FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 313, 12 June 1915, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

TO-DAY'S FIXTURE. SENIOR. Tuk.ipa v. Clifton, at Western Park. Referee, Mr. L. Humphries. NEWS AND NOTES. The match to-day between Clifton and Tukapa should provide a good fixture. It will commence the second round, though only two matches of the first round have been played. When these teams met in the first round a draw resulted, and the draw quite represented the play on the day. Since then Tukapa backs liavo been strengthened by the inclusion of Martin, the Southland rep., whilst the forwards will probably be assisted by Eggleton, the Inglewood player. Clifton will also have the assistance of Cain. The fixtures have not yet been drawn up for future matches, but with the withdrawal of Inglewood, who apparently cannot secure a team, as Clifton had a fruitless trip to the inland town on Saturday, as ajso did the referee. This is the second occasion on which a Clifton team and a New Plymouth referee lmvc made fruitless trips to the same town. There should be.no need for this, as the club could surely have telegraphed its inability to raise a team. ' The northern division will, therefore, : see a triangular contest between Tukapa, Clifton, and Okato. Possibly next Saturday Clifton will journey to Okato and play the match which was abandoned owing to roughness of weather a fortnight ago. Okato, who were annoyed at the disappointment at the time, have claimed a forfeit, but at heart they would prefer at match. The match between Tukapa and Okato last week provided a good struggle. Carey was absent from the Okato forwards, whilst Broughton and Perry were out of the blue and white pack. The Okato forwards were superior to Tukapa, but the visiting backs, strengthened by the inclusion of Martin, proved much too good for Okato. The latter team possesses some good backs and sound defensive men, but they lack initiative.

Martin, Loveridgc, and Skipper were the pick of the Tukapa backs, and Ward was again a host in the forwards. Eustace, Corbett (2), and Harvey were very solid in the Okato backs. The wing three-quarters had very few opportunities, whilst the full-back, Brennan, who was handicapped by an injured leg, made few mistakes.

Okato are to bo congratulated" on their spick and span appearance when they took the field. AH were clad in the club's colors, green with black sash, which repl|es the maroon and gold that has distinguished the team during the past two or three seasons. Kupe, the Clifton back, carried one of the line flags at Okato last Saturday, and at times looked as though he would have liked to have been in the thick of it.

In the Kaspar Cup Competition Rahotu, who wero runners-up, find themselves unable to raise a team this season. This will also be a triangular contest. Pihama, the present holders of the cup, went down badly at the hands of Puniho, who drew with Pauhaka. The two last named will probably fight out the championship.