FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 29, 24 June 1914, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

.NEWS AND NOTES. The meeting of Wellingion and Taranaki at Haw era to-day~is certain to draw a big crowd, as football enthusiasts liavu p.easaut recollections of two previous meetings of these teams at Hawera Show time, when play was brimful of interest from start to finish. Both teams opened up the game and gave the public a taste of back play which is so seldom seen in big football now-a-daj3. —bright displays, and to-day's onatch should be the same, for there in no Ranfurly Shield at stake. It is a special match played for the sake of the game. Wellington has won the two previous matches by a

narrow margin. On Saturday, Taranaki will be called upon to defend the Eanfurly Shield against Wanganui, and, judging by the result of the previous match against Wanganui on June 3, at the river city, Taranaki will need to put its best foot forward if the Shield is to remain here.

I The Taranaki team against Wellington contains some fresh material, notably Paterson and Birchall. Colman is also seen out again, and should be of great assistance. Taranaki eccured thiee represnetatives in the Australian team, viz., Cain, Roberts and Loveridge. The selection of the first two via,* regarded as certain. 'Loyeridge's chances were not considered too rosy, but the writer is certain he will justify his inclusion. In the B match at Wellington, though starved by his centre, he played a fine game. Taylor, at wing forward, has not playeo" so well this season and had to gtve place to a better man in form. Taylor is young yet, and should reacfc tihe itop before long. Saturday was a brutal day, and not at all suitable for showing a player's qualification to the best advantage. Stohr evidently did not show lup to his best form. He has not been playing so well of late. The exclusion of E. Roberts has caused some comment. Behind a good forward team, he is a great half. Ir is understood that he js i going to Auckland. Green's inclusion [was not unexpected, the ex-Wellington I half playing a great game. ! Again on Saturday, of the three I matches played two proved close contests, and the third was a runaway I event. The next two Saturdays on I which club matches are played, there j should be similar results, whilst the final I two Saturdays there will be three run- | away matches unlessi the unforeseen ocI ours. It is a pity that the six northern ; teams had not been placed in two grades | and three rounds played. To obviate 'any bye, the team in the A grade not having a match could bo played against the odd team m the B grade. In that way, out of nine matches each team would have six close contests and only three runaway victories' or defeats as the case might be, instead of four even "goes" and six uninteresting ones, as is the case now. Greater interest would also be sustained in the matches. At present, Stratford, Tukapa and Clifton have played very keen and close congests, and there has not been a greater margin than three points between either when they have met, and precisely the same has occurred when Okato, Star and Inglcwood have been the contestants. After the next cup, contest, should Tukapa beat Stratford, all interest will be gone from the cup competition, as Clifton will V unassailable leaders. If Stratford beat Tukapa, the meeting between Stratford and Clifton will be fraught with nruch interest. .Last Saturday's match between Tukapa and Clifton was not brilliant; a strenuous - forward struggle never is. That it wa-31 fast and hard is evidenced by the number of temporary disablements. Only one, however, was of a serious nature. On the day a draw would have been a satisfactory conclusion, as Clifton were lucky to win from a penalty kick from a doubtful infringement, after a no charge. Clifton were handicapped by the loss of Cain and Taylor, while Goodwin and Crowley were unfit to play. Tukapa missed Stohr and Hawkins. Tukapa got the b»U from the scrum, but their backs could do nothing with it, and when they essayed passing rushes, these were turned against them. Brown did not seem able to get hold of the ball, and when he did his passes lacked snap. P»ul was the pick of tttie Tukapa forwards. He signalled his re-appearance after an absence of seven years by playing a great game. Two or three games ; like that anil he should reach the reps. Morshead played with great dash, and ran himself to a standstill. Perry and Ward were always prominent. 'McAllum and Cargo did a lot of work. Of the backs, Thompson and Webster put in some great defensive work lining well. Tocker was at times disinclined to face the forward rushes. Loveridge was playing five eighths.. He was not quite at home in the position. Stannering at centre three-quarter did all he was asked to.

Among flic Clifton forwards, Hicks and Thomas were the pick, though all showed jjrcat dash. A new man. Pislier, waa prominent at times. Berntsen tackled well. Tate Bros at wing forward, played a hard and solid game, tneir pace telling. At half, Crowley was off color, no doubt suffering from his injured hand. Abbott, at fivi-eigliths, played his usual solid game, lining well, anil ns also did Bertrand, who was given no chances to show his pace. Coodwin was playing under difficulties will 1 !, an injured"le&, but acquitted himself well. Rtoddnrt. who filled the vacancy at Ml back, did well.

"KEEP OFF THE LINE." The lot of tin; football referee is like that of the policeman "when constabulary- duty is to be done." He has to control thirty players, to follow the game in all weathers, reaping iio harvest of honor and glory, merely the most grudging acknowledgment 'if lie happens to find favor with the experts who find their field amongst the spectators and pass the critical judgment of profound ignorance. Further, the referee has to keep the Held of play clear of spectators. This duty would not, to the uninitiated, seem very arduous, but anyone who has watched matches on the Now Plymouth Sports ground this season must have gained an interesting insight into this fly in the. pot of the referee's all too dubious ointment. In the match between Star v. Okato on Saturday. Mr Snell had considerable difficulty with strageling onlookers, and on a previous occasion Mr West stopped a game twice and waited until the spectators had oheved the injunction "to keep off the line."

The football "fan" is a curious individual. Hi- is omniscient in football, more versed in the laws of the game than the referee (whom he never strives to emulate) and his oiuV grievance is that the players seldom follow bis vociferous advice. There is something extremely ludicrous in the sight of the callous youth, a cigarette, gummed to his lip. watching a same he is too much of a "slacker'' to play himself, and bawling, "Go it, Star!" and "What an awful messer!" as if his life depended on it,

but when-he actively interferes with the game it is beyond a joke. Spectators ought not to be allowed inside the boundaries of the playing field at the Sports Ground at all. There is ample room for them oh the terraces, but if they are allowed there, the least they can do is to refrain from standing all along the line and straggling across the field, thereby impeding the players, the line-umpires and referee and blocking the view of other onlookers. There is only one thing for referees to do, and that is to stop the game and refuse to continue it until the line is absolutely clear. Then perhaps the football "fan" will learn manners. There is another matter to which followers of the winter game might turn their attention, and that is the fact that it is a winter game. Football matches should be commenced at as early an hour as possible. Too many matches — even where both the teams engaged are resident in the town—begin nominally at 3 p.m., actually starting at about 3.18, and end in semi-darkness. It seems as though most of the games could be eommeneed at 2.30, but if this is impossible, they might at least start at the advertised time, and let the customary fifteen minutes' grace begin at 2.45 p.m.