FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 306, 4 June 1915, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

TARANAKI v. WANGANUI. A SENSATIONAL FINISH. A WIN H)R WANGANUI. (By Wire. —Own Correspondent.) Wanganui, Last Xig l The feather was perfect for tinball match, Taranaki v. Wangai : the ground in line order. ' i counter-attractions, in the coursing and races at Ota : dance was only moderate. liibition of football, it fei jose of recent years, and o ; play there was little between Combination was lacking, p:., j on the Taranaki side, and the com , so'ved itself into displays of individual brilliancy. Wanganui got the ball in almost every scrum, and their forwards and backs worked together more harmoniously than did the yellows. R. Roberts plaj;ed on the wing, and his fellow-tlirep-quarters did not send the ball to him very often. What brilliancy he showed was all off his own bat. Twoomcy and Loveridge played fair games, the former particularly. George at full back was fairly safe, but Goodwin was very disappointing. Coleman at half did a tremendous lot of work well, but Patterson has been seen in better form. Tile game was remarkable for a sensational /finish, Wanganui pulling jt -off in the last minute in rather an unsatis* I factory manner. The teams jined out as follow: Taranaki.—Full back, George; threequarters, R. Roberts, Loveridge and f'oodwin; five-eighths, Patterson and " -oomey; half, Coleman; wing forward, Ho'a nds; forwards, Robertson, Whittington. Kissick, Carey, Ryan, Ward and Thomas. Wnmranui.—Full back, Crogan; tlireceuarters, Clarke, Norrie and Collier; five-eighths. Faber and Lockett; wing 'irvard, Whiting; forwards, Anderson, R. Leahy, T. Leahy, Takarangi, Collerton. Batlo.v and Mullins. anganui players wore wliite armbands in respect for their late comrade, Claude Dustin, who has been killed at the Dardanelles. Wanganui kicked off against the sun, and after a spell of give and take play the ball went, out in Taranaki's twentyfives. Coleman and Twoomcy, with long kirks, shifted play to neutral territory. Coleman marked, hut the kick was charged down, and from the ensuing scramble. Twoomev was nearly over. Wanganui forced. The Wanganui backs got moving from the drop out and Clarke got over the Taranaki line, but lost the ball. Norrie fell on it, scoring in a handy position. Atkins' kick failed. Wanganui 3 Taranaki 0 With only ten minutes gone, Taranaki commenced to force matters, but marks by Atkins kept them at a safe distance. Roberts got away, but his pass was low, and Atkins, by another good kick' shifted the scene of operations to midfield. Wanganui forwards initiated several attacks, but the Taranaki backs saved well. :A passing rush by Wanganui backs saw Clarke lose possession on laranki's line. Patterson removed the play to halfway. Carey then retired hurt, his place being taken b>Hicks. Good kicking by Atkins and Lockett saw the yellows' line in danger, but Coleman booted well back. Taranaki were penalised, and Leahy had a long shot, which just missed, Taranaki forcing. Coleman set the ball in motion again, but Clarke returned it to Taranaki's corner, the yellow hacks came awav, but Collier sent it backagain. Coleman hung on and was penalised, Leahy's kick being just outside the posts. Whittington tried to lead the yellow forwards, but his lone-handed effort was easily countered, the blues returning to the attack. Another shot at goal by Wanganui failed. George then stopped a dangerous forward rush. Rowlands led the yellow forwards down the field, and for an infringement Loveridge had a, shot at goal from a fair His kick was well judged, and the scores drew level. Wanganui 3 Taranaki 3 Wanganui's kick-off went over Georges head, and was forced in play , again, and Wanganui had another uii--1 successful shot for Roberts hanging 011 , when collared. From the next scrum 1 Coleman sot his hacks in motion, but' , a good chance was lost by Roberts go- ; ing out just as he centred to Loveridge. Another dash saw Goodwin grassed just in time. Off-side pl.ay by Roberts tom- ■ porarilv relieved, hilt the yellow hacks > got going again, and a bad pass to Coleman saw the effort wasted. Loc- > kett worked the play back to halfway, 1 and half-time sounded with the scores 1 level. : SECOND SPELL. Coleman's kick-off was well returned by Lockett, and the blue forwards set up an attack which ended in Collerton forcing his way over. Leahy's kick failed. Wanganui (i Taranaki 3 The blue forwards attacked repeatedly, but the yellows' defence kept them , out. Kissick dribbled back to centre,

and play was stopped owing to injur; to Lockctt. Wanganui again invadei Taranaki ground, but by long kicks by Lovcridge and Twoomcy Taranaki was _ relieved. Goodwin was smothered by tbe blue forwards, and threw the ball out. A free kick put Taranaki again on ( tlie defensive, -and off-side play gave Lockett a shot which went astray. .Roberts with a good rim relieved the pressure. Twoomcy gained further ground with a good sprint, but the ball went out at the corner. Taranaki took the 2 scrum, but Coleman was smothered again, and the danger was temporarily averted. Roberts came through again, 5 but a free kick for obstruction annuled the advantage. Kissick and Rowlands led another nr-li, but (Irogan was safe at full back, and returned play to halfway. Had amilling by Taranaki backs saw Coodwin save by kicking behind. a M-'ina mi the line Kissick led the yelhnvs to the centre. A penally lo \\ uuganui was charged down, and \\ hiiaker took play into the blue tweni v lives. Strenuous battling saw Whittaker liors de combat witV a cut cheek | and bruised ankle, and Coleman was i also laid out. Taranaki got to the blue | l,w. and the referee failed to notice I I'lf " ! in'j holding on by a. local back j vii'iil. in front of the posts, which got line, out of danger, but Taranaki was not to be denied, and a pass--1 iin; rush, saw Twoomev get right to the I l>«>\ whore he passed in to Patterson, j who scored, lioberts goaled. ! Taranaki 8 | Wanganui . (j 1 (leorge returned Leahy's kick to halfway, and Coleman gained further ground by a bustling run. Wanganui had the . brLter of an exchange of kicks, nut llohert.-j was all under way wlien the «.ii-Lle jmllwl him uj). Another pretty run, and lioberts' pass to Twoomcy was forward. Hard fighting 011 IWangantii's line saw Clarke force. Leahy's kick-off was marked, and after the exchange of kicks Wanganui hacks broke away. Twoomev slopped it beautifully,! and I well back. Coleman secured from the next scrum, and went right through, but was called hack, and a free kick was award for some imaginary infringement.

Time wa 3 up ,and Taranaki put the bah out to win. ■ T) a ludicrous incident. Colemi ,ing the ball near the half-wa at goal when Takarangi cl picked up tihe leather. 1110 1* •. hack, and who i things easy, was penalised f 1 time. A scrambling blue bac'. ..v the iball go througli to Collie ■ ran over at the corner, and scored .<:e win'ug try . Leahy's kick failed, and the istle sounded, leaving Wanganui vie by one point. The final score was Vanganui 9 aranaki 8 lij. I. P. ;Souter refereed. (FIRST JUNIORS. INGLEWOOD v. ELTHAM. These teams met at Inglewood yesterday, and resulted in a win for Eltlnm by 20 points to nil, this being partly accounted for by the fact that Inglewood could only muster thirteen men. Eltham attacked strongly in the opening stages, but McSwerny transferted the play to the other end. Although in Eltham's 25 for some time, Inglewood could not score. The Eltham hacks relieved with a passing rush, and Franklin kicked a good goal. From a mark near the halfway line, Franklin again scored, and the score at halftime was Eltham 6, Inglewood nil. From the kick-off, Eltham had the better of the play. Corbctt scored and 'Franklin converted. Inglewood played a hard "game, but "Franklin cleared and a minute later scored a penalty goal. Bunn was the next to score near the posts, but this was not converted. The Eliham defence waa too good for Inglewood to penetrate, and from a forward rush Corbctt notched another try for the visitors. The extra points were added and the game resulted as stated. Mr. F. Roberts was referee. STRATFORD v. TUKAPA. A Tukapa first junior team journeyed to Stratford yesterday to meet tiiat club. 'A hard-fouglit game resulted, neither side being aole to gain the advantage. Both teams scored once, the final figures being Stratford 3, Tukapa SEVEN ASIDE TOURNAMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Assoc' Palmerston, N., Last Night. A grtat deal of interest was taken in a seven aside football tournament here to-day, which attracted 26 cams from all parts of the province. The finals resulted:—Senior competition: Athletic (Wellington) beat Oriental (Wellington), 8 to nil. Junior: Athletic (Wellington) beat Berhampore (Wellington), 3 to nil. At the call of time there was no score, but an extra spell resulted in Athletic scoring 3 points. High School (Palmerston North) beat Feilding, 8 to 4.