FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 22, 26 June 1913, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

I war, Ward, Tiimi!, Whitthigton, and ] Hawkins hammering at the. line until s Tilvard secured anil removed play to tins " v twenty-live. Roberts and Co. passed WKLIXNGTOX DEFEATS TAIUNAKI.j pettily, {] , n i,.,u ])llss j|j.r lliro-igli i.he, 'hands'of half-a-dozen, and being trans--1 ferred from out! side of the field to the'other with kaleidoscope rapidity. Taranaki, however, were collaring well and kept their eiladel intact. Morris sailed down the line, but stepped out of touch and was called back. A long kick by Mitchinson, which Stobr did not field, went out at his own corner. For a moment or two Taranaki breathed hard until Kissiek cleared. Wellington, however, would not be denied, and kept up the pressure. A lilaek dived over, but McLeod was with him. and the danger was averted. A scrum ensued. Jirown secured, and on being pressed, passed. Cade was in front, anil the Blacks were awarded a free kick right under their own goal. Roberts had a shot, and it looked a moral for a goal, but the ball hit the post and rebounded. This streak of luck infused fresh life into the locals, and Ward, Dewar, and Hawkins carried play to midfield. Here (iille.spie broke away, and one of the finest movements'of the day followed, some ten Wellington players'participating in a passing movement that was only ended by Morris being thrown out at the corner by Stohr, although a pass forward l in the earlier stages escaped the referee's eye. Tamil, Cain, and Dewar cleared their lines, and play was in neutral territory. Here the Wellington players opened out a passing attack, and came down three in a line with only one back to pass, but through over-eagerness a pass was missed, and the chance was lost, Brown set his rearguard in motion, hut a pass, intercepted by Morris, turned attack into defence. Stohr, however, lined and saved. A heady movement by Loveridge and Taylor, followed by a. sharp dash by Tamil, and Taranaki'were attacking, Tamil being well downed by Kvenson .about fifteen yards from the line. From the scrum", Brown passed to Cade to McLeod, who slipped when cutting in." E. Roberts marked, Evenson lining with a long kick. The nippy Black backs again threw the'ball about, but Loveridge intercepted, and following up fast, the ball went out at half wav. A Yellow pass was intercepted bv Tilyard, and this landed Taranaki in trouble, the ball travelling per medium of McKcnzie,- Mitehinson, Tilvard, and Morris to the corner, where "the latter was thrown out. A' five kick brought relief to Taranaki, but Stohr failed' to find the line, and Kvenson returned" to touch within ten yards of his goal. Cameron broke awav to midfield, but no one was with him. and the Wellington backs came again. Morrison was nearlv over at the corner, but was collared." The ball was centred under Taranaki's coali where Tilyard secured. He wps'"collared and drooped the ball. McLeod failed in his kick, and Tilvard. picking up smartly, dived over. The try was converted. Wellington 13 Taranaki ['_] J) i With three minutes to go«nlav wis] very willing, but nothing "of "note resulted. !

FA THE LAST THREE MINUTES.

AFTEiI A BRILLIANT EXPOSITION.

As was the ease last vear, the special wne betwc-n Taranaki and Wellington irovided a splendid exhibition of footia.ll. After an interesting game, Taralaki went under in the last three niinilcs. It cannot, however, be said that :luv deserved anv better fate, as there s !io doubt'that on the day's play Welington merited the -victory. Their lacks wen: nippier, more enterprising, md aggressive, and their passing was i treat'to watch. It-was much cleaner than their opponents, who were particularly weak in this department, many of the Movements being participated in bv n.ost of the backs, and at times V man/ of the forwards. Their movi incuts were executed like clockwork. They were also much more tricky than the'local backs. In a Hash as it were, they would transfer play from one end of the field to the other. Forward, the teams were very evenly matched, Taranaki, if anything, having the advantage in the loose, though they did not feed thir backs like Wellington. The local backs' passing lacked finish. Their defence, however, was, oti the 'whole, fairly souud.

In the first spell, Taranaki hail rather 'the better of affairs, and, thanks to two magnificent goals by Stolir and a clever try by Loveridge, notched nine points to' their opponents' five, a converted try. Wellington had the better of the second spell, when they were on the attack most of the time, and scored two tries, one of which was converted. Thev went within an ace of scoring on several other occasions. Mr.' A. Neilson controlled the game, :uu\ spectators could not complain of too much whistle. At times perhaps, there was not enough. Messrs. F. Spurdle and G. Glenn were line umpires.

The game was played in a very friendly spirit before an attendance of about IiOOO. The trans were as already published, save that Ward took the place of Ryan' in the Taranaki pack..

i The spin of the coin favoro<l the locals, and Wellington kicked off with the sun in their eyes and against a southerly breeze. The first incident was a Taranaki forward rush, which was neatly checked by McKenzie, whose kick was forced. Gillespie soon after broke away, and the Black hacks gave a taste of their quality by executing a passing rush, in which Roberts, Tilyard, McKeni zie, Mitchinson, and E. Ryan participated, the, latter being-stopped by Roberts. Tamu stopped a rush by marking, the kick reaching touch at midway. Wellington secured from the serum, but Taylor spoilt Roberts' pass, and, with Cameron, carried the sphere into Wellington's twenty-five, whence Evenson drove it back with a huge line kick. Loveridge marked from the-~line-out, and gave Stohr a chance to show his goalkicking powers. From half war the ball soared straight for the gnai, and landed fair in tlie middle of tlie bar. i bouncing over and registering three, I points amidst vociferous applause. '■ I Taranaki S I Wellington 0 ' This roused the Rlaeks. and good for- j 1 ward play by Wilson, Ciillcspie and Co. j backed up by a useful line kick by Ryan, j had the Yellows defending, but a free' kick saw Stohr boost heftily to touch. Wellington pressed, until Ward away. He slipped, however, and back came the B-lr.cks. Stohr was smothered with the ball, and. from a scramble.; (Francis scored under the posts and Rob- I erts goaled. ] Wellington r> Taranaki 3 Tilyard next badly fooled his vis a vis.. but was promptly upended by Lover- j idge.. The Rlack backs were throwing the leather about in exhilarating style, lint Tarauaki's defence was >gooil. The locals now showed that they "knew how to pass, as fr m a clever' opening by Tavlnr. they got moving and the'pace b:came very hot. Rrown. Cade, McLeod, j and Roberts, and again Brown, Cade, Cameron and Loveridge, threw the I leather about amidst frantic applause.! Hawkins broke away, ball at toe. Fvensnn v:t« found wanting, end matters looked bright for Taranaki when .Mitcliin- : son de-M-ed. Stohr h:'d a pot from near 1 half way, liie ball being forced. Play still remaiird in Wellington's territory, and■ (iillespie. getting "off-side. Slolir, from a. yard over half wav landed another go-.'l. rt was a lieau'ly. Taranaki li Wellington o Rrown set the Yellows moving again.; hut Cade held on too lontr. Like a flash 'he ball was sent to the oilier side of the (bid. when ;• hot attack was made on the Weeks' goal.- The attack, however, was repulsed, hut just then Brown grabbed up from the scramble and shot, the ball over to Cameron who handed o-.i (o Loveridge. The speedv tliree-quar i/r side-stepped Morris, and" streaked for the line, scoring a lovely try in (he corii'T. Slohr's kick went wide. Taranaki 0 Wellington ."> Stohr made two good attempts t.o further increase Cue si-ore. once by a dropkick, and again from a fro:- kick, but both fell short and were forced. Wellington were awarded a free kick, hut someone was in front and the ball was called back. Taranaki carried the scrum until Cain got; off-side.'and the Macks were awarded a. free kick. Roberts misjudged the kick, end Morris, following up fast, endeavoured to gather it in. He just failed, -.•.ml Taranaki breathed freely. Wellington hooked cleanlv. and-Roberts. McKenzie. Tilyard. Mitchinson. and Morris had e gallop. The latter centred, and a scramble ensued under Taramiki's goal. Loveridge and Taylor came like a lla>!i. ball at foot, beating their opponents until the leather went ouf i" .Wellington's twenty-five. Play was very fast now. being up and down Held. " The fiiack forwards ultimately got, the supremacy, and Miller picked up close to the goal. He passed instead of going on. amf the chance was lost. A neat'mark InMcLeod. and Stohr h-.-.d boosted the leather to touch in his opponents' twen-ty-five. ,\ free kick to the Yellows, and Stohr made another line but futile attempt to goal. The Yellow backs were dangerous on resuming, until Roberts knocked on. the ball going out. Hills broke awav n „ t | lr , line-out, followed, by the whole Rlack pack." He kick instead of passing. liite:-ehan«e of k ; cks between Sioh'r and "Kvcnson saw Loveridge take a high l-U .;„.] streak for the line. He V., s out of touch, however, and was called back hi a moment time was called witli"no alteration to the score Hawkins kicked off. the ball i,,.;,,,, lined hv Mitcl,i nS o„. Arl|l ,. ,;,,/-, fcramhmg ~!.„-. „row, marked 'well mside half way. "(;„,. it to Ptohr." was he cry but. instead, lirown lined at tie twenty-five. Cameron cleverlv <'»t through b„t lost the b"!l. and a E; r ** ™ tl.n part of the UlaiJs, wind, rM .,,, PI] „„, lvf mal handled the b-',l wilh or el i, whilst ruining at ton ■<„,! n, i named. heb^Vrowdod on tl "* l " centred. W Rvn„ r L '° 2 !nn - r pioof m e,?:„vs;\ u :L- ; Evan, who cut in „ n d K ,.«,.„j • • mu., rows'^.rrt;^' mw ™»H ! n»ton i