FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 June 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THE ASSOCIATION GAME. 'J AUSTRALIA DEUBATS TARANAKI. SIX GOALS TO ONE. The first big “Soccer” match to be played in Taranaki took place on the Pukekura Park Sports Ground at New Plymouth yesteraay, when the touring Australians met Taranaki. Though "Soccer” has not a great hold on the Tarana-kl public, the game had aroused considerable interest, and the day being fine there was a large attendance, estimated at about 4000. Though the unajority were unfamiliar with the game, the crowd followed the play with tiie keenest interest, and showed their appreciation of the various flashes of good play. The Australians were responsible for most of the brilliant work, and their splerftlid control of the ball in the movements, their clever headwork, together with their combination, delighted the spectators. The Taranaki team played surprisingly well. The teams took the field promptly at 2.15 p.m., the only alteration being that Johnston replaced Shepherd as goal in the Taranaki team. The game throughout was of an interesting nature, and though the* Australians gained a victory by the comfortable margin of six goals to one, there were many occasions on which the locals got within striking distance, and it was mainly by superior combination that the visitors gained the upper hand. The Taranaki players, with two or three exceptions, played well, but there was a lack of that concerted play that is essential in this, as in other games. Taranaki’s backs and half-backs all played a solid game, their defence being good, but this could not be said of the goal-keeper, who let his team down on several occasions. In the forward division Woodhead stood out on his own, with Freakley a good second. Fitzgerald did not play up to form. Of the visitors Bryant, at goal, had little to do. Mcßride and Cumberford, the backs, were solid propositions, being very difficult to pass. Gibbs, at centre, was the pick or tiie half-backs, as were Brown, Dane and Thompson of the forwards, the latter showing a great turn of speed. THE PI/AY. Taranaki, winning tho toss, played with the sun behind them. Brown set the ball rolling, but the Taranaki forwards obtained possession and Fitzgerald, with a good run down field, shot the ball behind. Then the visitors took a hand, and Thompson centring. Brown had a shot, the goal-keeper saving at the expense of a corner, and from the subsequent kick Maunder headed over the liar. Fitzgerald was again prominent, and headed tiie leather in-field. Maunder secured and passed to J. Cumberford, who badly beat Johnston, and within five minutes the score was:— Australia 1 Taranaki 0 Taranaki pressed, and Thompson had a shot, striking the bar, the goal-keeper being injured in saving. A moment later he was again called on to save from a shot by Howarth, giving a free kick, which Taranaki made little use of. Then the visitors asserted themselves, aud Johnston, the goalkeeper, saved a hot shot from Dane. Woodhead carried play to Australian territory, but the visitors again took chafge, and Howarth cleared nicely. Pooch and Davis next placed Taranaki in an attacking position, but. the defence stood the strain, and after a few moments was changed to attack, Brown making an ineffective shot. A moment later he took a beautiful centring shot from Dane and put a beauty into tiie net: —■ Australia. 2 Taranaki b On resuming Taranaki’s custodian was called on to save. Then some good headwork by the Australians in close proximity to the locals goal saw Jones clear beautifully. Again Brown had a shot, which, went wide. Taranaki kept up the attack, Thompson and Woodhead being prominent. The blues came again, and Thompson had a hot shot, which missed. Fitzgerald then carried play to the other end of the field, but when on the point of scoring slipped, and D. Cumberford cleared. Later Davis had a shot which went wide. Then the Australians took up the running again, and securing from a corner kick, Dane sent in a low shot which the Taranaki goal-keeper, instead of using his hands, attempted to kick out, the ball glancing off his foot into the net: — Australia 3 Taranaki ’• Woodhead was then prominent for Taranaki, but a foul spoilt the movement. Taranaki next looked like scoring as the result of good work by Woodhead and Davis, whose resultant shot proved faultless. Then Barker had a long shot from nearly half-way. Another passing move by tiie visitors swept the field and culminated in a hot. attack in front of the locals goal, but Jones saved. Taranaki, playing up well, transferred play to the visitors’ goal, where Fitzgerald had a shot. Storey clearing. Then a combined move by the Australian forwards ended in Brown badly beating Johnston. Half-time was called with the score : Australia 4 Taranaki ® On resuming Taranaki strongly attacked, Fiezgerald passing to Woodhead, but Cumberford cleared. Concerted work by Davis and Freakley forced a corner off Mcßride, which was resultless. Then Davis had a shot, the goal-keeper cleverly saving. The Australian forwards, led by Brown, swept down field, and after being temporarily checked by Worthington, Brown again landed the leather into the net: — Australia 5 Taranaki 0 Australia, came again, and in quick succession Maunder and Dane had resultless shots. Taranaki were for a while dangerous, but the visitors’ defence was sound, and quickly changed to attack. Taranaki ‘twice got into a good position, but. they could not penetrate the defence, until a passing move by Fitzgerald and Wcodhead saw tiie latter send the ball across to Freakley, who shot a beautiful goal:— Australia Taranaki 1 Taranaki were now making matters interesting, but Mcßride cleared, and the visitors, by a. neat passing bout, had Taranaki in difficulties, Johnston just saving from a shot that hit the bar. Woodhead. Fitzgerald and Freakley carried the leather down field, but. the latter’s pass to Davis was taken by Giibbs, and the visitors, backing up wen, Johnston was called upon to save twice in a few minutes. Taranaki broke away, but Gibbs checked cleverly, and in the resultant play Brown headed into the net after the ball had hit the bar. There was no further score, tho game ending : Australia C Taranaki 1 Mr. L. C. H. Dawson refereed. the rugby game. WANGANUI B V. TARANAKI B. THE WANGANUI TEAM. Tiie Wanganui B team to play Taranaki B at Hawera on Wednesday, July 5 (as a cur-tain-raiser to the Wellington-Taranaki match), is as follows : Full-back: D. Campion (Old Boys) ; threequarters: G. Hartley (Rangitikei), F. Collier (Xaierau), Wright (Old Boys); five-eighths; McGregor (Rangitikei), Jackson (Taihape), captain; half-back: McKay (Rangitikei); wing-forward: A. Brown (Imlay) ; forwards: W. Thompson (Old Boys), J. Stewart (Kaierau) hooker, lock, WeWreta (Rangitikei) ; A. Lockett (Kaierau), H. Cox (Old Boys), A. Harre (Rangitikei), J. Collerton (Marists). | Reserves: "Williams (Imlay), and Barry (Imlay); backs: Blair (Imlay), and Pint (Kaie-I gau)» - 1