FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 287, 31 May 1912, Page 6

FOOTBALL

SENIOR GRADE. STRATFORD G v. TUKAPA.O. Yesterday the second senior match of the season was played at Stratford, a fact which is in itself a striking commentary on the "rot" in North" Taranaki football this year. There was little evidence in the match itself of this decline. It was a good game, well fought out, full of incident, providing some very exciting moments and fewer mistakes than in most of the senior matches to dajte. The better team won. With only teji minutes gone it looked a '•'moral" for Tukapa, and by .a substantial margin, too. Towards the end of the -first spell the Stratford forwards were asserting themselves, but on the whole the visitors had had slightly the best of it. The second spell put a totally different complexion on matters. Stratford took the upper hand right from the start, and kept it, with but few intermissions. The forwards did splendid work, and the backs were fair. But the success of the team came from the spoiling work of the forwards, who held to the idea that the best form of defence was attack, and left the other kind of defence for the visitors. Don Cameron played, in the absence of Anderson. He was of great service at times, too, and it is unfortunate for the Taranaki representatives that, owing to an injury to his shoulder, he is unlikely to bo available for the game against Wanganui. Mr. Spurdle was referee. He might well have whistled for "no side" much earlier, for I the game finished in the dark. Geo. ' Loveridgc, Stohr, L .Whitaker and Bullot were the most prominent Tukapa backs, and Ward, Steele and Jull in the forwards. For Stratford Don Cameron, j.Kivell. Dud Cameron and Crawshaw were the best backs, and the Fearons, Boon, IWMttington and Bonner were the most Iprominent forwards. .. m Stratford kicked off, and there followed a lengthy interchange of kicks, out ! .of which no rale,', got',any advantage.. Tukapa.made trie', fust attack,' "Whitaker •and Stohr sweeping 'down' to the corner, but Siohr held cm , selfishly' when McGiven had a clear run .in. Crawshaw relieved, and Bullot returned. Loveridgc and C. Brown .got §tratford on. the defence agam,w,ith,.a. kick and follow up i njovement ) ..hiit a» attempt to.work, the blind Bide Of..a scrum. iij the corner •jfailecL-;L. Whitaker cr.qssed, but Brown's ptss..:to .hirn, -was. Jprivard,.. 'fhe'n Mc-| CJiven Jailed, to. taker A.pass, and t>l?? rj)h.ll went..out seemed inevitable, but Dick ..Fearon.got posses- * on and ,broke„oiit r Xia.w6h,aw. improving' -f>iatter-s>-.b~y. .'kicking,, to., centre, whence il. Whitaker ,ljnejd opposite the ;• stand". ifflhen- the-Reid made, themselves I 'and play-settled-^on-Tuftapa's 1 side'nt>f half-way.- Lj -Whitaker amd; Stohr gotifoin a'; passing rwift—aifcar and —F ? - Ijoverldgt km?, sjfcmfnjsk irhfti HmW utr tjicky-but- tJie-tackling dfr-Stetfaart-'and Co. was- cebta-invfßdrmdii'Trut im a flash-. ing lone-haTfdi'rils'lr, ran* a-fc''trie end'of' 15 minutes' play-'theoßlnei •line'' 1 was-'in dhnger''for'-the first rtfmo. oat bVl&rrt'ehbr'frorri a'serum, in'which li|eeljng-out r warat''a^ r dssconfi : (i ; arid Don darneroh earrfe wi'ftiif'a'foot of scoring, bbing tlirWn' oWat' hW corner'" flag.' tickled bf'G. '(Tlngerous II |fl(ig-sticks, which Tia'd'p'een"commented on' - earlier, nearly' "ac'c'ounteTt fdf' Loveridg'e I a< he fell. "A little "kt'er, although ••.Cameron was. playing out qf his place^' e ndently awaitjng a" ejla'nee',''" his .pace . vias just'sufficient', the.'ball'when. S :ohr" had almost' a certain try. The jgillop between the two ex-New Zealand 7 J v ipresentativeslvasTkcilftigT'fßrown and ■G. Loveridgc made a nice opening from I 1 a scrum, and McGiven sent it on to the corner. The Red forwards were now more successful in keeping the game idpse. A couple of pieces of wild passhg placed the Tukai>a' ; line in grave ./dinger, but Bullot saved on each occasion. The Stratford forwards commenced .to heave things about, .and the fun was & st, men being laid low in all directions by fine tackling on both sides, with Sratford on the attack;-1 Don Cameron 1 h id an unsuccessful shot at goal from a * pimalty kick (for passing) the ball from .the ground), and Tukapk'-forded.;.. Brown /was penalised" for pickfog' out': of these rum, and Don OainerdniJaindca a' fine |oal from about 35 yardk'rjigllratfo'fd 3. tVikapa 0. A couple—of-minutes later * ;ohr made a fine s'ftbWlro¥Aha'rr''wav. ibut the ball fell shortr F. Loveridge ■» id Ward" invadeiPflti? Red corner on. ABeir bww, -mit F^ftTo^and-'-OTi^tih*- 1 'tin relieved, hiakin^' i a" J fine ;; ' ikek otft if tb«efißirfUl^\cßrWef: f9 TheW ; Tukapa's further •"'advafnee' : wai a ciecirtF 'hy an offside. crowd" 1 Questioned', and at half-way. -Kivptl-tnrpToTeSnhn positi|on a little with a fine line kick, bulf Ljoveridge equalised. -fThfin Dud Cameron and Woods set up a "passing rish. There was snm<;t.h.'T)g hnpliivira af>out it, but "the Tukapa men were taken by surprise,, /ato'd UPM Mdlfyi'in gptting out of it with-a--sentm well down near the line, /Camerrmi! iMaH'laTiotner shot, but missediojtertH'before half-time. I Resuming, Stratfcrfd nfoderflhteptfe. buf ,aj_glaring offside lufi TniAifta«iijt' J BA in t:hft , ' i ,2a flag.' Anothbf:c:?R«a s Whitaker wllen'.T)Mflie9ia«d .a shot," hut tbe'dir&ittbW "»Us^aWtf. :L----;Stratford forced twice]'^he'-'SecfrMd-'time" 1 •from a neat'manoeuvre 'lWfiJ®fonr^:''''A' ; ' tfush by-B"." •Fffiiroiribtf'jgJ 1 , .Tukapa thinking, and short, r into toucFkept thTi'.'Eerß WM.lipSiii .the corner. Line play was even. Here Ward ' was scan to'! ad.vatatuftoVliv those who 1 .were noting-the | and R. Fearon wardoinjfigrldat things ' for Stfatford. Wood-was rrpfavifrgrhaif.-' paving exchanged with'■ ,Red forwards-.were ; iriot ; c''.-tlmn fiKThliifg " the Blues now. and'.'ff a«'v.:ofi'tho north- ' erners got the - hall- "-through Don .Cfimeron find his dodges and clever line kicks were of j ,'great,.service. ' .Thh-riolihW backs were tackling well/ YoTmgrWMfct'irtgton.carid ! Dick Fearon made 'onf bMhfidfmest 'for-' 1 ward rushes o! the day; ian&! after l.in.other good piece : bf \wffr.'*yilsf((.n»rg"'and-' Bonner, Don CameTrfriVr&.riiniipVtff '''iHa'i 'south end, where a- bitKeJl wf.l R«l':'''f'rtr- c wards, who were'. aJ^ r (M>HnlSl£tvtf,g'inAl'i? able from the stand, but in whom R. Fparon could be' n!c'((g'h'?R?(s!': , hi l ßitf'l(lown all opposition, and Stowart following handily scored under "(-ft. posts. Cam" eron's kick at goa'T : was iittsift'ehssful. 1 - 1 ' Stratford 6,. Tukapa 0. the" >Trtka}la' de'- : fence was by this time "oif'the "ragged' side, and the. trend of.ffie,''|plh l .\ ( ' I 'showe l d once more that a goodtea'in 'ofirirwards could prevent good ' baclcs', getting into ' motion behind a 'beaten.',fiack. ; The game ended with the" scoVe uiYcliahged. JUNIOR GRADBj :i '; ' STRATFORD .13 y!,'STAR'S,; ; _ Playing at New Plymouth' '' juniors defeated Star by "13' points' to 8. At the end of the first half tUe'visitors were leading.by. only s,'points' to 3. Star's luck deserted thern'on resumption,, but Stratford's victory was by no means' a "runaway" one as the scores would suggest. Star's only try was scored bv Pagc. ELTHAM 3 v. INGLEWOOD 0. Owing to the train being late in reaching Kltham, the Inglewood v. Eltham fixtuire did not commence till four o'clock. A tiard and even tussle resulted, Elth-im inning by a potted goal kicked by

Glentworth. There was practically nothing to pick and choose between the two | fifteens. Play was mostly confined to . the forwards. Mr. H. Petty ably con- I trolled the game. ' " i CLIFTON 21 v. TUKAPA 0. At Waitara, Clifton juniors ran over Tukapa to the tune of 21 points lo nil. THIRD GRADE. STRATFORD 14 v. HIGH SCHOOL 0. New Plymouth High School journeyed to Stratford and were defeated by' H points to C. Some of the High School team were away' in Wellington with the j Boy Scouts, and they were consequently compelled to play juniors. The score in the first spell was:' High School 6, Stratford 3. In the second half, however, Stratford had the better of the game, and scored three more tries. Mr. Thornton refereed. ASSOCIATION GAME. NORTH TARANAKI v. SOUTH TARANAKI. A DRAWN GAME. An Association football match was played on the New Plymouth Recreation Ground yesterday afternoon between teams representing the Northern and Southern Divisions. At the end of the first half South Taranaki were leading by one goal to nil, the '-'suit of a fineJ piece of play by Spice, f 1 a pass from the right wing by H;::-- -Iton. North equalised in the second .spell with a goal seored by J. Wylie from a pass by Gwillim on the left wing. The game was! very evenly contested throughout. Bullock, Stapleton and Mitchell were the best of the southern contingent, while for north Elliott, Hedley. and J. Wylie shone up to the best advan-tagci Mr. G. Roper gave every satisfaction a-s referee.