FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 94, 29 July 1910, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

CHANGE LS TIJE LAWS. . By Cable.—Press Aaawuiuoii. —oupyriglu Brisbane.. July "2S. The Rugby Union has adopted a change in the laws of the game tending to make play taster. One alteration is that in the event of a player knockin." on and catching' the ball before it has touched the ground the referee will take no action, if they are carried out these alterations will debar Queensland teams from meeting other States or they will be greatly handicapped. CAPE COLONY v. BRITAIN. Capetown, July 27. Cape Colony defeated the British Rugby team by 19 points to nil. THE MANAWATU AFFAIR. . By Telegraph.—Press Association. Hawera, Thursday. By telegram Mr. Murray, of Cheltenham, denies having asked for or been refused complimentary tickets for the Maaawatu footballers at the Winter Show social as wired from Palmerston North. He says there is a misunderstanding. FIRST GRADE. STRATFORD VVTNS NORTHERN P(rIEMIERSHIP. I In yesterday's matches Eltham seniors caused some surprise by defeating Clifton, Which teaan had been bracketed with I Stratford at the top of the list. Stratford beat Star, and Inglewood forfeited to Tukapa. Stratford thus wins in the Northern Division, and will play-off lor the provincial championship against the winners of the Okaiawa-Waimate match at Hawera.

STRATFORD (14) v. STAR (3). The match at Stratford yesterday between Stratford and Star seniors was dull, though not for 'the Star forwards. They were outclassed in almost every minute of the game, which meant that their backs had a pretty lively time, acquitting themselves fairly well in staving off the more weighty forwards of the home team. The back play of neither side, however, was orilliant, and if the Stratford'team expects to make a decent fight of the final match for the provincial championship its members will have to infuse a great uea'i more dash into their work. Either the Waimate or the Okaiawa pack will just play skittles with them unless they .ire about four times as proficient as they were yesterday. The Stars played an uphill game throughout, the Red and Black forwards pushing them as they Hiked in the scrums, and swarming all over them in tight play. In the open the visitors had their say, but it was orily now and again that they managed to "place the local men hard on the defensive. There was one really good piece of play in the match, and that was the try scored by Cameron. The ground was in good order, and the weather line and bright. "Star played with the advantage" of sun and ground in the first spell,] and had points up against them. Early in the spell, as the Tesult of a move ment initiated by Hill, the Stars pressed hard, and Anderson was glad to force. The next long kick by Hill was fielded by Anderson, Who returned well. James K. Abbott carried on the rush, and H. Abbott got close to the line. Brown relieved, but Burgess and Bonner came again. Whitaker downed Burgess, who passed to Abbott and Tocker, wno ivas stopped just short of the I'ne. Cameron took a hand, and Anderson ,'ivl Abbott •handled the ball, the latter getting over the lline. His kick failed. Stratford forced to evade a loose rush. A few

moments later, Marchant's off-side piay robbed Stratford of a try, the effect of a nice (run by Cameron and Burgess* being nullified. Then Abbott was thrown out within a yard of scoring, and Hawkins took a good and fortunate mark in front of the goal. Scrums placed Stars at a disadvantage again, but Toeleer failing to field a ball let them into the Rods' end,'where a good passing run took place amongst the Blacks. Pike, the last man on the line, was off-side, and the movement failed closed to the line. Two long kicks forced Stratford twice. Fox the rest of the spell titar| was in difficulties, Tocker scoring the second try for Stratford. Abbott's kick passed just outside the posts. The second spell was very one-sided. The first event of note was Cameron's'lone hand try, after a dodging and hurdling run, in which he escaped from the arms of two men and skilfully evaded about

eight others. Taking the kick Wioself he landed a fine goal, making the score 11 to nil. Star escaped another score by forcing. About twenty minutes of the spell had gone before Hawkins and Hill led the Stars into Stratford end, and Brown, Hill and Bellringer each had hard luicik in not getting over, Cameron busying 'himself considerably in the defence. Hill secured a mark, and Hawkins placed a goal, notching Star's first points. 11—3. Hill had another sprint for the line, but Cameron was too speedy, and caught him from behind, and was himself penalised for not releasing him quickly enough. Anderson, at full, initiated a passing rush, in which Cameron, Tocker and H. Abbott handled in turn, the last-named having ha.nl luck in striking the corner flag just before grounding the ball. For a short spa«e Stars shook up their opponents again, and Hill was a vety likely score, but was tackled in the nick of time. The spurt was soon over, and the next happening was a hardearned try scored by Abbott, from a parsing run which was initiated by Bonner at the back of the scrum. Stratford thus won by 14 points to 3.

ELTHAM (8) v. CLIFTON (3). Clifton journeyed to Eltham yesterday, when any aspirations they may have had of winning the championship were rudely shattered, as they were defeated by tihe local team by 8 points to 3. The day was an ideal one for football, the weather being fine, with no wind. The ground, though dry, was heavy. The match did not provide a very'attractive display of Rugby, being far"too rough. Clifton won the toss, and played with the sun behind them. Charters kicked off, and Eltham at, once worked the ball down,'and a force resulted. Clifton then carried the play back a&ain, and. Eltham were forced Play was now fairly willing, and Sampson soon afterwards received a kick which laid him out. He wanted to retire, but, as a substitute was not allowed, continued on. Shortly afterwords Cooper (Eltham) was hurt; and left the field, Gibson, wiing-forward, filling his place at half. Clifton continued to press.; Adams, Kyle and Jones set up a pass-1 ing rusßi, which was checked by Brown' collaring ' tile latter near the line. A fn>P kick to Elthnin relieved the> pres-" sure. Clifton, however, came at" it

again. Crowley crossed the line lroin a dribbling rush, with several Elthaan men on his back, but a scrum was awarded, from which Brown came iountt «nd kicked, Sampson marking in a good position. No charge being called, he made a good but meiiectual shot. Workman obtaining possession, with a nice kick returned the leather out at hall-way. Eltham now took a hand. From the loose Dive passed to Potier, wuo was we'll taken by Goodwin. Salter kicked too hard, and Sampson forced. Play then travelled up and down the ueid, Crowley, Cam, De Blois and Berndsten being prominent for the visitors, and Moir, Osborne and Horan for the locals. McLeod worried Eltham supporters a little by mulling the ball near the home line, but from the resultant scrum a torce ensued. A little later, Sampson had another resultless shot. Dive was next responsible for a good piece of play. He ran up the line, centred well to Brown, who passed to Potier, the latter being collared by Jones. Tate then set up a counter attack, but was tackled by Moir. Du Blois and Crowley headed a forward rush, which was checked by Gilson, and sooa afterwards half-time sounded with no score.

Laveridge kicked off, Brown returning to half-way. From a scrum, Adams secured and passed to Kyle, who kicked high. McLeod failed to take the ball, which went out a few yards from the line. Lash threw the ball well in, Berndsten secured and dived for the line, which he crossed just as he was tackled. Sampson made a feeble attempt to convert. Sampson returned the kick-off to Eltham territory, but Potier and Moir and then Narbey and Salter were responsible for bringing it down. Goodwill sent it back on both occasions. McLeod failed to take the ball, but Dive came round and relieved. Charteris »nd Brown brought play into Clifton territory, from which Crowley and Thomas at once removed it. Sampson had another unsuccessful shot from a free kick for obstruction, a force resulting. Gibson then kicked the ball down to Adams, who marked, but the whistle did not go and Osborne smothered Mm. Eltham now were pressing, and a free-kick for off-side play was -very acceptable to Clifton. It was not for long, however, as Eltham came again, and Dive had two shots at goal in succession; the second was a fine one and equalised the score. Play was now full of vim, Crowley, Bcraidsten, Du Blois and Loveridge carrying play to Eltham's line, where Brown got in a lucky speculator. From a serum Adams passed to Jones, to Tn.te. Dive neatly intercepted the latter's return to ;lones, and headed for the line, but was taken by Sampson. Clifton returned to the attack, but Kyle kicked! too bard, and a force resulted. Dive obtained possession, ran across the field, and threw forward to Workman. Clifton were awarded a free kick, and Sampson made a fine attempt, missing the post by about a foot. Clifton still pressed, but Potier, Dive and Co. were too solid. Jones, of Eitham, was at this stage ordered off for talking back to the referee. The Eltham forwards set up an attack that carried play into Clifton's twenty-live, where Goodwin secured. He attempted to run round, and kicked across to Tate. Matters' looked serious, as three Eltham forwards were coming down fast. The;,-, however, overran the ball. Dive secured, but being well taken by Tate, dropped Hie uall, but hung on "to Tate. From a pretty bit of p.ay Eltham scored. Moir, from the .Hie-out threw the ball well across to Dive, who cut in, ahd when taken by Sampson transferred to Potier, who simply ran in. Dive made no mistake with ! ute goal, and the score was Eltham », I Ulifton 3. Play of a scrambling nature l ensued till the end. Dive, from a free kick, had two shots at goal, owing to no charge being awarded. Neither were successful. Goodwin also received a nasty blow, which caused him to retire tor a few moments. No further score resulted, and the game ended as above.

SECOND GRADE. 'lndewood first juniors defeated Tukapa by 6 points to nil. S. Walker scored a try, and McDonald kicked a penalty goal. Eltih'am, who held a three-point lead, forfeited to Clifton. ' THIRD GRADE. Ait Eltham yesterday Clifton defeated the local team by 3 points (a try secured by Elliott) to nil. KIA ORA (8) v. HIGH SCHOOL (G). A match between teams representing New Plymouth High school and Kia Ora was played on the school ground yesI terday. Kia Ora kicked off against the sun, and school were pressed, Adlam saving by finding the line. There were a series ■of scrums, due •to a great extent to the faulty throwing-in of the scuool wing forward. School then took a turn at attack and Clarke nearly got over, but knocked the ball on. A iree Kick for offside play on the part of the school gave the blacks relief. Soon atterwards Lusk obtained a ;;:ark in Kia Ora's twenty-five, but made a poor attempt at goal. The blacks came away again to within a yard of the school's line, out Lusk relieved and Bayly dribbled the ball into the opposing twenty-five. There N. Little got the ball away at His toe, picked up the ball and passed to Mulloy, r who outpaced 'his opponents and scored. ! Lusk failed with the kick. School 3, I Kia Ora 0. On resuming Gray got the ! ball away at his toe, but anDbied too hard over the black's line, a force-down resulting. Kia Ora then returned to the attack and got right over the line, but N. Little picked up and found the line. Play continued in school's twenty-five until half time. On resuming, Kia Ora pressed hard, and Ambury got away but was tackled; on the linie. From a scrum the ball ' came out and Bach fell over and' scored. •: West converted. Kia Ora 5. School 3. Immediately afterwards, a misunder-| standing between Lusk and Grant let the blacks away, and Ambury scored an easy try in the corner. Ambury failed [with the kick. Kia Ora 8. School 3.1 School then got to work, and Gray ■nearly got over but knocked on. From! the scrum the ball came out to the school backs and a try seemed certain, but Lusk got a had pass. From a free kick against Kia Ora for offside play, Lusk failed at goal. The blacks then pressed, but Adlum relieved by a kick up field and school pressed. Tight work took place on the line and Billing picked up and fell over near the posts. Lusk made a feeble attempt to convert. Kia Ora 8. School 6. Play then hovered up and down thei'field until the whistle sounded time. Mr, Ward officiated as referee in a very capable manner.

The following will represent Ware- ; houses in their match versu9 Civil Seri vice on the Racecourse on Saturday : 'Doughty, Crockett, Ward, McAUum, Stannering, Jury, Hawkins, Wchards, Arthur.', : _' ,' . .___.