FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 17, 8 June 1914, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE. Tukapa lo v. Oka to 0. Stratford 18 v. Star 0. Clifton 31 v. Inglowood 0. HIGH SCORING MATCHES. .Saturday saw the first round of the cup matches almost completed, and for the first time all the matches were played in fine weather. In each case last year's Thursday's teams were up against teams from the Saturday division, and the results were a foregone conclusion. TUKAPA (15) t.OKATO (0). The match between Tukapa and Okato was by no means as one-sided as the scores indicate. Forward the te.ams were fairly even, but in the back division Tukapa had the advantage. That the score was not larger was due to the fine defence of the Okato backs, who fielded and found the line well. Tukapa won the toss and opened with a slight advantage from the wind, which was blowing across the field. The coastal team secured the ball from the first scrum. Eustace broke away, but was collared. Tukapa forwards then took control, and their backs set out to show their mettle, but a faulty pass by Stohr let Corbett and 6'Sullivan through. Thompson fumbled the ball but Webster came gallantly to his assistance by lining. Tukapa forwards, headed by Perry', Morshead and Ward, came again, but offside play neutralised the effect, Okato setting up a counterattack, and, their -backs j-udioiously lining, they gradually reached TuKapa's 25, where a powerful rush, headed by Carey, Hill and Burrows, compelled Tukapa to force. Holmes failed to mark the kickoff, and Tukapa wore down on him. The Blues attacked strongly, but the defence was good. Ultimately Stannering marked under the goal, and Stohr landed a nice goal after fifteen minutes' play. Thompson and Stohr were kicking well and drove the forwards back, the ball going out near the Tukapa 25. Brown secured, and the ball travelI led to Stohr, to Stannering, who sailed lover the line. Stohr failed to goal. Okato worked strenuously and. took I play past half-way, but Tukapa brought [it back, and passing rushes kept Okato hotly defending. Tocker dropped the ball when a try was within his grasp. A moment later Burrows got off-side, and Stohr made no mistake with an easy kick. The first spell ended: Tukapa 9, Okato 0.

Okato attacked on resuming ,bufc McAllum lined near half-way, and a neat kick by Morshead gained ground. Corbett and Eustace, who had been playing fine games, returned play to Tukapa's 25, where Carey, O'Sullivan and Hill battled hard for a score. Thompson, however, lined well, and Tukapa kept tliem at bay, Stanncring and Brown being prominent on the defence. Gradually, Tukapa cleared their line, but a. lad piva let Okato back. Toeke.r marked in the face of a hefty forward rush, and the ball was lined". Okato came again, and Aylward, kicking for tho corner, misjudged, and the" ball i found touch-in-goal. A well-judged kick by Ken. Andrews found touch at the corner, and from the ensuing scramble Tukapa were forced. A little later Webster just forced a rush headed by Carey. Following up tho kick-off, Tocker broke away but passed forward. Tuknpa- backs again got moving, but wero spoiled by a, faulty pass. Perry was very prominent in the Tukapa forward dashes, which gradually worked play to Okato's lino where from a scramble MoAHum picked up and got over right on the corner. Rtobr failed to goal. Tukapa, with six minutes to go, came again. Andrews, marking in the fpee of a hot rush, was injured and had f>> retire. Okato followed up the kick and an infringement gaye Eustace a shot, which went wide, and was forced. Tukapa were- again forced after another hot Okato rush. Tukapa carried play t 1 midficld, where Stohr picked wp, and, seizing an opening, streaked for the line. Ho outpaced tfte opposition and Wored in the corner. The attempt ;it goal failed. Time was then called. Mr. W. Itoch refcrced very satisfactorily.

STRATFORD V. STAR. The meeting of these two teams on the sports ground on Saturday ended, ' as was expected, in a victory for the visitors. Although, the score was 18 to nil, tlio Star team was by no means disgraced-, and though outclassed, put up a stubborn defence. Clever tactics by Dewar and his followers defeated Star in the forward division, and in the backs they were hopelessly beaten. The work of the Stratford fliers was not, however, all that it might have been, and had they displayed more finish and infringed loss frequently, the score would have been much bigger. Owing to the absence of the ball, the game did not begin until about 2.30. The Red and Black , pack attacked strongly, and an inferesting position soon developed under Star's goal, only weak passing averting a score against them. Then a beautiful forward rush initiated by Dewar, the versatile winger of the Stratford pack, juot fell short of achievement, and play eased oil' to half-way. The red and black forwards continued to make (he pacc,_ and Bonner and Dewar initiated several rushes, all the forwards throwing the ball about freely. The tackling by the home vanguard was solid. All their work, however, could not keep the red and black host back long. Tito showed up well on the defence, and once, with a fine burst, had Stratford defending. The Stir men threw the ball about a little, but their work lacked finish, and individual efforts by Carroll at half, andTito on the wing three-quarter, lacked support. Stratford resumed the attack-, and only off-side play by Woods spoiled a chance. Again th'ev attacked, and a likely try was forced'. A. Reed, of the front rank, set sail, smiling, but be lost the smile about the time he hit the ground. Tito saved in n tight place, but B. Cameron marked, aiid C. T. Young had a shot at goal, which went wide. If the Star men could not score, they made a very good defence. Line out and scrums under the goal kept Star anxious, but either infringement:!, erratic passing, or individual flashes bv Tilo. Mack Skipper, or Carroll saved the. 1 situation. At last Stewart scored with a short run. 0. Young converted— Stratford fl. Star 0. A few minutes later. 0. T. Young took the ball from Bonner, who had rushed with Stewart, and scored. His kick went wide- Stratford 8, Star 0. Then after a bout of defending, Tito passed to Box, who set sail on n long run, but was grassed under the goal after a fine effort. Then a mark by Tito gave him a shot at goal, which failed. The spell ended with the score in the same position. Star took a 'hand in attacking, Mack Skipper, Car.- ' roll, and Tito though they put in some good woW. the " red and black line remained uncrossed. The second spell opened with a strong

Stratford attack, and play was similar to that of the first spell. Then the ball v/as kicked over Star's line, Higginson touched down, and a Star man kicked the ball out of his hands. The referee awarded a try, which displeased the noisy ones among Star supporters. Cameron converted—Stratford 13, Star 0. The home team had a hot time, but defended like demons, Mack Skipper, Carroll and Tito being most conspicuous. A nice passing rush put Stratford on the defence, and Mack Skipper and Carroll had the ball between them, hut Carroll tried.to beat too many nun, and the chance was lost. Then Box had a penalty shot, which went wide of the post. After this the game developed into a pseudo comedy, in which players hit the ground with some frequency, and "stayed out" for as long as tliey thought fit. Inch was disabled, and retired. Young initiated a rush, beat the field, and passed to Cameron, who scored an easy try. Young converted—Stratford 18, Star 0. Mr. Good referced.

CLIFTON v. INGLEWOOD. At Wa.itara, Clifton had an. caiy win over Inglewoiod by 31 p'oin-U to 6. In #he first spell, Clifton scored 25 points to their opponentfi' nil The second spell was ranch moTn oven, each si-le scoring fi points. ■Bert-miul (5) amd Kupe (2) did the bulk of the trv girting. Mr Shell referem, satisfactorily.