FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1919, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

WELLINGTON TRAMWAYS V. STARS. Considering the short notice the public received of the abovo match, tho attendance at Pukekura Parli yesterday was very good, well over 1000 spectators (including many ladies) witnessing what proved to be a very oven game. Mr. Johnston was referee, and the teams took the Odd as follows: Wellington Tramways (green).—Pull-back, Vates; throe-quarters, Biggs, Roderick, Green; live-eighths, Bowie and Nicholls; half, LoverWgo; wing, Storey; forwards, Anderson, Sullivan, Trindcr, Dumbieton, Minifle, Moiiarty, Peacock. Star (black). —Pull-back, Humbling; threeQuarters, Stanley, Loveridge, Casey; five-eighths, tee and Penniall; half, Cliff; wing, Sims; forwards, Spence, Blucher, Francis, Dean, Koea, Bichards, Pay. Star defended the southern goal, and TramBays kicked off. In tho visitors' opening play the ball was handled splendidly. The locals worked play hack, and a bad mull by Green allowed the Stars to get iu a fine attacking position,. a knock on, however, spoiling the effort. The first score was not long In coming, as a high kick went to Loveridge, and the Star man, falling to field tho ball, went to the black line, and Bowie, smartly fielding, touched down. Under the circumstances it was a slice of luck to tho visitors, as Loveridge had time to avert dinger. Tho next score was well deserved. Tho Tramways men had play in tile blacks' halfway, when Nlcholls claimed possession. He sighted the goalpost and took a snap shot, and the ball sailed across tho uprights. Tho effort' has a brilliant one, and merited the points, and With only 8 minutes' play gone spectators were counting on a good score. The local forwards appeared all at sea, tho scrum work being faulty, whilst tho back play was not very reinsuring. Bowie. Nlcholls and Loveridge were Crovlng a fine back trio for the visitors. Tramnays tried hard to break through tho black defence, and then, having recovered from '"stage ftiglit," the Stars literally "got Into It," and swept past the Wellington men. Loveridge carried on, and, in a likely position, passed smartly to Francis. The latter (a forward) took the ball like a back, and, shaking off Yates' tackle, touched down. Hambiing's kick fell short. Bowie got his men going again, and, breaking away, tried a centre kick, which, however,' was gathered in by Penniall, and a likely scoring movement was nullified. The green forwards continued to get tho ball, but keen tackling kept them out. Casey (Star) was here 'conspicuous for fino fielding, smartly marking In tho face of several Wellington rushes. The visitors' strenuous work of fifteen minutes then told, and the Stars opened up play. Lee and Loveridge Initiated a movement, which went to the greens' full-back (Yates), who cleared. A long kick by Casey beat Yates, and Blucher and Richards raced over the line, but an Infringement lost Star's points. Play went' to the Star's 25, a fine passing rush," In which Loveridge, Nlcholls and Bowie participated, going to the black line. Star cleared, but were penalised, and Loveridge (Tramways), making no mistake in the penalty kick, landed the goal, making tho scores, with thirty minutes' play gone; Tramways, 10; Star, 3. Although the score was against the home team, they were not dismayed, and a rush Lee to Loveridge to Stanley, back to Loveridge, saw the blacks In a fine scoring position. Danger was averted by Sullivan, Miniflo and Anderson,. who cleared with a typical Wellington rush, half the Held being covered before Casey kicked out, and halftime was called.

It was now palpable that tho Stars were buying the better football, and the second half tvas expected to produce better results for the local men. Right from the kick-off they set out to reduce the.visitors' lead, whilst the Wellington men, refraining from line work, also kept the ball in play, and consequently play ivas always interesting, with the major portion of tho game contested within the Tramways' territory. They succeeded In keeping their lines intact for twenty minutes. Then Loveridge broke through with a fine individual rush, but Yates, fielding safely, saved the possible try. Blucher, Dean and Sims came again, and a low kick by Yates struck Casey, and, the ball rebounding, the Star back scored a fine try the result of good following up. Hambiing's kick waß a poster. The home team were out for a Win, and, getting the ball from the scrum, Cliff anfi Lee started some effective back play, which Vraß Invariably spoilt by Loverldge's low passes. Had the Star centre given Stanley better bails the game must have gone in Star's favor. In the closing stages the Tramways team made a ,i e , forwards and backs getting well In--6ldß the blacks' 25, where Rambling, who played ft sound game, eased the situation. This was practically the sole excursion Into the • black territory, and thereafter the blrlcks swamped the opposition, and Loveridge ended a good passing rush by touching down. Stanley's attempt at converting was unsuccessful, nnd tho total Stood: Tramways, 10; Star, 9. With only a few minutes to go Star made every effort to register a win, and tho last incident was Yates (full-back) forcing with Stanley sacks on the mill, just missing the try. The visitors left last night for Auckland, and on Saturday meet the Auckland Tramwaymen in the Kohn Shield. This trophy has been contested for several years, Auckland of late years having won It twice, and Wellington once S nee the war, games have been dropped, and Wellington are now out for the trophy; The WSltors possess a very fine team. Bowie is the hell-known Athletic player, and NichoUs. the Petone senior, is a North Island representative tvhllst Loveridge Is well up to senior form. ' la the Star team, Blucher and Dean in tho forwards, appear to be players of promise, while Cagey s fielding and running show him to be a fine three-quarter. Loveridge was Indifferent, fine, sparkling efforts being marred by faulty pass-work. '

CLIFTON (19) v. HIGH SCHOOL (7). In the first Junior competition / Clifton met High School at tho racecourse yesterday afternoon in a game in which the visitors had ail the advantage. They were a heavier team, nnd also showed a more solid combination, both In the forward and back play. The School backs were not given much opportunity, but when they did have a chance to do something they played nervously and In an uncertain fashion The visitors were faster* than tho local players' and made better use of the openings than did tljelr opponents. The smartest piece of work on the part of the School team was done by Brown near the call of timo. He took a pass smartly right in front of the posts, and as there was little chance of a good oponing just then, he drop-kicked and placed a nice goal to the credit of his side. The other score for the School was from a penalty kick bv Osborne For Clifton tries were scored by Copestake' McGarvey, Tumate, and;. P. McKov. The latter converted two tries, and also kicked a penalty goal. Mr. L. Humphries was referee.

STRATFORD (II) v. TUKAPA (3). The Tultapa senior team experienced its first defeat of the season yesterday, when it was beaten by Stratford at Stratford by .eleven points to three. Tukapa were only able to place a very weak forward' team on tile ground only three of the original pack being available' Owing to a breakdown at Egmont Village cars '■ad to be procured from New Plymouth, and tlie Tukapa team was only able to commence the came at a quarter to four. Stratford won the toss, and kicked off down hill, and with the advantage of a strong wind The red and black forwards dominated plaj> from tho start, and after a few minutes Coutts got over, but failed to goal. Stratford continued to press, and after Coutts had kicked a penalty goal, Rich got over in a good position and Coutts goalcd. Stratford had scored all tholi points In tho first fifteen minutes. Tukapa now pulled themselves together, and a determined rush, headed by Allen and Cockor, saw tho latter pulled down on the line. The breeze died down considerably at halftime, and Tukapa did not get tho expected >heln In tlio second half. Tho blues held the upper hanrl during this spell, their hack division working well together, but the red and black forwards wore too strong and heaiy, and nullified all the Tukapa efforts. H. Oliver had three shots at goal, his first going over, and the others narrowly missing. Prior made a splendid effort to drop a goal, but the ball fell under the bar. For the winners, Masters, Carlson (2) and Rich, in the forwards, and Coutts and A Ktvell In the backs, all played welt. Prior and the Oliver brothers were the mainstay of the Tukapa team. Before the match commenced Tukapa notified the Stratford team that the matcli was being played under protest, owing to the Carlson brothers, who play*d for' Eltham last Thursday and In previous matches this season, being Included in tlio Stratford team