FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 5, 25 May 1914, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY CODE. ! AUCKLAND MATCHES. | By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The Rugby Union's senior championships on Saturday resulted as follows: University 8 beat City a; Marist Bros. :t beat College Itiiles 6; Ponsonby 22 beat Parncll 3. | WELLINGTON MATCHES. Wellington, Last Night. Athletic heat Oriental, 13 to 3; I'oneke beat University, 17 to 3; Wellington bewt Pet'one 13 to 8; Melrose beat St. James, 22 to 0. THE LEAGUE GAME. AUCKLAND MATCHES. Auckland, Last Night. The senior matches resulted as fol-:i,<vs:-City 10 bent Newton 0; North .Shore .11 beat Grafton 2; Ponsonby 13 beat Otiihuhu 4. Wellington, Last Night. Suburbs beat Newtown, 10 to 5; retone beat Athletic, 21 to 3. THE ASSOCIATION GAME.. Wellington, Last Night. .Hospital beat Wanderers, 5 to 0; Corinthians beat Diamonds, 2 to 1; Thistle beat Hovers, 3 to 2; Petone drew with .Swifts, 2 all. The BrooklynY.M.C.A. match was not played. RESULTS AT A GLANCE. Stratford 8 v. Tukapa (1. Inglcwood 3 v. Star 0. i Clifton 27, v. Okalo 3. KOME CLOSE CONTESTS. The senior competition was continued [on (Saturday, the weather for the New Plymouth and Waitjxa matches being flue, whilst at Stratford a heavy drizzle prior tq the commencement of the game made the ball very greasy. As anticipated, two of the games proved very | close, while the other was a runaway match. I STRATFORD 8 v. TUKAPA G. This match was played at Stratford, where the locals' superiority in handling a wet ball largely contributed to Stratford's victory. On the day, they proved undoubtedly the better team. The game proved very interesting, and at times exciting. It was mainly comprised of forward dashes by one or two members of each team. Concerted rushes were few and far between. Stratford backs threw the ball about mii-rih better than their opponents, whose flve-oighbhs and the centre-three-quarter rin {particular seemAl unable to handle it cleanly, in marked contrast to the catehing by the Stratford full-back. Stratford had all the better of the opening ten minutes, in which they ran up eight points. Thereafter until the last quarter of an liiiur, when Tukapa woke up, play WiW fairly even.

Stratford set the leather in motion, Re-id kicking off. Ho. followed up fast, and Davidson mulled, with the result that Tukapa were in trouble. Stcihr relieved, and Perry headed a hefty rus.li that curried play to Stratford's twentyfive, where Collins lined. Baek came the red and black and a high kick by Young was forced. Stratford were soon hard at it again, and Cameron made a great opening, passing to Dcwar, who dived over the line. Collins converted, and, 'after live minutes' play, the score roa-d: Stratford !>, Tukapa 0. Play now became very fast. Tukapa backs threw the leather about, but the defence w;ia good. From a line-out near their own twenty-five, Wood marked. Smith followed Ujp well, and the ball was thrown about; by the local tacks, until Young cross-kicked and with a speedy dash beat the opposition and fell on the. ball, Collins failed to add the major points. Stratford 8, Tukapa 0. Loveridge was responsible for Tukapa gaining considerable ground, and, Kivell infringing, Stolir had a shot from half-way, the hall being forced. Stratford backs were passing well but gained very little ground, and Loveridge intercepting made ,n great dash, the ball reaching touch at the twenty-five. Morshead, who was playing a hard game, followed up fast, and, securing a mark from the line-out, Stohr had another shot, which sailed nicely over the bar. Stratford 8, Tukapa 3. Interchange of kicks gave Tukapa the advantage. Brown marked the ball almost at the toes of the opposing vanguard, giving Stohr another shot, which fell short. Tukapa were now more than holding their own, and Stratford were forced three timea in quick succession. • The Stratford backs again threw the leather about, but a wild pass by Cameron neutralised' it. Offside play gave Stohr another shot, the bail going under the bar and being forced. Tukapa gradually gained the ascendancy, and Woods (rotting oil-side Stohr had another shot in a handy position, but the kick failed, and the spell ended—Stratford 8, Tukapa a. Almost immediately on resuming Stratford attacked. The blue forwards', however, made a great rally, and carried play almost the length of the field, when a rather hard kick by Gilchrist enabled Collins to force. Up and down the field play was carriel by the forwards of, either side, until a well-judged kick by Stohr went out at the corner. Tukapa tried hard to, score, and, securing the liall from the scrum, started throwin" it about right on the goal line. The defence stood the strain, and a forward pass gave Stratford relief, which they pushed home with a great forward a forward marking. Collins had a shot at goal, which was charged down. Stratford backs kept busily, moving ami throwing the ball about, but a forward ! pass at the critical moment terminated ' the efforts. Brown whs? playing a great defensive game for Tukapa,"who gradually cleared their lines. Play was now

: fast and of a scrambling nature. Strat- | ford came again, iiigginson and Bcrgin jin thi! van, and Wi',b.-,!.er wag lnelcy in ispeculating to touch at the corner. The (ball then i-aina right across field and jYonng narrowly missed a score by /ailing to hold a pass, lie next had a shot at goal, which fell short. Morshead, Wiley, Ward and Hawkins set up a rusA that put Tukapa in a handy position, but Collins picked up and smartly lined. Ward and Morsliead carried play past half way, where the Tukapa backs essayed to pass, but Loveridge could not hold the ball. However, t moment later Brown shot the hall across- to Stohr, who sent it ou-t to Loveridge, and the latter streaked across at tue corner. Stohr just missed the goal. The game terminated a .moment or two later, with Tukapa attacking.