FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 336, 24 June 1911, Page 7

FOOTBALL

NORTHERN DIVISION. FIXTURES FOR SECOND ROUND. SENIORS. June 29—Inglewood v. Clifton, at Waita.ra, at 3 p.m.; Eltham v. Stratford, at Stratford, at 3 p.m.; Tukapa, a bye. j u ly '([—Eltham v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, at 3 p.m. Stratford v. Tukapa, at New Plymouth, at !! p.m.; Clifton, a bye. July 13—Tukapa v. Clifton, at Waitara, at 3 p.m.; Inglewood v. Stratford, at Stratford, at 3 p.m. Eltham, a bye. July 20—Clifton v. Eltham, at Waitara, "at 2 p.m.; Tukapa v. Inglewood, at Tnglewood, at 3 p.m.; Stratford, a bye. Matches on July 20 may be re-arrang-ed.

FIRST JUNIORS. June 29—Clifton v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, at » p.m.; Star v. Tukapa, at Tukapa ground, at 3 p.m.; Stratford v. Witham, at Eltham, at 3 p.m. July G—CJifton v. Star, at New Plymouth, at 3 p.m.; Inglewood v. Eltham, at Eltham, at 3 p.m.; Tukapa' v. Stratford, at Stratford, at 3 p.m. July 13 —C.'lifton v. Tukapa, at Waitara, "at 1.30 p.m.; Stratford v. Inglewood, at Stratford, at 3 p.m.; El'ham v. Star, at New Plymouth, at 2 p.m. July 20 —Eltham v. Clifton, at Waitara, "at 2 p.m.; Star v. Stratford, at Stratford, at 2 p.m.; Inglewood v. Tukapa, at New Plymouth, at 3 p.m. ■"■* SECOND JUNIORS. June 29—Inglewood v. Clifton, at Waitara, at'l.3o p.m.; Tukapa v. Star, Star ground, at 3 p.m.; Eltham v. Stratford, at Stratford, at 1.30 p.m. July o—Star v. Clifton, at Waitara, at 3 ' p.m.; Eltham v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, at 1.30 p.m.; Stratford v. Tukapa, at New Plymouth, at 1.30 p.m. July 13—Tukapa v. Clifton, at Waitara, " at 3 p.m.; Inglewood v, Stratford, at Stratford, at 1.30 p.m.; Star v. Eltham, at Eltham, at 2 p.m. July 20—Clifton v. Eltham, at Eltham, at 12.30 p.m.; Stratford v. Star, at. Stratford, at 3 p.m.; Tukapa v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, at 1.30 p.m. THE SEASON'S REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES. The following fixtures have been arranged for the Taranaki representatives this season:— July 8. v. Wanganui, at Hawera. Aug. 3. v. North Island, at New Plymouth. Aug. 10. v. Maori team, at Stratford. Aug. 23. v. Manawatu, at Pahnerston. Aug. 20. v. Wellington, at Wellington. Aug. 30. v. Southland, at Invercargill; or Aug. 31. v. South Canterbury, at Timaru. ' Sept. 2 . v. Otago, at Dunedin. Sept. fi. v. West Coast, at Greymouth. Sept. 9. v. Canterbury, at Christchurch. The Auckland match will he played at New Plymouth at a date to be arranged.

POSITION OF TEAMS. THURSDAY COMPETITION. •S I 1 ■d e[ « w § h « # ; c c eu J5 (2 o i- o o 3 h £ J O fc k O Tukapa 5 4 1 0 71 14 8 Clifton 5* 3 11 33 0 7 Stratford .... 5 3 11 48 23 7 Inglewood ... 4 1 3 0 20 75 2 Eltham 5* 0 5 0 19 73 0 *Eltliam forfeited to Clifton. SATURDAY COMPETITION. Star 5 5 0 0 90 0 10 Okato 5* 3 2 0 22 41 6 Rovers 5 2 3 0 00 43 4 United 5* 0 5 0 0 85 0 Tnited forfeited to Okato.

XOTES. The result of Thursday's matches is that Tukapa are now leading by a point from Stratford and Clifton. The contest, therefore, promises to be very interesting, and much importance will attach to the meeting of the town team with each of the other leading teams. Inglcwood has no chance of annexing the championship, but there is no knowing how they may upset calculations by beating one of the leaders. Owing to the difficulty of arranging suitable dates for the southern tour, the Taranaki representative southern tour has to be commenced a fortnight sooner than was expected. The Ruguy Union finds much difficulty in arranging for the play-off of the various competitions, and also for the holding of a I trial match. In order to overcome the difficulty and allow a trial match to I be played, it was suggested that' the final matches of the second round should be abandoned, leaving that Thursday free for the decision of the Thursday v. Saturday final, the participants in which, it was expected, would be decided by that time. The matches to be deleted would be Eltham v. Clifton and Inglcwood v. Tukapa. i Eltham are deserving of no consideration, as they forfeited to Clifton in the first round. Inglcwood, however, have pluckily battled for years past in the face of many difficulties, and it was felt that it was indicting a hardship on the club to ask them to forego a match, particularly a home match, and the resultant gate. The Inglcwood Club naturally feel the same way, and are not inclined to forego the match. It was not the intention of the Union to force the closure, but merely to suggest the arrangement to the clubs as a way out of a difficulty. If the clubs interested do not favor the curtailment the matches will go on, and the trial match will be abandoned. A suggestion has been made mat the Thursday 1 v. Saturday play-off should eventuate on a Saturday. This, however, is not , possible, as it was definitely under- . stood when the Saturday Association , was affiliated that the match must . take place on a Thursday.

Tho Stratford-Clifton match well repaid spectators for any inconvenience thoy may have been put to in proceeding to the scene of action. The game was very keenly contested, and was full of incident, being the best Same witnessed so far this season. The result, a draw, should be satisfactory to the supporters of either team, as it truly indicated the merits of the teams on tho day's play. First one side and then the other held the advantage, and the excitement was intense as the Strafford team appeared 1 early in the second spell to hold the adI vantage and kept Clifton penned. The i stand resounded with roars of enj couragement from excited Stratford ibarrackers, which could have been hoard lin Stratford, over a mile awav. The I game wns exceedingly fast, both teams handling the greasy ball very well. ( Stratford, however, would perhaps have j done better had they kept the ball at

their forwards' feet instead of throwing it about among their backs, as the greasy nature of the ground prevented their fast men getting well oil' the mark. The game was a very strenuous (one, and there were sitv. rai .in.iys through slight easu'ilties, but it was very friendly throughout, and there was l an entire absence of anv deliberate roughness. Both sets of forwards got on some fine sweeping rushes, and there was little between the packs. Breaches of the rules were very frequent, Stratford being the main offender, and many a time good opportunities were nullified through off-side play, playing on the ground, picking out of the scrum, etc. Clifton also offended considerably, but their infringements were not so conspicuous, and, in many cases, especially of off-side play, escaped unnoticed. It was, however, from Colman hanging on to Cameron that the latter was enabled to score Stratford's points with a magnificent drop-kick from ajbout half-way, a feat that earned him much applause from supporter and non-supporter alike. Clifton's try was a clever piece of work. Crowley started a dribbling rush along the line, and the ball was kicked infield to Egglcston, who kept it at his toe till he beat Kivell and Jones, when he gathered it up and fell across the line. Kivell, at full-back for Stratford, played.a grand game, taking -and kicking well. He. saved his side time and again. Stratford's three-quarter line did not show to great advantage. Cameron was very closely watched. He, however, made some fine openings. His goal "was a beauty. Stewart, five-eighth, was rarely in hiß place, and generally failed to take the bnll. This militated against Stratford's attack. _ On defence, life: often got into difficulties, but' generally retrieved himself. ~■•' Bonner and Fciiron, on the wings, played with great dash, ,The latter was caught off-side oti'lihan'y. occasions. ' • Of the forwards Boon. Smith and Melville were the 'best. Smith showed glimpses of his old form. George, full-back for Clifton, was very safe.

Goodwin was the best of the threequarters. He put'in a vast amount of work, and his pace in getting to the ball and kicking to touch, once practically out of an opponent's hands, saved certain tries. Both the Tates have played better games. V. Tate failed on most occasions to take the /ball on the full. Egglestone was very serviceable. His defence was sound. He also scored a clever try. Colman, at half, and some of the time at centre three-quarter, was solid in defence. He marked the ball beautifully, but his kicking was not well judged, failing to find the line. Early in the game he got a knock on the head, which must have taken much dash out of him. Crowley, on the wing, played strongly throughout. He has an off-side tendency, but managed to escape the referee's eye. All the forwards j,iayed the game. There was something wrong with the formation of the as though Fairlc}- and Thomas hooked the ball, it hung badly in the pack. M. Cain was a spectator at the match on Thursday.

Osborne, the rep. hooker, formerly of Eltharn, will don the red and black jersey for Stratford.

The match for the Dan O'Brien Shield, between ttie Star a».d Tukapa seniors, is to be played next Thursday afternoon. This has for many years been a match of prime importance in New Plymouth, and the chances of the teams are .lieing eagerly discussed. There will probably be a big crowd present, as the proceeds are to create a "benefit" for the family of the late Mr. Jas. Way. The following will play for Rovers against Oknto to-day on the Recreation Sports Ground: —Pott, Grant (2), Thompson, Ryder, Reid, Blyde, Coker (2), Mclsaaes, O'Neill, lillis, Inch, Jennings, and Patterson. It is sometimes said that interest in football in waning. This cannot lie said to be the case in the Clifton Club, two of whose Du Blois arid Loveridge, on Wednesday evening walked over twenty miles ou a bad road from the back of Mokau to this side of Mount Messenger, where they were met by some clubmates with a conveyance, ultimately reaching Waitara at 4 a.m. That they were able

to play at all in the afternoon speaks volumes for their stamina. Two of the Clifton thirds also cycled to Stratford | from Waitara in order to be in time for the match. A number of New Plymouth enthusiasts travelled ti, Stratford by the mid-day train on Thursday to witness the Clifton-Stratford match. The number would have been much greater but that through a mistake it was understood the match would start at 2 p.m., and the train is not timed to arrive till 3 p.m. The Stratford ground is a fine one, and its stand accommodation was appreciated ou Thursday. It is, however, some distance from the station, and visitors had some difficulty in getting conveyances to the ground. Walking meant losing a goodly portion of the ! game. It is expected that airange- [ ments will be made for trains to stop close to the ground on the occasion of ,big matches.

THE ASSOCIATION GAME. TARAXAKI v. WAXOANUI. The representative match, Taranaki v. \\an<;anui, which was played at Hawera on Thursday, and resulted in a win for Taranaki by four goals to 2, was a splendid one. Over live hundred spectators were present, a very satisfactory number for the "soccer" game. The game opened very fast. Wangamii held the advantage in the earlier stages of the game and from a free kick scored a goal. Taranaki were now put on their mettle and settled down to it. and when half-time was called they bad scored two goals to Wanganui's one. The second half opened <[iiitc as briskly and the goalkeepers on both sides had to be on the alert. Wangamii brought their score up to that of Taranaki through Veale failing to save a .soft one. the slippery condition of the ground affecting bis judgment. Spice was the means of putting Taranaki again in the lead by a brilliant I piece of dribbling and shot an unsaleable I goal on the run, Wangamii "buckled to" and pressed, but were unfortunate by the goal bar falling when they had a goal in sight. Taranaki soon regained the iippm" hand, and Law, from a drive from the touch line, scored the fourth goal for the home team. For the winners, Haseltine was the b(\st back, his kicking being clean and sure. Elliott played well at half, and Kaull played a (piiet but effective, gamo. The forwards were all very smart, (Jwillim and Scholfield being the pick. The Wangamii backs were a bit shaky, but I the three inside men played with good I combination. I Mr. J. Clark, of New Plymouth, ; referced in a satisfactory manner.