FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 306, 22 June 1912, Page 7

FOOTBALL

THURSDAY COMPETITION. SENIOR RESULTS. it i in nit Clifton .... 4 3 1 0 18 6 6 Stratford .. 4 2 1 1 12 6 5 Tukapa ... 4 0 3 1 6 24 1 TO-DAY'S FIXTURES. Star v. Rovers, Recreation Grounds. THURSDAY, JUNE 27. Seniors.—Stratford v. Clifton, at Stratford; Tukapa, a bye. First Juniors.—Tukapa v. Eltham, at New Plymouth, 2 p.m.; Star v. Clifton, at Waitara; Inglewood v. Stratford, at Inglewood, 3 p.m. Second Juniors. —Stratford v. Inglewood, at Stratford, 1 p.m.; Clifton v. Eltham, at Eltham; High School, a bye. SATURDAY, JUNE 29. Star v. Okato, at Oka to; Rovers v. j Fitzroy (Fitzroy match). ~~. . ' An interesting match is anticipated on j the Recreation Ground this afternoon j between Star and Rovers. The following are the teams: —Star: Okey, Dewar, Richards, Charters, Hawkins, Pilcher, Penwarden, McAllum, Packard, Gleeson, Stannering, Goudie, Greatbatch, Pike, and Clark. Rovers: Newell, Grant (3), i Webster, Thompson (2), Reid, Ellis, j Mulloy, Kilgour, Brown, Quilliam, Jennings, Mclsaac.

Thursday saw the final of the second round in the senior competition, and the result was to put Tukapa quite out of the contest, which now lies between Stratford and Clifton, and much interest therefore will attach to their meeting next Thursday. Tukapa were handicapped by the injury to Loveridge, who was playing a brilliant game, and it was after his departure that the scores were put up. The second spell was cram full of incident, and saw five tries notched, nearly as many as have been put up in all the previous matches. The visiting forwards played with great dash and towards the conclusion were sweeping down the field in fine style. The tackling on both sides left much to be desired. There were far too many attempts at embracing around the neck. It must have been galling to Simon Mynott, the veteran Tukapa skipper, who was watching the match, to see so many chances thrown away in the first spell by the blue and whites. In the second spell they did not come, Clifton having much the better of the game. Hill, the ex-Star and Taraanki representative full-back, who has so far forsaken football this season for golf, is down to play for Hawera against Opunake to-day. Six Taranaki players have been nominated for the North Island team, viz., Stohr, Roberts, Brown, Cain, Young, and Dewar. The ultimate selection should be .known shortly. The gate for the Taranaki-Wellington match at Hawera was £l4O, which is said to be a record one shilling gate. It was an exceptionally good gate, but when it is understood "that £SO out of the £l4O was taken at the stand, a roofless structure, from people who had already paid their shilling at the gate, it seems haTdly correct to designate it a one shilling gate. Two shillings and one shilling would be nearer the mark. Coming hard on the heels of the Taranaki-Wellington clash of arms, the match played between Wanganui and Taranaki last Saturday was distinet.lv d.ifcappoi,nhihg. It had very j! it tie which smacked of spectacular play, and \rtis conspicuous for the absence of back play. When the rear-guard did handle the leather, it was almost invariably to very poor effect. It seemed hard to imagine that the Taranaki contingent were the same fifteen who stood up so valiantly to Wellington's attacks the previous week. From the start, it was apparent that the home backs were not a very happy family, anidl the swapping of positions that w.ent on did not tend to greatly improve matters. The blue backs were likewise not a very inspiring lot, considered in the aggregate. The game wafe largely confined to the forwards, but even then it was not as good as it might have been, had the players scrummed better, played more concertedly, and not over-run the ball so much. Apart from fine magnificent sortie by Ongley and Anderson, on the side of Wanganui, the one bright feature of the exhibition was the linekicking, both fifteens showing up in this connection. The turf was in good condition, but the wind was a second cousin to a Cook Straight northerly buster, and this fact must have interfered to a certain extent with the work of the backs. There was no excuse, however, for McLeod throwing away several excellent chances through hanging on to the ball too long. On the day's play there was little doubt that he was failure No. 1 in the Taranaki backs. His rival for this negative honor was Kupi. One looked in vain for a sample of the admirable openings for which he has often been responsible in inter-club matches. Combined with this deficiency, he several times demonstrated that he could not be relied upon, in tij.nes of stress, to take a ball. Somebody else should be given a trial in his place. But then, doubtless, Stohr will be available for the next match. Loveridge was a bright star in the backs. He was good both on the attack and defence, and his linekicking was at timeß highly creditable. Roberts also played a first-class game, as far as games went that day. His dodgy runs were very effective and pretty to watch, and his place'kieking was admirable. S. Cameron made few mistakes, but was not brilliant. Brown was as usual a real bullock for work, with an insatiable penchant for getting down to rushes. He has one rather had tendency, however, and that is a failure to get the ball away from the sertilm quick enough. Prince gave a very fair exhibition at full-back. Amongst the forwards, Dewar was a host in himself in. the matter of rushes. McAllum put in some dashing work and quite justified his place in the team. Young and Hawkins (who would be more successful if he used his headpiece more) were also to the fore. Kissick perhaps excepted, the forwards all played well, individually, but they were often found wanting in concerted'movements. A.s regards the Wanganui contingent Tilyard. the erstwhile Poneko player, was easily I 1'" pick of the hacks. Atkins worked valiantly at half, particularly in the latter half, and quite played up to representative form Ongley showed that he could still play a good game of Rugby, and Anderson also shone up to advantage. Amongst the forwards it would be hard to individualise, but certain it was Hint Takarangi bad no equal.