FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 282, 25 May 1912, Page 7

FOOTBALL

TO-DAY'S FIXTURES. Star v. Okato, at New Plymouth. Rovers v. Fitzroy, at New Plymouth. NEXT WEEK'S FIXTURES. THURSDAY, MAY 30. Seniors. —Stratford v. Tukapa, at Stratford. Juniors.—Tukapa v. Clifton, at Waitara, 2 p.m.; Star v. Stratford, at New Plymouth; Ingle wood v. Eltham, at Eltham. Second Juniors.—High School v. Stratford, at Stratford; Inglewood v. Clifi ton, at Inglewood; Eltham a bye. SATURDAY., JUNE 1. Star v. Rovers (Rovers match), at New Plymouth; Fitzroy v. Okato, alt. Okato. REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES. June 3 v. "Wanganui, at Wanganui. June 12— v. Wellington (special match)., at Hawera. June 15— v. Wanganui, at Hawera. Aug. 17— v. Auckland, at Auckland. I Aug. 22 v. -Southland. t Aug. 29 v. Wellington. Sept. 4 v. Otago. Sept. 12— 'V. Canterbury. TEAMS TOR TO-DAY'S MATCHES. The following will represent Fitzroy against Rovers, at Western Park, this afternoon:—Skipper (3), H. Camm, D. Kopu, R. Tito, Pirikahu, T. O'Carroll, Mangu, E. Bellringer, Tutai, S. Martin, 11. Aparakama, Buxton, D. Manu; emergencies, W. Pratt, Kuru, and Atutahi. The following will represent Star v. Okato, at the Recreation Ground, this 'afternoon, at 3 p.m.:—Johnson, Clarke, Goudie, McAlliun, Greatbatch, Gleeson, Charters, Packard, Pilcher, Evans, Hawkins, Penwarden, Richards, Dewar, Okey. The following will represent Rovers v. T.rt ■■■"X at Western Park: Newell, Webster, Grant. (2), Thompson (2), Reid, Martin, Mulloy. Ellis. Bocock. Jennings, Quilliam, Brown, CromJbie.

THURSDAY COMPETITION. n a * ?. i .. . i I js a IV ts ,_] c &H fu . o Clifton ..3210634 Stratford 3 1116 6 3 Tukapa ..2011361 | Last Saturday saw the conclusion of »the first round in the Saturday competi--5 tion save that Star and Okato have ' their match to play over again. Rovers ;have also protested against Star being J awarded the match against them, and this may alter the position, which, on the actual games played, is as follows: o -*a ft . .5 ■s a * s i (2 **» S "S m c '5 a « S S g -g a s P. f C h ij O Okato 22 0 0 25 18 4 Star ..2 2 0 0 18 ,-, 11 4 Rovers 3 1 2 0 28 23 2 Fitzroy 3 0 3 0 12 31 0 J ant Much interest will centre in the meeting between the two unbeaten teams, Star v. Okato, on the Recreation Ground to-day. Both are in good form now, and a keen, exciting game should eventuate. The match between Fitzroy and Rovers should also be worth witnessing, and it would not surprise this scribe if the wearers of the light blue did not turn the tables on their opponents, who had rather an easy win in the first round. The natives are a much improved team' now, and fully extended Star last week. The Star v. Fitzroy clash of arms proved an interesting fixture. Star, in the first spell especially, had the better of the game, but the Fitzroy backs handled better than the Blacks, and the game at times seemed to be between Star's forwards and Fitzroy's backs. McAllum at wing-forward played a good game, and Hawkins and Dewar were the mainstay of their team. Star's halfback took the ball well, but did not get it out quickly enough, and his backs lost the chance of handling. Pike, a veteran player, who donned the jersey to fill up the Star team, showed signs of his old form. Charters' try was a good effort, and his play all along was of a good order, his dribbling being a treat to watch. McComish, at full-back, was fairly safe, but did not seem to always know what to do with the ball.

For Fitaroy, Skipper jun. played a good game at half, while John Skipper went down to rushes in good style. The Blue hacks hare improved in combination—which they lacked in their first game—and they gave Star plenty to do in stopping their rushes. E. Bellringer would do well to observe the rule about offside play. Hawkins, of the Star vanguard, too, was a somewhat frequent offender in this respeet. About as good a game as one sees nowadays in North Taranaki was witnessed at Waitara, on Thursday, bejtween Clifton and Stratford. Victory was unquestionably on the side of the better fifteen. Clifton forwards were better in scrum formation and in close play, but the opposing pack seemed to | be more at home in the loose. The Stratford backs were not up to the Thursday standard. They played with little combination, and their passing at times was wild and erratic. It was patent that without Cameron and Dive they were often sadly at sea. These strictures, however, apply more to their attack than to their defensive work, which was on the whole very effective. A distressing tendency on both sides was the continual kicking of the leather behind the goal line. Stmtfrod's pack would do well to indulge in some scrum practice, and devote less of their energies to bringing an opponent down hard in collaring him. The Clifton half was many times handled with quite unnecessary roughness. In common with this season's preceding games on Thursdays, a noticeable feature of the contest was the low scoring. Favored with a good ground and a perfectly dry ball, it was difficult to see why several tries were not annexed by both teams. Comirur down to the individual players, a Clifton player who covered Tiimself with honors was the nuggety and plucky half], Crowley. He is splendid on defence as well as on the attack, and specialises in getting down to rushes. Kupe probably made more openings than any other player on the field, but the palm for the" back with the best scoring tactics must go to Goodwin. The only pity is that he does not use his head more cm certain occasions. On Thursday, for inj stance, in endeavoring to charge right I through the opposing pack instead of I sroing round on the blind side, he made ( a mistake which probably cost Clifton ■ a try. George was a host in himself, j and was perhaps the most reliable of all I the backs. Eggleston put in brilliant ' work at time*- '»"* 5t ras marred by a series of errors of judgment, which cost

his team much. The full-back was not a "top-notcher," although lie put in some fairly good work occasionally. The forwards nearly all worked well, especially Cain. On the side of Stratford it would be unfair to criticise the backs, handicapped as they were without the services <of several of their leading lights. Mention must, however, be made of the excellent work of their full-back. Their forwards, who, if anything, were lighter than their opponents, are a fairly hefty ■crew. •There was nothing to complain of on the score of excitement at the match played at Okato T.<st week between Rovers and the local fifteen. Okato possessed the heavier and better pack of forwards, but for all'that Rovers were extremely game and persistent. They died hard, and finished well; indeed, in the last stages of the game Rovers parried all before them. They must be in fairly good condition or they would surely never have been able to finish with so much dash. Of the losers, Reid at half went through with flying colors, and for sheer hard play and fondness for gruelling work he had no equal that day. Reg. Thompson was the shining star among the forwards. Hore and Braebyn (a new player) also gave a very good account of themselves. In fact, they all played well for their inches, excepting, perhaps, Martin, Brown, and MulJoy. All the backs worked valiantly under, at times, disheartening circumstances, but special mention must be mde of full-back Newell. who is coming on at a great rate. The Okato contingent were on their best behaviour, E. Andrews, McKay, Drader and Malone being in especially good form. All things considered, the match was one of the brightest description. We have to thank the Okato Football Club for a. complimentary season ticket. NORTHERN UNION GAMB. (Notes by "Leaguer.") Taranaki will be without the services of R. Puk«re for the Wanganui match, he being injured through a horse rolling on him. "Puk's" luck seems dead out this year. Geo. Gillett, one of the New Zealand selectors, will watch the Taranaki v. Wanganui match, in view of the Australian tour, and it behoves the players to play up to their best form if they want to catch the selector's eye. The Taranaki League has at various times contributed fine players te the New Zealand +cams, viz., Hardgrave, K. Buekland. G. "Babe" Hooker, A. Lile and R. Pukere. A. Hardgrave, ex-Taranaki representative, is in great form this year, and is playing for the'Manukau Rovers, Auckland. Sporting writers declare him to be the fittest player in the northern city. "Shaver" is a moral for the Australian trip. I George Smith has been playing brilliantly for Oldham this season. Schofield. ex-Taranaki "soccer" representative and Clifton Rugby back, played for Hull Kingston Rovers in the British competitions. It is gratifying to note that the New Zealanders playing in the Northern Union teams in England are all in fine form. Sporting writers say that Charlie Seeling is the finest forward ever seen in England. "Leaguer" would like to draw all footballers' attention to an article in the Wellington Dominion of the 18th inst., written by that great football judge, "Off-Side" Mackenzie, who now writes under the nom de plume of "Aristobulus." ASSOCIATION GAME. (By "Queen's Park.") Last Saturday was a blank Saturday regarding Association football, the Swifts failing to turn up. Wanderers and Albion, however, meet ori Tukapa ground to-day in the Cup comiWH-'o<\ All the senior teams in Auckland own their own ground this season, and as there is no ground for the fifth grade to play on. the Rugby Union has kindly offered their- grounds for the use of the boys. At the last meting of the N.Z.P.A. it was mentioned that it would take £IOSO to bring a British team out, and then it could only play in one or two centres. Mr. Ward, Wellington, has presented a handsome cup and association badges to the Christchureh junior grades , | Graig, of the Australian Northern Union team, who signed on •forrtAston Villa at the end of the tour, is giving every satisfaction, scoring two goals in a recent match and giving a good display at outside left. He learned his association in Balmain, N.S.W. Tonney Whitson. Newcastle, is also a colonial—a South African— and is the best back in England at the present time. Bell, of Manchester United, is

another colonial, but holds a Scotch birth certificate. After his International display, many English clubs are offering a gold mine for Bobby Walker, but he will not leave Edinburgh, and the football followers are subscribing to give him a presentation for services rendered to his country. He is the holder of 41 Scottish International caps, and is put down as the greatest footballer living. Even Bob Crompton, the great English back, admits that he is the only man he dreads. Crompton, the possessor of 31 cap*, is without an English Cup badge., Celtic are the winners of the Scottish Cup for another season, the feature of the games being the play of the recruits from the junior ranks.