FOOTBALL NOTES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10686, 13 July 1912, Page 5

FOOTBALL NOTES

(By All Blade? TOhDAY'S FIXTURES. SENIOR. Gladstone v. Red Star at Mateterton, referee, Mr McKenzie. G-reytown. v. Carterton at Carterton., referee Mr Nicholls. Master-ton. -v. Liberals at Gtreytown; •referee Mn- Wiickens, , JUNIOR. Dalefieild v. Carterton at Carterton.; (referee, Mr J. Carter.

The second round of the Wairarapa Championship fixtures will he continued, this afternoon. .Gladstone meet Red .Star on the old Showgrounds, whAi oii'3 of the ibest games of the season should result. Both teams should ibe at their besJt foi"m at 'this stage c.f the season, and spectators will no dowbt witness w wd!contested game.

Carterton, on last (Saturday's femm, \vjjfl doubtless add another victory to t'bu.r fot, ibut itihe Greytown team have created cue or two surprises already this season, and to-day may see » repetition of this. The game being played at ,Oartcirton is, of course, in 'favour of the home team, wliidi is always hard to beat on ita own ground.

Masterton and Liberal should 'have an excellent set to, and it would be unsafe to predict a ,win for either side. The MLvsterton team is greatly improved, and ihaving a .partiality far a soft ground, will ,be .sure to give a good .account of therostHves. A win for the ponlar blacks would be well ireceayed hy football eintJragiasts in the Wa'irarapa.

It 'is to be regretted -that practically every match this season has .been played on a ivet ground. It <:s generally admitted that on a greasy ground, victory does not always lie with ith.3 * Ibest side. The playing ground® to-day ivil? be no exception, and will /be in a very isoft condition, after the fliea.vy ra:ns of the past few days. Takiing this unto consideration, it will be no •suipr. l g.e if a reversal ci" form 6s l.'hown hi. one- or two of the matcflics to-day. Gircytcwn juniors have withdrawn from -She .junior competition, Heaving only .vhree teams to compete. It is rather a pity that the junior and third-class teams are eo badly balanced, as with Carterton a long way •ahead in the junior, and Red Star many points ahead of the third elate competition, the remaining teams seem to lose interest.

Grou.be and Desmond, of the Oar- j •ter.ton Ibeam, leave to join, the North •Island country team on Monday week. Their absence will wc'akcai Carterton considerably. Gladstone have two changes tin •their team to-day, Booth and Da Laeey replacing S. Henderson and J. 'Stevienson. Edgar Mason will play nfc half. Fred Ball, who stood out of tho 'Sflar team Jlast week, .\vM. be in his old place at half to-day. The result of the North v. Smith match, 'which is being played at Napier to-day, 'will be awaited with interest'. .A Napicir telegram .states -that the weather prospects are now much .brighter. Heavy rain fell on. Thurtsday ,n.ight, /but yesterday the •weather had cleared, and (if the conditions continue, tho ground should be ! in fairly good order. A .great number of seats have .been booked, and the attendance prcmials to establish a record. Ma- E. McKenaie, -secretary of the Wairarapa Rugby Union, received a communication from the Nelson Rugby Union that August 15th had been suggested as the date for the match against Wairatrapa. It is understood a reply :has (been sent approving of the date.

The 'Northern Rugby Union. League has been granted the rise of Newtown Park for July 20th for a match ..Wellington v. the New Zealand team now touring Australia, and for a match with the New South Wales team on August- 24th.