FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 54, 22 July 1912, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

| REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES. [June 3—v. Wanganui, won bv 10 points to 3. June 12 —v. Wellington, lost bv 12 points ) to 10. June 15—v. Wanganui, won by ti points to nil. MATCHES ARRANGED. ' July 25—v. South Island, at Stratford. August B—v. Manawatu and llorowhenua, at New Plymouth. August 17 —v. Auckland, at Auckland. August 22—v. Southland, at New Plymouth. August 29—v. Wellington, at New Plymouth. September I—v. Otago, at Ilawera. September 12—v. Canterbury, at Stratford. THE SATURDAY DIVISION.

OKATO WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP. , OKATO (5) v. STAR (0). Star, as usual, could not muster a full team for the match against Okato on Saturday. They were, however, able to get fourteen men (as many as they have had this season) to make the trip, including Pike, a veteran, who more than justified his inclusion. After a very close game, in which there was not .much brilliant play, but a good many infringements of tlie rules, Star suffered their first defeat on the playing arena this season, and Okato win the Saturday championship, and will plav oil' with Clifton. On the day Okato had the better of the. play and deserved their win. - Okato kicked oil', Turner marking the return. Off-side play nullified the effect, but from the .serum Okato broke away. Pike, however, found the line with a nice kick, and Dewar and Hawkins headed a forward rush, which Corbelt gamely checked. Loose play cnsued_, relieved by free kicks to both sides for oli'-side play. A nice line kick by Malone let Okato into Star territory, and a clever bit of play by Turner saw the country team almost score, but Pike again nicely saved, and a little later the same player was compelled to force. From a free kick Malone had a shot which fell short, Hawkins marking and kicking well down the field. McKay headed a forward rush, which Hawkins and Dewar checked and turned into a counter attack, throwing the ball about : nicely. Star set up a strong attack, and Okato were lucky to force. From the kick-off Star again pressed;, hut Rua, with a nice rush, cleared. He was called back as the ball was out, and Okato cleared, only to he forced a few minutes after. A heady rush by Melvay. backed [ up by Rua, carried play well down the field, but Pike was all there, and with a | long kick drove them back. Offside play by Hawkins suddenly ended a Star rush, but Dewar, with a fine kick, retrieved the ground. A breach by Star saw Okato i.: a handy position, and for a brief space they pressed, until Clark marked a high kick and fovuul the line well down the field. Infringements by Star let Okato into their opponents' 20, but the forwards cleared, and play hovered about the centre. From a free kick Pileher marked in the face ot a strong rush from the opposing vanguard, and a powerful kick gave relief. The Star forward* came again, but offside play again nullified it, and for a while play was even. Then from a free kick Malone made a nice attempt to goal,, Pike forcing, as lie was also compelled to do a moment later. From the kickoff McAllum set up a rush, beating several players before being collared. The ball went out and half-time was called without anv score.

On resuming Kua was prominent for ] the country .team, until Packard found j the line. A nice piece of line play be- i tween Dewar and Okey gained much | ground, but Sullivan, with a powerful ' forward rush, carried play to Pike, who was all there. Okey was next prominent, and play hovered in neutral territory. Picking up from the serum penalised Star, and McKay's kick, well followed up, saw Okato attacking .strongly. Serum after scrum ensued in a handy position to the Star goal, and from one Turner secured and with a nice run beat all but Pike, who collared him 011 (lie line, A free kick to Star gave welcome relief. Play was now pretty willing. Turner set his backs moving. Anderson and liua taking a hand, the latter finding the line at the twenty-live. From a free kick Anderson had a shot, the hall falling .short. Pike secured, and running well found the line at the twentj'-five. Hawkins (Okato) started a nice lush which nearly let him in, and Rua and Malone gave the Blacks trouble, hut the defence was sure. The next excitement was a score to Okato. From a free kick Malone struck the post and the hall rebounded. Okato followed tip well, and Gleeson fumbling allowed McKay to seem e and dash over the lint 1 , Malone made no mistake with the kick at goal, and Okato were leading bv five points to nil. With twenty minutes to go matters got interesting. Dewar, Hawkins and others doing their best to score. A nice opening by McAllum looked dangerous, but the Yellows cleared. A weak kick by K. Andrews let Okato almost down, but .McKay cleared a liitle later. Oleeson marked in a handy position, but Star elected to kick high. Okato secured and found the line well down the field, Xgaia being the principal agent. Dewar. McAllum and Packard were participators in a passing rush, which good collaring neutralised. Stars were now feeding McAllum, who was playing brilliantly. but who did not attempt to feed his wings. It was of no avail, and Julian securing set up a counter attack, sailing for the line, but was upended by Pike, who, a little later, was compelled to force. Only eight minutes remained, when .McAllum seiured the ball and evading several men was going strong for a score, until well taken b\- Corbett, the ball going out near Okato's line. From the throw-in (orbctt cleared, and following up smothered Pike, the ball 00in<r out in mid-lield. Charters. Dewar, Okey and Hawkins were next troublesome, but Carey came to the rescue, and kicked to the line. In the remaining few minutes honors were easy, and time was called leaving Okato victors bv five points to nil. Mr. CoUmn.il was referee.

t I i ft on (! ( r" r ;i!: ■ < 1 S| r;i (ford in lite playi.fl ii'iilcli al I n? >o(L n;i Thursday. aff« iliHtf-ilmi!;- {Tiimi-, in wliicl., oil ilir ' i:, . v ' s ' <l'" l>-' tor innu won. but by the men s! fraction. In fact. a feature of (ho I Imrsday senior competition this-year lias liri-n flic remarkablyscoring in (],„ ma jorit i- ill;, ~u ufs t WfU-Il till, (hree ( ea 111-;. ° i he mented on (lie i NYi'iloncp of til,, urram'cn"']'tfor 1 lio ii'aVili on Tlmrsdav. The ;;roiln:1 hail been nicclv marked, am! a li;:llt wire f.uce had also l» ; >cn erected to keep ill,, spectators hack. This, howI'vcr. could not Maud the strain that the excited spectators put upon it:, and collapsed. Then, of course, the barraekers thronged the side lines, making it difficult for the scribes, who. liv the live, have to (hank (he ]n;;!e\vood' Club for their con-,ideratiou in providing table I and chairs. The match was exciting, and (hou^

('iif!':i )u:! tin' lii'M of the F"i-on.l -•]><•!! it was Strut ford's game till just on call of lime, when Eggl (•stun scored the winning try after a dribbling run. gathering the hail, which bounced as if it knew what was required of it, and cutting over the line. Clifton kept the game to their forwards as much as possible, which was a wise policy, for when Crowley did shoot it out to his backs, a bad pass by Knpe would enable a nippy back to cut in and turn defence into attack. Stratford's first try was a lucky one, but still it proved the advantage of fast following up. Had the kick not been followed up fust there would not have been a player present for the ball to rebound from. Almost immediately after there was another sample, but the leather reached the dead line.

Goodwin's potted goal was a beauty. It is so seldom nowadays that a player attempts to score in this way. Bad play by Goodwin gave Stratford their second try. lie had plenty of time to get in his kick, luit ran back instead, and when he did kick the ball went at right angles, striking the line near his own goal-line, and from the line-out Stratford scored. This nearly robbed Clifton of the match, after they had their opponents penned neatly all the second spell. Smith, Osborne, Whittington and Eearon were the pick of the Stratford forwards. Surgenor, on the wing, played a good game. Stewart did a lot of intercepting and was always on the ball. Dud. Cameron shone at times. Kivell, at second five-eighth, was not a success. Sheehan, a junior, justified his inclusion as full back.

For the winners. Cain played a great game, and so did Thomas and Du Blois. Some of the others were not so prominent. J. Crowley, on the wing, shone out very prominently. lie was not offside nearly as much as usual. Lash, on wie other wing, was all there. C. Crowley, at half, played a soiid gitne. He used 'the blind side frequent' ,' with success. Kupe was off color, and the same remark applies to Goodwin, who, however, was playing against medical advice. Bertrand ,playcd a useful game, but was not so brilliant as on the previous Thurs'dav. Egglcston was solid. His try was, a fine effort. Fuller, at full-back, was sound. lie saved an almost certain 'try on one occasion by a brilliant tackle. The gate takings at the match were £2l !)s 4d, which was distinctly good for the day. It is remarkable how the interest that dubs take in the various competitions declines as soon as the winning team or the probable winner is disclosed, showing, it is to be regretted, 'that in many cases the teams are out after the honor and glory of winning, and not for the sake of playing the game.

Til South Taranaki three senior fix-] tun s were set down for decision last j Saturday and all throe went by forfeit. TTawera forfeited to Waimate, to Opunake, and Pa tea to Kaponga. Such are the vagaries of football! Oka'iawa, last year champions of Taranaki. this year unable to fulfil all their engagements ! Junior and second junior forfeits are so numerous as not to excite comment, but it would only be courtesy if the defaulting team, particularly when it is a homo team, would give the visitors notice in time to prevent them making a fruitless trip, as was the ease of the Tnglewood-High School fixture last Thursday, when the New Plymouth boys journeyed to Inglewood, only to be informed that Inglewood had forfeited. A surprising forfeit, and one that calls for adverse comment, occurred in the CliftonEltham junior fixture. The former have gone through the season without a de-

feat, and are several points ahead of any other team. Yet in the final match they calmly forfeited to Eltham. This should certainly carry some penalty, and if might be advisable to introduce a rule disqualifying a team that acts in this way. This case is particularly glaring, inasmuch as Clifton were set down to journey to Eltham fust this season, but ar. Eltham had, on two previous occasions. for feited to Clifton in the filial match, a fact which the Clifton Club was very insistent about, when they pointed out to the Union the unfairness of asking Clifton to again travel to Eltham. The Tnion recognised this and made the change, liltham journeying up to Waitara anil being defeated. Xow, how have Clifton reciprocated? Taranaki has a big rep. programme on this year, .itarling with the South Island touring team at Stratford next

Thursday. In addition to the fixtures at present published, Manawatu are sending up a team 011 August S, Wairarapa will probably pay a visit on August 1, South Auckland have asked for a date, but it is doubtful if one will be available. ■SOMETHING MORE. The following is culled from the Dunedin Star sporting special: A brilliant sun. a cloudless sky, A level grassy field, and dry; With but one constant thought: two teams Indulging in victorious dreams. One longing in each heart: to score. What could one wish for more? Two splendid teams, trained to the tick, Kaoh man resolved to do the trick. But as it is in life, you see, The best-laid schemes gang aft agley; And, as we have remarked before, What could one wish for more? Football is fine when play is fast, And when the ball is neatly passed. Hut it is great when teams we back Keep up a strong and hot attack. 'Tis then, for sure, spectators roar. 'What could one wish for more? What could one wish for more, indeed. Than see fleet forwards test their speed. Or brawny backs, New Zealand-bred. Rush in where cowards dare not tread? Yes, there is just a something more; Guess what it is—a score!