FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 323, 12 July 1912, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

SENIOR GRADE. A PLAY-OFF NECESSARY. CLIFTON (3) v. TUKAPA (0). At Waitara yesterday, in fine weather, but with a greasy ground, the concluding match of the third round of t cup fixtures was played between TuI kapa and Clifton. The match proved very exciting, and was full of incident. The result was a win for Ciifton by 3 'points to nil, and this not only just about represents the difference between the teams on the day, but also renders necessary a play-off between Clifton and Stratford to decide who is to have the honor of claiming premier position in the Northern Thursday Division this I season. In the first spell Clifton had the better of the game, and looked like amassing a big total, but the defence of the Blues, aided by the good generalship of a player named Simonides, who made his appearance for the first time this season, but ha.s evidently had a big career in the football arena, only allowed them to score three points. The, second spell was intensely interesting. The Clifton forwards swept down the field in ' grand stvle, but were driven back by the fine line kicks and passing rushes of the Blue rearguard, who also attacked, in their turn and had hard luck in not scoring, only to be repulsed hv the opposing backs, who set up counter attacks and compelled the visiting team to force on several occasions.

Ti'kapa won the toss .and defended the southern end. having the sun at their . backs. Cain kicked off, finding tlve line near his own 25. From n scrum soon after Ward and Jnll broke awav.'but Bertrand, with a nicejy. judged kick, i drove them hack. The next incident was la mark by Brown, who sought safety !in the line. The Yellow hacks started (throwing the leather around, Crowley, Kr-gleston and Kupe taking a hand, but I offside play save the Blues relief. Du j Blois next put in some strenuous .work. ! gaining much ground. . Webster here found the line with a nice kick, hut ofT- ) side play ensued and Clifton took a 1 scrum under the goal. Here' 'Cf.owlev I and Lash broke through, the former scoring. Almost immediately the Yellows nearly repeated tile performance.. Kupe passing to Bertrand. who. liea't several men and passed 'to. Eggles'trin. The latter forced his way across,"but was held up by Whitaker and Bullot. and the ball was forced in the ultimate scramble. Stil] the Yellows pressed, determined forward rushes and occasional dashes by Bertrand, who was playing brilliantly, keeping Tukapa penned, until again relieved by a force." The' kick-off saw Clifton back again, W. Whitaker relieving with a good line kick. The Blues now took a hand, and a passing rush between Brown and Whitaker Bros, saw them invade Clifton's half for the.first time. Here a forward pass by Blown gave Kupe a free kick. Jnll, ;Perry and Co. headed a dashing forwar d , rush that looked promising, but deliberate obstruc-.j tion on the part of an attacker nullified I it. giving the Yellows a free Brown I marked, the ball and passed to W; Whit- j aker, who handed to L. Whitaker. and « thence to Webster, who cut in nicely, only to be well taken by Goodwin, and the Clifton forwards returned to the fray. . They .were outmanoeuvred by Simonides. whose play throughout was reminiscent of the. veteran Mynott. and who secured' and passed to W. Whitaker. The latter after a short dash kicked down field. Bertrand secured, and with a da-shy'run and useful kick more than equalised matters. Off-side play brought a promising Yellow forward rush to a sudden termination, butthe free kick did not find the line, and Bertrand drove it back to., the corner. Failure by Bertrand to take a difficult pass spoilt a likely chance, and a little later the same ; pla>*er had hard,luck in , slipping on th*e greasy turf when a score seemed imminent. Tukapa now appeared to rouse themselves, and failure bv Goodwin to stop a rush saw Tukapa invade Clifton's 23. Here Whitaker 'passed to Webster, who put in a j useful run and kicked. ■ but Goodwin. I with a fine return, drove them back ' over half-way. Here Cain and Co. took ! command, but off-side play reversed the I position. Play hovered about lvalf-wav I until L. Whitaker an ' Simonides carried it to Clifton's 25. where Kupe was very prominent, not being checked till near Tukana's 25. where the leather went out. The ball next came across to Goodwin, who kicked hard and followed up. Bullot was there., however, and kicked down the field. And now ensued the most exciting play of the day. Bertrand, cutting over from the other wing, gathered up the ball and beat several men, but, j being taken by Bullot, passed to Goodwin, who was only checked in the nick 'of time I) 3* Whitaker on the line. Clifton still continued to press, but the defence was sound. Simonides, Whitaker, and Webster removed play for a brief space to neutral territory, only to see Cain. Du Blois and Hicks carry the ball back, and half-time sounded with Clifton attacking. The second spell saw Tukapa attack strongly from the jump, but off-side play drove them hack. Brown got his backs moving, and Simonides. Whitaker Bros, and Webster handling the ball saw the latter sail for the line. Eggleston, however, took him nicely, and Goodwin recuring kicked well down the field and followed up with no one Ivtween him and the goal but Bullot. The Tukapa full-back dodged him nicelv r.nd lined well down the field. Clifton forwards pressed, and in quick succession Tiikamwere forced twice. Gates next dribbled down nicelv, and smothering Fuller found the line at half-way. From th° line-out Simonides secured and lined well in Clifton's 25. Here be again secured, passed to W. Whitaker. thence to L. Whitaker, and the latter to Webster. Instead of running round and trying to score on his own, with good prospects of success, Webster cut in and passed back to W. Whitaker, who was held ut> on the line. Tukapa. strongly assaulted the Yellow citadel for a few moments, but the defenders ultimately prevailed, and Crowley, Cain, Loveridge. Therms, and Hicks headed a nice rush, which

Rimonides punch- checked. The Yellow had now rallied and passing nicies lv>twocn Cvowlcv. Fwdcsfon.. Bertrand nnd Ooodwin. aided hy a fine line kick hv Fuller, kept Tnkapa on tlie defensive, the Blues lH'inf n train forced twice it '•iicccssion. Kt'ill (lie Yellows lmd all (lie l>etler of it. and Die eli;=ive Onodwin nut in n dash that ended onlv within inclies of the line, f»nl the resnilaif. scra"ihlo e,nv another force. On resuming Tnkapa nnt in a srwrt. T,. Wliitaker

"•enved and van wi'M down th" field. 111"11f• <> p.'issiiw to Moi"lic«<l. w'i'i was well fuV'.)) hv F'rdeston. the lvi'l sroimr out. Tnkapa ha'dcs were nhi'dii"' "ii (!lien "-uv". and Kupe "rfi'in'r •rave (he Blur* a free kick, which Fuller marked. Failure hv TCnpe to take n hicrh hall s"v Clifton in tvonhle. huf Tlioiine cleaved with a ;olid rush, which Bullot eamcly stopped. Wchstcr. on one occasion, and L. Whitaker on hiioliicr occasion, nnt in hvilliant vn*h< ! ". which the erc-v ii'itnve of the ground con-idevahlv affected, and CTjfton were aide to (dear hv finding the line. From the throw in th" Tillies strained everv nerve to s,-cr". end h"d tl'<ir opponents penned op the lip", hut Brown, in his eatrevncis to oh/ain possession, picked out. of (he scvnni. nnd Tiihapi's clri""" was frone. as from the fvee kick tl |r> Yellow forwards ehaveed down the field and (had Tiika-Ti on the defensive. Croiviev pearlv scor"d on the h'ind side, wliils': Bei-trapd also nnt in a wort dash, nnd a l'ftle later Crowley securer] a mark in

a handy position, wliich was not allowed, jjiuwnides' kick was weii taken by Fuller, who ran up and passed to Goodwin, thence to Bertraud, tlic latter being taken by Webster right on the line. Scrambling play ensued, but, though Tukapa's defence was severely tested, it stood the strain, and anotner force was recorded. On kicking on", Eggleston took the ball and passed to Goodwin, who failed to take it, but recovered nicely. Webster secured and dribbled well down the field to Fuller, who found the line and the whistle blew for time. Mr. F. Spurdle refereed capably. JUNIOR GRADE.

CLIFTON 6 v. TUKAPA 3. An exciting game between the above teams was played at New Plymouth yesterday afternoon, resulting in a win for Clifton by G points to 3. Tukapa were handicapped by losing three players —Stohr, .Roebuck and Hodge—through (injuries received during the game. Much rough play was indulged in. Mr. W. Roch, who was referee, had occasion to warn several players. STRATFORD (8) v. STAR (3). Star and Stratford juniors met at Stratford. The latter could' only muster thirteen men, co Star reduced their team to that number and were beaten after a good game by S points to 3. For the winners Bowler and Sheahan scored trie*, one of which was converted, and for ( lie losers McGahey kicked a penalty goal. He also had several other shots, one of which, from half-way, struck the bar and bounded into the field. C, Gleeson also gof. r-ver the line but lost the ball. y>\ J. H. Thompson was referee. Inglewood forfeited to Eltham. THIRD GRADE. Inglewood forfeited to Clifton. Tukapa and Star juniors will play-off for the Dan O'Brien Shield next Thursday.

The following will represent Oka to in their match against Rovers, at Okato, on Saturday afternoon:—Malone, McKay, Rua,, Wero, Anderson. Turner, Eustace.. Andrews (2). Barney. Whetu, Carey, O'.Sulliyan, Julian and Hawkins. The following will represent Rovers ngainst Okato on • Saturday:—Newell, Grant (3). Webster. Thompson (2), Reid, Martin. Ellis, Kilgour. Qiiiljiam. Browne Jennings and Drake. Drag leaves Post Office at 12.45 sharp.