were awarded a free kick. Cain made no mistake, the score reading Clifton 15, Star 0.

In the second half Star had the wind advantage, and opened the spell with a determined rush. Line and scrum play followed, which took the scene of operations to midfield. Hawkins tried a shot at goal from halfway, but the leather travelled wide. Just afterwards Star backs got away, and a passing bout, in which Hill showed out, ensued. Being tackled, he passed out to Malone. The latter had a good chance to run i-tmnd and score, but attempted to cut in and was grassed. Ross secured from the scrum and drew first blood for Stars. Whittaker's kick at goal diu not add to the tally. Clifton 15, Star 3. Keeping up the 'pressure, Star gave their opponents a busy time defending tneir lines. Whittaker was twice within scoring distance, and had there been concerted play a couple of tries might have been secured. The greens cleared and invaded, Goodwin being run out after good run at the corner. Star got ease to centre from a free kick. In loose play Whittaker marked halfway. Brown took the kick, but the ball went just a few inches wide. The remainder of the spell was more or less uninteresting. From loose play oil the. line Cain sot possession and scored a further try, Clifton 18, Star 3.

Mr. J. Way controlled the game,

Si-COND GRADE. TUKAPA (5) v. STRATFORD (3). This match, took place at Stratford. The visitors played most of the game with fourteen men, and during the last twenty minutes with thirteen, one of their players ueing ordered oil' for striking an opponent. Playing with the wind in the first spell, Stratford had slightly the best of tne game, but failed to score. In the second spell Tuka.pa opened a strong attack, and play ot a strenuous nature ensued. Stratford, howevei;, -ably defended, and set u.p an attack in their turn. With twenty minutes to so McGiven obtained from a scrum in .Stratford's 25, and transferred to Honey field, who handed on to Webster, who after a .pretty feinting run placed the leather between the posts, noneyfield made no mistake with the kick. .Stratford then attacked . the blue line, and' passing by their macks resulted in T. Malone crossing the line. Kivell failed with the kick. For the remainder of the game Stratford kept the blues on the defensive, but failed to increase the score, and the game ended—Tukapa 5, Stratford 3. Mr. C. '.Test made an efficient referee.

ELTHAM ((j) v. INGLEWOOD (3). This match was .played at Eltham, and resulted in a. win for the home team by 0 .points to 3. The game was a hard-fought one from .stait to finish. For the winners Robinson scored two tries, whilst McDonald kicked a penalty goal for the losers. Mr. W. H. Elliott was referee.

STAR (■()) v. CT,rFTO\ (0). The meeting between the Clifton and,' Star first juniors on the Recreation I Sports Ground provided a lamentable 1 exhibition of poor football, hot and rough play. Neither siae acoicd.' The referee will probably report some 1 , of the players and a line umpire to tiie Union for alleged rough play and ob-| scene language. i

THIRD GRADE. , The above teams met at lnglewood, and the game resulted in a win for Eltham by 8 points to 3. Eltham had only twelve men, and all the scoring was done in the first spell. The game was not by any means a brilliant, exposition of football. For the winners Sherer and Wyllie scored tries, one of which Ward converted, whilst Allen kicked a penalty goal for the losers. Mr. Pt>Uy made a capable referee. At Waitara yesterday Clifton third beat Star third by 45 points to 5. These teams .played 011 the Tukapa ground. The visitors were a heavier combination, but the. dUics won by 13 .points (a try, potted goal, and two penalty goals) to li (two tries).

Don Cameron, of Stratford, is mi able to obtain the necessary leave to accompany the New Zealand team 011 its Australian tour. It is understood that McGregor, of Auckland, is the next emergency. ASSOCIATION. NEW PLYMOUTH v. ELTITAM. This match, played at Eltham, proved very interesting, although the small size of the ground cramped the .play. The game was very close and interesting, and resulted in a draw, each s-ide scorimr two goals. In the lirst sjielT Wade scored for Eltham ami Smart for New Plymouth, and in the second <pell C'arncross goaled for Eltham and Gwilliain equalised for New Plymouth. For the homo team Carncross (in goal) and Renai (left half) played splendid games, as did Gwilliam (outside left). Holmes (full-back). Smart (centre forward), and Elliott (half) for the visitors. Mr. Butchard made a very capable referee.