FOOTBALL AT HOME.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 67, 12 December 1907, Page 7

FOOTBALL AT HOME.

NEW ZEALAND DEFEATED. : < BEATEN BY BRADFORD ON A WET GROUND. UNFAVOURABLE COMPARISON WITH LAST TEAM. BI TELEGKAFII—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. London, Dccombor 10. The nineteenth match of the New Zealandors' tour, played at Bradford,; the great wool centre, resulted: — Bradford ... ... 7 New Zealand . ' ... 2 Bradford scored two goals and ono try and the New Zoalaniiers ano goal. Heavy rain spoilt tho play.' Bradford took the lead early in the game, which afterwards was evenly contested. Bradford occupied tho 18th:'position in the Northern Union League's competition during tho season 1906-7, with the following record: — , Matchcs played 30, won 12, lost 16, drawn 2; score; for Gt goals, 87 tries, total points 389; scores against, 59 goals 83 tries, total points, !iG7; porcontajjo in competition, 43.33. ; : Tho following table shows tho matches played and the scoreß to ilato., .It also shows, in parentheses, for each of tho English teams, tho matches won and lost, and tho position ■ gainod in tho Northern Union, League; Com- ' yetition for last season; 1906-7:— Bramloy—Won by 125 points to G—s goals 5 tries to 2 tries. (Won 1, lost 19, 2Gth position in tho Leagno.) Euddcrsfiold—Won by 19 points to B—2 goals 5 tries to 1 goal 2 tries. (Won 13, 1 lost 19, 19th position in League.)' Widnes—Won by 26 points to <11—4 goals G tries to 1 goal 3 tries. (Won 9, lost 10, 12th position in'Leagno.) • Broughton Rangers—Won by 20 points to 11 —4 goals 4 tries to i goals 2 tries.' (Won 17, lost 12, 9tli position in Leaguo.) Wakefield Trinity—Draw, 5 points. (Won 12, lost 15, 10th position in- League.) Leeds—Won by 8 points tc 2—l goal 2 tries to 1 goal. (Won la, lost 9, 6th i position in Leagno.) St. Ilolons—Won by 24 points to 5—3 goals and C tries to 1 goal and 1 try. , (Won. i 9, lost 17, 22nd position in league.) ; Merthyr Tydvil—Won by 27 points ,to 0— 3 goals 7 tries to 3 tries. (A new club, • not in Leaguo last year.) : Keighley—Woii by 9 points to :7—3 tries to 2 goals ,and 1 try. (Won 17, lost 6, Ith 1 position in League.) Wigan—Lost by 8 points to 12—1 goal and 2 tries to 1 tries. (Won 23, lost 10, sth position in Leagno.) Barrow—Lost by 3 pointa to o—l try to 2 tries. (Won 13,..105t,12,..11th .position in League.) Hull—Won by 18-poirrterto and i trios to 2 goals and 3 tries. (Won 15; lost 17, 13th position in League.) Leigh—Lost by 9 points to 15—3 goals and 1 try to 3 goals and 3 tries. (Won 12, • lost 15, 15th position: in . Leaguo.) Oldham—Draw, 8 points.' (Won 20, lost 7; ; 2nd position in League.) Runcorn—Lost by nil to 9—3 tries. (Won 23, lost 7, 3rd position in League.) : Dewsbury and Batley—Won by 18 pointß to B—3 goals and 4 tries to 1 goal and 2 tries. (Dewsbury, won 12, lost 15, 14th position; Batloy.', won 8, lost 15, 21st position.) • Swinton—Won by 11 points to 2—4 goals ■ and 1 try to 1 goal. (Won 14, lost 18, 17th position in League.) . - Eochdalo Hornets—Won by 19 points to 0— 2 goals and 5 tries to : nil. (Won 9, lost IG. 20th position'in League.) Bradford—Lost by 2 points to 7—l goal to 2 goals and 1 try. (Won 12, lost IC, 18t.li position in Leagno.)' Record.—Flayed 19, won 12, lost 5, drawn 2, points for 259, against 147. r FIRST WALES MATCH. " NOT THE GIANTS OP TWO YEARS " , AGO." 1 SUPERIOR SPEED.: i (R-cc. Dec. 11, 7.8 p.m.) . Sydney, December 11. . Tho following comments of London papers arc to hand on tho match at Merthyr Tydvil, in Wales, wlio.ro Now Zoaland beat the newlyformod Merthyr Tydvil team'. by 27 .points ; (3 goals, 7 tries) to 9 (3 tries). 5 AUCKLAND BACKS SCORE. s Tho " Daily Chronicle " says the New Zealatiders signalisod. their'first appearance'in Wales by a decisive victory'. Merthyr Tydvil elected to kick up field and gained tho visitors' twenty-fivo, but wero penalised. Returning to centre, the play kept up a great 1 pace. Twice Messenger failed with penalty ' kicks; then Maddison (Merthyr) broko aWay, 3 but his pass wenf~"astray. For a time Morthyr pressed, bntnt-good-kick—by-Me^- • senger transferred play, and from a bout if passing. ' Todd got over, Turtill converting. ' Encouraged by their success, tho Now* Zealanders continued . the attack, and after Lavory got over" Rowo added another try. j llecd tlion crossed f.qr.'Merthvr, and at half timo tho scores stdod:—'' i New Zealand 11 3 Morthyr Tydvil| V ~,. ... ... 3 MESSENGER; DROPS A GOAL. Shortly after change of ends, Messenger put tho visitors futf-her ahead with, a try. ! Then Reos got'over,'.for 1 then dropped a beautiful ; gqaj .from half-way. Todd put on threo irioro tries,' Messenger con- ' verting ono, Nearing' tho end of. tho match a fine bout of passing ended in Bevtin. obta'ini ing a try for Merthyr. This proved tho limit ; of tho scoring. Tho Merthyr half-backs woro superior to their opponent®, but in the torwards tho homo side was ovor-woighted. ' The "Daily Telegraph" sayß thnt the colonials wore vastly superior in the open to i their opponents, nnd their running and - passing were particularly fino. BACKS PKAISED. > The " Daily Mail " saya ►Vthat' tlife 'present I team of Now Zealandors is not so good as the i side of giants who; visited Wales, two years ago is tho opinion -of-fiverybody w;ho saw the match.' The greasy ..ground might account for the failure- of : tho visitors' lorwards, but or tho backs one must speak with i admiration. Mcsscngor and Todd arq artists of tho first water. is also good. The All Blacks had tho misfortune to Ibso Gilchrist, who was injured in the kneo early in tho first halt." ■> The " Daily.News ''. says that Morthyr did not deserve ,to loso by so large a. margii. ' The play of tho Now Zealandors, exceptingMessenger, Rowo, and Todd, did not ;impress ' the Welsh critics. . MOTthyr ,lost so I heavily because of tho superior speed : of ; tlio New; Zealanders, and the fino opportunism of Messenger and Todd. ■ I OXFORD BEATS CAMBRIDGE. London,' December 10. ■ At Rugby football, Oxford scored ono goal and four tries (14 points, : according' to 1 amatour scoring) and Cambridge nil.. G. ;M. ■ Chapman, of New Zealand, played for Cambridge.