Football.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 164, 25 August 1903, Page 5

Football.

TOKO Y. OWAKA. TOKO AGAIN WINS THE BANNER. Tne final match of the Beaaon to decide who should hold the Banner for 1903, came off at Bilclutha on Saturday afternoon before a large crowd of spectators. The weather was perfect, a-:d a splendid game was witnessed. Both sides were well encouraged by a host of barrackera, who were both seen and heard. Toko won the toss and Owaka kicked off against a, slight wind. The Owaka forwards carried -the first Borum, bub Archer and ! Libtlejohn kept them from going too far. A lot of line play followed, Rnd Owaka forwards continued to carry the play nearer the Toko line till Clark got in a good kick and sent the ball back. Good play by Littlejohn, Draper, and Hatton carried the play to Owaka's twenty-five, where Toko got a free kick. No goal was kicked. Toko kept up the attack and a scrum wap formed in front of the Owaka coal. Owaka fsrwards came again, when Grant, Archer, Littlejohn and Morrison stopped the rash. Good play by Powley and Lynch put the ball over Owaka's line and they were forced again. After the kick-out Littlejohn got on & good run and passed to Bowie, who scored a try. The kick at goal failed. Toko 3 points. The Owaka forwards, especially Carlton and Barrington, were playing with great dash, and Toko had a turn defending. Good play by Morrison and a passing run by Grant, Draper, and Litilejoha carried the ball close to Owaka's line. Archer secured the ball, and dashing over, scored the second try. The kick at goal again failed. Toko 6. Half-time was then called. Owaka pressed Toko hard for some ten minutes after the commencement of the second spell, but the Toko backs proved too speedy for their opponents. Powley, Lynch, and L'ttlejohn were instrumental in shifting the play to near Owaka's goal, and from a free kick Morrison had a shot afe goal without result. Owaka kicked off again, and Clark, Hatton, and Powley shifted play to the souths twenty-five again. Owaka carried the next scrum, but Archer relieved. The Owaka forwards made some splendid rushes now, bub Littlejohn came to the rescue. Morrison was twice prominent in good dribbling rushes, but the Owaka defence was safe. M'lvor came away with the ball at his toe, but Owaka forwards again assumed the aggressive. A good kick by the Owaka half-baok was well returned iby Littlejohn, but Owaka carrying the scrum again came into Toko's twenty-five, where they obtained a mark. E. Patterson kicked a splendid goal. Toko 6 points, Owaka 4 points. Owaka continued to force matters, and it looked anybody's game. Morrison relieved, and Draper and Grant shifted play down the field again. More give-and-take play occurred, and shortly afterwards th<? whistle sounded " no side." Toko thus won by two tries (6 points) ti a goal from a mark (4 points), and ib was generally admitted that the better team was victorious. The Owaka forwards, prominent among whom were Carlton, Barrington and Murphy, were in great form, and made no race of Toko in thß scrums. Their backa were not so good. The Toko forwards were superior in the loose work, and all played as hard as they knew how. Morrison was per haps the most brilliant. From the above j details of the game it will be seen that all the Toko li'«cks showed up well at times, and for a special mention we should say G. Littlejohn was the " star" performer. Mr H. White (Dunedin) held tha whistle, and had a busy time attending to the numerous infringements that occurred during the game. Little more need be said except that after a good rob down, and a hearty tea, and later on a little street music by the bandsmen who were in the Toko team, all cot aboard their traps and had a pleasant drive home. Arrived there they made the town lively with music and mirth, and ifc was easy for even a non-football enthusiast to know that " Toko won !"