FOOTBALL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10644, 27 May 1912, Page 5

FOOTBALL

SATURDAY'S MATCHES. The Ifoothall eoaeon in the Waii'iirap.i was opened on Saturday, when the first matches in collection, with the Wairarapa. dhampionships were played. Two senior and several jna 'lor and third class games were decided, and for the beginning of the season' good .football was witnessed. Carterton, last year's champions, had their first win, defeating Mas tor - ton hy a large .margin, but it would seem that the score, to a certain extent, did not indicate the relative strength of the teams. Masterton ,s a te.nm of young .and light players, bat be.ir.ig keen, will improve as the reason ~a dvances, and may be expected ito put up ,s.oma good fights. Carterton seem to be a strong team, notwithstanding that they have lost &o.nc good players. iGreytown and Glpidetome met on zhe hatter's ground, and of bar a good hard game, G.reytown secured the verdict 'by 3 points. Greytown's i,upporte>-* tare, very sanguine about their team winnling the championirfhip, but if they 'are/to do so, wiffl require to improve a great deal. On Saturday's play thelre is not much difference between the teams in 'the competition, so that the season's matches 'should be ru'll ■ of interest. ITlie 1 merits' of Red Stars 'will be shown next Saturday, when they meet , Grey town at Masterton. SENIOR. GtR-EYTOWN 9 v. GLADSTONE f. IThe match started at ten minutes to .four, and was finished in the dark.. • when it was barely possible to see the ball. This,, ibv the way, is a .mattor that the Rugby Union should look in to, as apart from unfairness to the waiting taim, lib is not the thing to keep the public waiting close on on hour for a match to commence. Gre-y----•town won the '..tees, and played with the .sun ibehind them. '-Gladstone forwards soon settled clown to work, and headed iby Hedge and Henderson, ,imshed the ball to Greytown's twenty•five, where close play 'ensued for some time, Gladstone .on several occasions missing ia score .by over-runn-ing the ball or in othe'r ways mulling ft. The first score came to Gladstone from, a free kick, Sexton plaiting a good goal. From the .kick off the yel'low and forwards again had their opponents on. the defensive, but (good kicking by Kama kept the Tine • clear. For a while play was kept to mid-field, the forwards having most of the play. A loose rush a few minutes later saw Henderson touch down for 'Johnson Ifa'aled with the "kidk at goal. Half time came with | Gladstone 6 .paints to the good. At the beginning of the second .speil 'Greytawn set out to equalise matters, and having the ' advantage of the thill;, for a time .kept the Gladtone hacks busy,- but good play by Thompson and Strang ke|r>t the line clear. "Gladstone: iforwards then opened' a rush, and carried the ball right to the opposing line, ? but kicking too hard, \the opportunity wias lostl For i-he greater part of the spell the play wai fairly .even* tfM tih,e last ten minutes, ..when Gladstone went to pieces, and 'from a forwttrd .ruyh danger scored iu the corner. The kick .tit goal was a ; flailure. A few minutes after, from a scrum, Greytown backs opened a good passing rusTi, whidh ended in 'Russell scoring Greytowirf's seeo'id try. The kick at gotfl was again a failure. With a few minutes to go. and in a very .bad light, Grey town seemed determined to wi!n, and just on the call of time Kura scored again. ■No ,'goal resulted, leaving Greytown winners '(by nine, points to 6. For *«t> (winners Ku<ra was the outstanding pXayer, white Riussell and .Danger were also in good form. For Gladstone, Hodge, L. Johnson and Hender•son were the best forwards, while in (the backs Strang, Thompson and Henderson were the pick. Mr Adams 'was referee. CARTERTON 22 v. MASTERTON :1. j This match was 'the attraction at Hue Masterton Showgrounds, and