FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 200, 3 May 1912, Page 7

FOOTBALL

THE KICK-OFF OF THE SEASON. JUNIOR MATCH AT NEW PLYMOUTH. | Football made a rather inauspicious start yesterday afternoon. There was no senior match at New Plymouth, while ■ the Inglewood-Tukapa match, which was to he played at Inglewood, did not, for reasons already referred to, eventuate. Amongst the junior grade teams there were also defections, Star 111 having to default to Eltham, owing to the inability of the former to raise * complement.

SENIOR GRADE. STRATFORD (3) v. CLINTON (0). Not many people enthused greatly yesterday over the opening of the football competitions. The attendance was dispiriting, and the game was scarcely less : so. The match was played in typical football weather. The game was devoid of brilliancy, and devoid of combination, and most of the men weie devoid of condition. The pace led by the few fit men was disturbing to those who were short .of work. After making allowances for the fact that this was the first game of the season, it must be said that the teams have much to do and much to learn before they can expect to be classed amongst typical Taranaki first-grade teams. There was a lack of knowledge strongly apparent, and it was refreshing every now and again to see one of the old hands do the right thing at the right time. Stratford was certainly the better team, and might have been forgiven for trebling its score. Clifton's backs were all at sea; otherwise the preponderating weight of their forwards mnsj; have spelt disaster to Stratford. Had Stratford fed Anderson on the right wing instead of Jones on the opposite side, the Clifton men would have had a. fair score put up against them. Anderson was easily the best back on the field, in attack or defence. Ilis try was the result of fast following up, which enabled him to make use of the fine opening created by Dud. Cameron. Anderson is a man who should be fed. He is fast and he is clever, and he is not a bit afraid.

The game was mostly a forward scram- ] ble. The Clifton forwards were the heavier, but they had several men who would not stir themselves unduh, and Young, Whitting and B. Fearpn held them in cheek, assisted by the lesser lights, among whom "Tim" Cameron was a bit of a hero, never missing his man, but in the later stages of the game showing a reckless disregard of the off-side rule. So did Hancock, a dashing young player, but his off-side tactics were too apparent. Tt can safely be said that the Stratford twenty-five was populated by its fullback, or by no one at all, for at least an hour out of the seventy minutes that the match was in progress. In the first spell the Clifton men got the ball down ?to the Stratford twentv-flve flag only Ij once. Most of the play was in neutral | territory, but on the Ciifton side of the !; half-way flag, and in the Yellows' line r was in frequent danger. Shortly after !the start Kivell set a good rush going, but Crawshaw, who improved from this point, sent along an awful pass, Woods and Anderson just cutting in at the right moment. The ball went out at the corner flag. A little later Crawshaw cleverly intercepted a pass, and gave the ball to Anderson, who was thrown out when he had only Good to pass. Proper following by Stewart would have given the side a score. Kivell missed a couple of easy shots at goal, and Stewart was no more successful with his attempt. No score at half time. The second spell opened better, some of the tr;,;ug to get busy. Jones, who did' not like the look of tlve attacking pack, nearly let Clifton in, but Cameron shot across and hooked the ball from the Clifton forwards' toes. Cain, Berndtsen and Hicks ' were at the head of the rush. Stewart was very weak' at half, both in attack and defence, and his confreres were frequently called on for support. The Stratford backs during this spell gave several exhibitions of how not to tackle a man. Some good collaring by Kivell and T. Cameron was required to keep Goodwin from breaking away, and by so doing they created a fine opening, which Young was unable to take advantage of. Then Bud. 'Cameron centred, and the Clifton wing was found wanting. He fumbled, Anderson slipped in. and scored behind the posts. Kivell's kick at goal missed. Stratford 3, Clifton 0. The Clifton forwards made fhings willing now, but the Reds were equal to the occasion, Anderson, Crawshaw, B. and J. Fearson, Whittington, Young, Kivell, and T. and D. Cameron being the most prominent here, as right thror-rh the match. Cain and Co.'s final flutter was checked by Crawshaw punting out of touch near the half-way flag, and the whistle went. Mr. F. Spurdle Tofereed.

JUNIOR GRADE. INGLEWOOD 12, TUKAPA 3. The only match played at New Plymouth was the junior fixture, Inglewood v. Tukapa. The game took place 'on the Western Park, in the presence of a small number of spectators. What they lacked numerically, however, they made up in enthusiasm. The visiting f ':een, by virtue of their great superior!: y in weight, won to the tune of twelve points to three, and there were many Tukapa barrackers who freely gave vent to the opinion that they were big enough for seniors. Inglewood secured the first lead with a penalty goal, kicked by Jury. About half-way through the first half, Burrows equalised with a fairly creditable piece of work, the result of good following up. West failed to convert. The game up to this stage was fairly even. Inspired by this reverse, Inglewood put on a spurt, and after another ten minutes' play, during which they had pretty much their own way, an unconverted try fell to their lot. K. Kennedy grounded from a passing rush. At halftime the seeore stood at: Inglewood 6, Tukapa 3. Upon resuming a somewhat uninteresting exhibition saw the visitors put on another six points, as the result of tries obtained by C. Nicholls and Russell respectively. Although Inglewood had the advantage, they were by no means always the aggressors. At times they were very hard pressed by Tukapa, who threw away more than one, try. There is little doubt, however, that the better team won. Both teams displayed lack of knowledge in several departments, but, taken on the whole, for juniors they served up pretty good football. P. Martin, Brabant, K. Stohr, Lister, Burrows, and ITodges shone to most advantage on the side of the hom i i' team. 11 Mr. B. Petty held the wbistle.

CLIFTON 14, STRATFORD 0. For a first game the match between the above clubs was a fairly good one, several players on both sides showing fair form, more particularly McDavitt, Elliot, Limmer, Stoddart and Lawrence for Clifton, and the centre threequartera, five-eighths and half-back for Stratford. Tries were scored by D. Cunningham, E. Stoddart, and McDavitt(2). D. Georcre converting the last try. Mr. 11. W. Elliott refereed very satisfactorily.