FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 308, 25 June 1912, Page 8

FOOTBALL

THE RUGBY GAME. sill Til TARAXAKI RESULTS. Seniors. —All these matches were decided by narrow margins. At lvaponga, Waimate defeated the local team by 3 points to nil. Okaiawa defeated Patea at Patea by 8 points to 6, and at Hawera the local team vanquished Opunake by 7 points to 3. Juniors.—Hawera 27, v. Opunike nil; Okaiawa 10, v. Alton nil. WANGANUI MATCHES. (Own Correspondent.) Wet grounds and a high wind Spoiled football on Saturday. Pirates 'held Wanganui safe from the kick-off, and ran up 23 points to 3. Tilyard l (Wanganui) hurt his ankls in the first spell and retired. Kaierau journeyed to Waverley and beat the localß by 4 points to 3. A lucky potted goal early in the spasm put Waverley up against it, and although they fouglit a game and strenuous up-hill battle, it was not until tie end that they scored. The attempt at goal was a good one, but just mi&sed the uprights, leaving Kaierau winners. Under League rules St. Johns and City drew with 8 points each. Aided by a strong wind in the first spell City ran up 8 points. Changed round, the champions quickly asserted themselves, and. exciting play followed. The game raged from end to end and force-downs were frequent. St. Johns scored twice and goaled once, making fV' scores level. On a dry ground these L ins should put up a great tussle.

It is probable that the Tukapa-Star match for the Dan O'Brien Shield will be played on Thursday. THE NORTHERN LEAGUE. , NEW ZEALANDERS VICTORIOUS. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 24, 8.35 p.m. •Sydney, June 24. The second match of the New Zealander's tour was played to-day on a sloppy ground, and resulted in a win for the New Zealanders l>y 12 points to 7. There was an attendance of 14,000. Curran, Kinneallv, Moir, M. Hayward and King replaced Gilmour, Weston, Carlavr, Dervan and Irvine in the New Zealand team, whilst in the New South W ales team Russell and Farnsworth replaced Broomham and Campbell. The New Zealand backs handled the greasy ball better in the first half, and during the second played a spoiling game, the forwards kicking mostly. New Zealand kicked-off, and immediately attacked. For a while they obtained the ball from the scrum regularly, and following a short kick Kelly picked up at the twenty-five, dodged through, and scored between the posts. Francis converted. New South Wales were frequently penalised. Then, from a free kick to New South Wales for offside play, Messenger kicked a goal. Play was wonderfully fast, considering the mud, and the tackling of the New Zealand forwards wa9 sure. Near the end of the first spell Kelly nearly scored again from a pass by Rukatai, who took the ball well from a kick. White replaced Hallett, who had injured his leg. The spell ended: New Zealand a, New South Wales 2.

From a free-kick ior off-side play near the twenty-five line Francis landed a fine goal. New Zealand continued to press, and after a long scramble on the line Moir scored near the posts, Francis again converting. New South Wales were dangerous on a few occasions only, but the defence of New Zealand was sound, the forwards following up fast and downing the backs. Near the end of the game Frawley, following up fast, kicked the ball out of the full-backs' hands, obtained possession and scored near the posts. Messenger converting. New Zealand 12, New South Wales 7. Russell, Gilbert and Cann were beat among the local team, and Curran, Kelly, Rukutai and Francis among the visitors. Curran'a defence was excellent.

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL. N.S.W. DEFEAT QUEENSLAND. Received 24, 8.35 p.m. Sydney, June 24. New South Wales defeated Queensland by 3 goals to nil. WANGANTJI y. TAEANAKI. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wanganui, Last Night. At Association football to-day Wanganui defeated Taranaki by four goals to three, after a well contested game.