FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

, THE CUP COMPETITIONS. > TUKAPA MAINTAIN LEAD. CHAMPIONSHIP PRACTICALLY ASSURED. By defeating Okaiawa on Saturday Tukapa have again established a three-point lead, and ar»- now practically assured of the championship this season. The matches were played in fine but cold weather. Most interest centred in the meeting of Tukapa and Okaiawa at the Sports Ground, and there was a very .arge attendance. A good game was witnessed, the verdict goin;g to Tukapa by 8 points to 3. Hawera beat Patea by a similar margin, whilst Kaponga easily defeated Walmate. Clif-» ton were unable to Send a team to Opunake. In the B grade Old Boys defeated Okato by a narrow margin, whilst Inglewood easily defeated Star, and Eitham defeated Lepperton. RESULTS AT A GLANCE. A GRADE. Tukapa 8 v. Okalawa 3. Hawera 8 v. Patea 3. Kaponga 19 v. Waimate 3. Opunake won from Clifton by default. B GRADE. Old Boys 5 v. Okato 0. Inglewood 21 v. Star 6. Eitham 11 v. Lepperton 6. - POSITION OF THE TEAMS. The position of the teams is "ow as follows: JL GRADE.

A GRADE. TUKAPA (8) v. OKATAWA (3). An air of expectancy among the large crowd wj»s strongly in evidence at Puk*kura Park as the Tukapa and Okaiawa flneens fl’ed on to -h® field to fight out what was virtually the deciding match in the coKnpetition. The teams proved to be evenly matched, with Okaiawa the stronger in the scrummages and excelling in loose work, whilst the Tukapa forwards were better in the line-outs, and stood up stoutlv when stiff defence was all necessary. As for the backs, Tukapa were slightly the better, though they did not hare things by any means all their own way. Much of the back movements on both sides was spoiled by indifferent passing, and though at all times brimful of Intere.st and ./xcitement. the match as a spectacle did not soar to an exceptionally high level Keen and hard-fought it certainly was. with the visitors striving all the tim«* to turn the tid? that had set in against tht.m after Stohr's brilliant try. and though they did not succeed in making up the leeway. they certainly had the better of the game, especially in the second spell, but the match ended with Tukapa victorious by 8 points to 3. Play opened strenuously, both teams infusing great dash into their work. Okaiawa. led by Roberts, were the first to attack, but back swept Tukapa. the ball being passed smartlv among the hacks till a knock-on ’topped the movement After ten minutes fast, exciting play the game quietened down. Then Brown made a clever opening near halfway. and after a smart run transferred to Hooker, and then to Stohr. who drew the defence towards the corner and then cut in brilliantly, beat the full-back and scored without opposition behind the posts. His clever effort was Idudly applauded, the cheering being renewed as Hooker landed a goal. A free kick by Tukapa shortly afterwards was not turned to account Th* Okaiawa forwards, led bv Toro, were playing a great gaune. and swept down with ball at feet, hut Tukapa just managed to force as the ball crossed the line, and over-eagerness on the part of rhe visitors caused another force down a minute later. Okaiawa wer? now having the better of the game, their forwards, especially, playing with great dash, excelling In the loose and heeling the ball out cleanly from the scrum. Roberts narrowly missed, with a penalty kick, but despite several incursions by Tukapa Into Okaiawa territory, the visitors quickly came back Guy left MeAllum standin? and started a promising mom which was vrnsUated bv Brown, who marked in the teeth nf a dangprous rush. After Roberts had again failed with a free kick. Tukana invaded Okaiawa territory, giving the visitors an anxious •ime till Rve relieved with a ti-mely linekick. Half-tUne cam* with the seme*. Tukapa 5. Okaiawa «. As in the first spell. Okaiawa again took •he initiative, the visiting forwards sweepr«r down on Tukapa’s goal line, where the defenders were penalised, hut Toro failed with a falrlv easy kick. The ensuing quarter of an hour saw the visitors' n’Udt sustained, and several times they made bids for a sror* hut Tukana, put up a solid defence which defied penetration An endeavour hy Tuki to "pot” a goal also failed MeAllum. Tohnson and H Oliver at last led the Tukapa forwards back to Okaiawa’s twenty-five, and the visitor’ were obliged to force From ensuin’ play Okaiawa were penalised, and Hooker had a shot from the quarter-wav mark at a fair angle with the goal posts, and landed a goal A deficit of eight points roused Oka'awa to renewed action, and the game settled down in Tukapa ground Prior, at fullback. came to the rescue of his side on more than one occasion, kicking and lining with indent. The Ti.fc-.pa forwards espeeal.y Davis. Linn and All»n. were dolnn heroic work In thr lino-outs, snd staved off Okaisws's attack- for a time Atkins was sett.ne the hall out smartly to his banks, who made vigorous efforts to score. one determ.ned nsssinr rush endlns by Kye Im.np forced out near the oerner. Then D. Johnson, who had Improved as the name prosressed. made a pood run before shootin’ the ball out to Taylor who hurled himself across the line near the comer. Roberts failed with a difficult kick Roberts. Johnson and Rve were all dome coM work- in the vtsitlne backs, but Tukapa forwards mse to the occasion., forcne back the attackers to their own territory. With the chance of Okaiawa- seenrlne a draw >he interest in the s»me . deepened, and attack and counter-attack were .keenly followed. The forwards on both. sides . were standine the strain well, play morins quickly from one end of the field to the other, but desp.te the endeavours of Okaiawa to draw level and the battle bein’ put up bv Tukapa to Increase their lead, the end caane to-an ■ exerting match with the score:— Tukapa 8 Okaiawa 3 Mr. F. Julian refereed. / rstal of 2620 people paid at the gate, the sum of £lO5 being taken. HAWERA (8) v. PATEA (3). Hawera and Patea met at Hawera. Neither .-it. wa? quit* up to full strength. The *T it'-ti proved a dicnppoint’nc exhibition, bein’ oul! and vninieresting most of the time. Zbore wm Kme iAdindual pHy, but

concerted movements were lacking, and only on rare occasions did the backs get moving. The forwards on both sides infused some dash into their work, but here again it was mostly individual work. Right through the game was fairly even, but on the day the Hawera team were the better. The game was a hard fought one. but on the /Whole was devoid of i rough play, though two players incurred the • displeasure of the referee and were ordered I off during the second spell, jeach team there- | after playing a man short ■ Play started fast up and down field, and I after West had had a resultless shot at goal Jenkins (the Hawera full-back) was caught with the ball, and Frank McKenna, following up. scored Hawera kept pressing, and West was nearly over. Then, picking up in the loose. Sutherland broke away and forced his way across. West goaled. Close to the end of the spell Robinson, retired with a dislocated shoulder, and Lavery took his place. The spell ended with the score: Hawera 5, Patea 3. On resuming Patea carried play to Ha- | wera's goal-line, where Wilkinson saved. : Later, beating several men, Wilkinson set Hawera attacking, and finally Patea forced. Play then travelled fast up and down field. McKenna doing some good work. Then Lemm centred to Murphy, and in the resultant rush secured and scored. West failed to goal. The game ended with the score : Hawera 8 Patea 3 Mr. Neilson refereed. B GRADE. OLD BOYS (5) v. OKATO (0). A closely contested game was played by theae teams at New Plymouth. Okato immediately invaded Old Boys’ twen-ty-five. where they stayed till Wynyard made a fine opening, and from a passing bout In which nearly all the team participated. Marks scored between the posts. Doile added the additional points with an easy kick. Old Boys kept Okato on the defence practically ail through the second spell, but scoring opportunities were frustrated by Shale and Roebuck, while P. Corbett several times relieved with well placed kiciis. Towards the end of the first spell Okato forwards, headed by Shotter. worked to within a few yards of their objective, but Valentino saved with a timely mark. Then the ball travelled 'from Sole, via Wynyard. Marks and Sykes, to the wing, who was smothered. Stev. Roebuck tried to goal, but a good kick went just outside. The last spell found the wind favoring Old Boys, and although play was confined most of the time to Okato territory, no points were added. the game ending:— Old Boys 5 Okato ® Mr. O'Grady refereed. < INGLEVIOOD (21) V. STAR (6). This game was played at Inglewood in cold, bleak weather. Star elected to play with the wind in the first spell, and returned play to Inglewood territory after the kick off, where Dunford had a shot at goal from a free kick. A couple of passing rushes were initiated by Wiley, and Star were placed on the defence, but their forwards got away with the ball, and the attack being pressed. Bridger got over near the corner. Dunford failed to add the major points. Inglewood forwards attacked and Coutts secured, passins out to the threequarter line, where Sutherland put in a good run and scored. L. Ross kicked a fine goal. Shortly afterwards off-side play gave Dunford an opportunity, and a good shot put Star in front.

In the second spell Inglewood maintained a strenuous attack. Wiley took advantage of an opening from hard forward play and scored, Ross again converting. Inglewood came away again, and after a five-yards’ scrum Wiley passed to Coutts, who transferred to Dean, a try resulting. Ross was once moro successful. Some good passing bouts were a feature of Inglewood's game during the next few minutes, and from one of them W. Ross got over, the shot at goal missing. Inglewoctl continued the attack, and Lumsden forced his way through and brought the score to: — Inglewood 21 Star 6 Mr. Webb refereed. ELTHAM (11) V. LEPPERTON (6). As the score would indicate, namely three tries (one converted) to two. these teams were fairly evenly matched. The game was played at Lepperton, and the spectators were treated to a good exhibition, play being open almost throughout. though flashes of good forward play were not wanting. McSweeney, Foster and Pennyhall scored for the visitors. Mr. H. Nuttall refereed. NORTHERN DIVISION. SECOND GRADE. High School (38) defeated Urenui (3). Tukapa (17) defeated Old Boys (0) THIRD GRADE. Old Boys (3) defeated Technical (0). Star (10) defeated High School (3). FOURTH GRADE. High School C (3) defeated Tukapa (0). Petty kicked a penalty goal for the winners. The match was virtually the deciding one in the fourth grade competition. High School D and Star did not meet. SOUTHERN DIVISION.

SECOND GRADE. Hawera defeated Patea by 6 points to 3. FOURTH GRADE. Patea journeyed to HaweYa to meet Kaponga. but the latter failed to arrive. OUTSIDE MATCHES, NELSON v. MARLBOROUGH. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Blenheim. July 29. A match for the Seddon Shield was played to-day between Nelson and Marlborough. The' visiting forwards were too good for the local men and kept the Marlborough backs on the defensive throughout. The match ended: Nelson 16; Marlborough 3. The shield goes to Nelson for the first time. WEST COAST v. BULLER. Greymouth. Last Night. A match between West Coast and Buller ended in favor of Coast by 14 points *n 12. PLAY IN THE CENTRES. RESULTS OF SATURDAY’S MATCHES. Wellington—University 12 v. Marist G; Petone 13 v. Berhampore 3: Poneke 11 v. Athletic 6: Oriental 15 v. Wellington 3; Selwyn 12 v. Old Boys 6. Dunedin. —University A 17 v. Kaikorai 8: Zingari-Richmon 12 v. Pirates 8 : University B 8 v. Port Chalmers 5; Alhambra 18 v. Dunedin 6; Taieri Rovers nil v. Southern nil. The season concluded to-day with the flag points as follow : University A 22. Pirates and ! Zingari 18, Kaikorai 16, Alhambra 14. University B 12, Dunedin 10. Southern 9, Taieri Rovers 7, Port Chalmers 2, Union 0. TARANAKI v. WANGANUI. THE TARANAKI TEAM. The Taranaki team to play Wanganui at New Plymouth on Saturday is: Full-back: Robertson (Hawera). Three-quarters: Wilkinson (Hawera), Vaughan (Stratford), Stohr (Tukapa). Five-eighths: Johnson (Okaiawa), Fryday (Clifton). Half: Coleman (Clifton). Rover: Malone (Kaponga). Forwards: Campbell (Clifton). Hammersley (Kaponga). Hunt (Patea), Scott (Kaponga), McCullough (Stratford), West and Fogarty (Hawera). Emergencies: Backs—Marks (Old Boys), Insia (Tutopa). Couitfl (Inglewood); forwards—

Byrne (Okaiawa), Crompton and Spratt (Patea). Players are to assemble at the Red House Hotel on Friday night at 8.30. Players not available are requested to notify the secretary of the Rugby Union. HAWERA V. TUKAPA, The Hawera-Tukapa match in aid of the New Plymouth unemployment fund has been definitely fixed to be played at New Plymouth on Wednesday. Hawera will be represented by ; Anderson, Wilkinson. Horton. Jenkins, Ryan. Purcell. C. Whittington, Mullins. Sutherland. West, Izavery. Chadwick, Murphy, Fogarty. WANGANUI COLLEGE v. WAVERLEY. The annual match between the Wanganui Collegiate School and the Waveriey XV was played on the Waveriey Domain on Wednesday in the presence of a large gathering of spectators. The game throughout was very keen. Waveriey eventually proving victorious by 11 points to 10. During the game, R. L. Williams, the Collegiate full back, was In the act of tackling an opponent when he crumped up. It was at once noticed that, his injuries were serious, as he had apparently lost the use of his legs. A medical examination proved that his spine had been injured, and it is believed that he lias sustained lesion of the spinal cord. The accident had a marked effect on the Collegiate team, with whom their full back was deservedly popular.

Tukapa ....... Okaiawa ...... ns s .-. 13 .. 13 s 11 10 s 3 0 1 1 23 20 Rawer a ...... __ 12 3 2 LG Patea ........ .. 13 8 5 —— 16 Kaponga ..... 6 6 _— 12 Clifton 5 7 10 Stratford ..... .. 12 4 7 —— 9 Optmake ..... .. 12 2 8 2 6 Walmate ..... .. 13 — B GRADE. 13 — 0 OH Bovs .. 13 11 2 22 Tnalewood .... .. 13 10 2 1 21 Pitham .. 13 6 K 2 14 Okato .. 13 4 7 2 10 Star .. 13 3 8 2 8 Lepperton .... .. 13 —> 10 3 3