FOOTBALL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 August 1924, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

■ ♦ SATURDAY’S MATCHES. The results of Saturday’s senioi matches left Hawera leaders of Group 11.. and they will play off with Tukapa for the championship. Hawera drew with Star after a keenly contested game at Pukekura Park, each side securing three points. Stratford finished three points better than Inglewood, who failed to score, and at Patea Okl Boys 'Vere defeated by 14 to 3. STAB (3) v. HAWERA (3). The Star and Hawera fifteens met at Pukekura Park, Xew Plymouth. o» Saturday, after the conclusion of the rainui-Tukapa match. The ground, which had been in a- bad state from the outset, was frightfully cut about by the time the latter teams took the field. Naturally these conditions, coupled with heavy showers, were detrimental to brilliant football, and the match proved to be far from interesting. The fact that the final score was three all reflects great credit upon Star, for the Hawera team is leading in the .southern division. On the day’s play Star thoroughly deserved to win. Their forwards worked hard, whilst the backs, although they were not brilliant, played sterling games. Hawera kicked off, and from a scrum a few moments later secured the ball, which travelled to McGregor, who made a spectacular run. but failed to pass out when collared. Over eagerness to score characterise'd this player throughout the match, and he was often responsible for the disorganisation of the visiting backs. The Hawera forwards were much heavier and taller than the opposing pack, and in the line-outs almost monopolised the ball. In the scrums, however, Star proved to be far superior, and hooked the ball practically at their will

As the result of McGregor’s run Star were forced to defend their line, hut only for a short space of time, as Dunford sent play back to near halfwaj with a fine line kick. Star in their turn were aggressive, but all their backmovements were abortive through malpassing. Hawera did not long remain on the defensive, for the forwards got the hall at their feet and returned play to Star s twenty-five. Thus the game continued through the first spell, seesawing between the twenty-fives of the respective teams.

Sinclair, the Haivera full-back, did not play up to his. usual form, and was quite often caught with the ball. Dunford, on the contrary, played an exceptionally good game at full hack and, supported by Julian, .Jenkins, and. Clarke, made Star’s defence very sound. The first spell ended with no score on either side.

Upon the Resumption of play Star made the pace exceedingly fast, and soon had the visitors defending in their 25. The blacks repeatedly- attempted to cross the line—Julian being the most conspicuous back—but their attempts were futile. The yellow and black backs at length broke away with the ball at their feet. However, the relief was only momentary, for the Star backs soured the ball from the ruck, and it travelled down the line to Clarke, who when opposed passed infield to Court, who had a clear run home. Jenkins failed to convert. Star 3, Hawera 0. The visitors, who were plainly showing signs o.f exhaustion as the result of the fast pace set by the lighter team, attacked in a determined manner from the kick-off. Willems and Robinson were the heart and soul of the Hawera forwards, and time and again led the pack in fine dribbling rushes. As the result of one of these rushes, which the Star men failed to stem through not falling on the hall. Hawera worked their way into St/ar’s 25. From a subsequent ' scrum the visitors hooked the ball, which went to Thomas, who cut in cleverly and scored Hawera’s only try. Sinclair failed to convert. From thence on the game was uneventful, and at the call of time the score was three all. Air F. J. Eggelton was the referee. STRATFORD 3, INGLEWOOD 0. Ibis match was played at Inglewood, ami resulted in a very cb-se, and, oi. the whole, a most interesting game. A drawn game would have been iv.oi\ in keeping with the run of the ploy. A heavy ground and gieosy hall, p!n, heavy showers, made matters very dh ficult, but in spite of tlie adverse circumstances the players acquitted liiem selves well. The first spell opent-a with Inglewood playing against a siigle breeze. Stratford at once w-nt inu the attack, which was stemmed by Coutts and N. Ross, Play then worked to Stratford 25, where LouLts made ; line attempt to convert a penalty. Ii play again, Siiarrock and i< ryday meet down field. and from a line cm j: ! Inglewood’s 25, Walters secured, ~no shaking oil’ a. would-be tackier, scored ;. good try. Sliarrock failed with the kick. From this on till the end of t!i< spell play continued very even, noitlie. side having any great advantage. Ii the second half Stratford had' si'ghtly the better of the game, hut could inn penetra*c the defence. Play ranger, over the field in the I a t tor stages, bm in spite of strenuous eitorts by boLl sides no lurtlier score resulted, tin game ending Stratford 3, Inglewood 0. PATEA 14 V. OLD BOYS 3 lilt- senior football match between Old Boys and Patea was played on tlu Patea ground on Saturday- afternoon and resulted in a win for the, home team by 14 to 3. Patea won the toss, and Old Boys kicked off’. Once the ball was in motion the teams set to work in real earnest, and a strong attack by the home forwards caused Old Boys to force. From the kick out Patea again charged clown the field, hut a good kick by Old Boys relieved the strain. Sonn give and take play ensued, when Boon opened up, ana was conspicuous by a good run down the Line, taking play lu within striking distance of the Pa- . line. Krum a scrum Patea attacked solidly, and carried play to the 010 lioys' 25. Some pretty passing was 1 -c indulged in by Old Boys’ backs, the ball passing from one to another in quick succession, and was neatly tutored by Tangipo. The Oid Boys were penalised for handling the ball in scrum, and Groig landed a good goal. Patea 3, Old Boys 0. From the kickout Brewster led the Old Bays’ forwards in a determined attack on their opponents' goal line, and again Tangipo saved. . Patea, then rallied, and Pope, the! Old Boys’ full back, vats repeatedly- called upon to save the position. Another passing rush by the Old Bovs, led by Brewster, who was playing a great game, was spoilt, by- faulty handling. Tangipo marked in a likely position, hut the kick at goal was not successful. Loose play followed the kick oiii, and Back, nicking up smartly, scored for Paten between the posts. Jackson added the niajop points. Patea 8, Old Hoys 0. Patea kicked off in the. second spell, and give and take play was indulged in for some time, when Old Boys wore awarded a penalty kick. In it the kick at goal was not successful. Patea forced. From the kick out loose play followed, and Tangipo picked up and scored. Greig’s kick at goal was not successful. Patea.il. Old Bovs 0. From the kick out the Old Boys

rallied, Taylor and Bullard being prominent, and a certain score was lost through being over-anxious. Patea was penalised and Boon goaled. Patea- 11, Old Boys 3. Patea then put in a vigorous attack, which ended in Greig scaring- The kick at goal was not successful. The- whistle then went, the game ending in Patea-’s favour by 14 points to 3. Air Kiely had control of the game, aiul gave every satisfaction. TARANAKI v. MANAWATU. THE TARANAKI TEAM. The following will represent Taranaki in the match against Manawatu at Stratford on Thursday : Full-back—Sinclair (Hawera). Three-quarters—'Ross (] no-lewood) Ennis (Tukapa), McGregor (Hawera). Five-eighths—J ohn son (Okaiawa), Cameron (Hawera). Half —Jeffries (Tukapa). Rover—Coutts (Inglewood). Forwards—-Fryday, Walter, Kivell (Stratford), Robinson. Patterson (Hawera). Hunt (Patea). Kissick (Kaponga). Emergencies—Backs: Friar and Oliver (Tukapa). Forwards: Baldwin (Patea) and O’Rorke (Opunake). PRIMARY SCHOOLS FOOTBALL. The following team has been chosen to represent the South against North at Stratford on Thursday, 7th inst., at I. p.m.:—Full-back, Chard (Wharehuia); three-quarters, Greenbanks (Hawera), Trye (Opunake-),* Gower (Eltham): five-eighths, Codings (Stratford), Robertson (Opunake); half, James (Tokaora); rover, Hamblyn (Stratford); forwards, -Collard (St-rat-fard), Eaves (Otakeho), Butcher (Stratford), AlcGuinness (Mangatoki), Hughes (Toko), Nicholas (Mangatoki), Endings (Stratford). Emergencies: Ballantyne (Normandy), Toro (Manaia). Lunch will he provided for the players and teachers at the Medina Tea- Rooms at 11. a.m. The teams will dress in the cocoa shed at the Stratford School. THE, ALL BLACKS. RADIO MESSAGE WELLINGTON, Aug. 4. A radio message from the Remuera, 1400 miles away, says: “All well on board. All Blacks in good fettle. Settled down to steady training.” CANTERBURY REPRESENTATIVES TOWN AND COUNTRY MATCH. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 2. The annual Town v. Country Rugby match was played at 'Lancaster Park to-day. The weather was fine and there Was a large attendance. The principal object of the match was to give the selectors a. chance of seeing the best, of the town, and country players in action before picking the representative team, which is to tour Otago and Southland this month. The Country team won by 17 to 10. . PLAY IN THE' CITIES.

Dunedin.—The Rugby season closed yesterday, University A winning the banner for the third year in succession. In a fast, open game between the ’Varsity A and B teams the former won. by 20 points to 17. Pirates defeated Kaikorai by 13 points to 3, and these two: teams share the honour of being runners-up. Other results: Zingari 13 v. Union 3; Alhambra 6 v. Dunedin 3. Auckland.—Grafton 13 v. King's Old Boys 5. Grafton thus retain first position in the first section of the senior grade. In a practice game North Shore defeated University bv IS points to 14. WEST COAST MATCH. WESTPORT, Aug. 3. lhe first representative Rugby match of the season was played at Westport on Saturday between Buller and Murchison, and resulted in a win. tor Buller by 54 points to 0. TNTER .COLLEGIATE MATCH. CHRISTCHURCH, July l > In an inter-collegiate match, St. Andrew’s College (Christchurch) beat Scots College (Wellington) bv 3 ; > points to 3. * NORTH. AUCKLAND GAME. DARGAVILLE, Aug. 2. , game for the Harding football shield took place to-day, when Wairoa. (holders) met Whangarei (challengers) and defeated them bv five points to three. BRITISH TEAM IN AFRICA. CAPETOWN, Aug. 1. , . I lie Bl l Rugby Union team drew with Iransvaal, 12 all. the league came. -NEW ZEALAND WINS FIRST TEST. ENGI.AND DEFEATED BY 16 TO 8. AUCKLAND, Aug. 2. -*-lie first test between the English Kugoy League representatives and New Zealand was won by New Zealand by V?) ,ltS t 0 The weather was fine, jU the giound was very heavy, owiii" to the recent rain. The attendance was etsimated at 25,000. The game was largely a. battle between the forwards, though the New iOealaiia backs showed greater variety in attack than the visitors. Tries were scored l°r New Zealand bv Wethera.ll and Stewart in the first snell, the scores at the interval being: New Zealand 6, England 0. In the second spell England scored an unconverted try soon after the inte i rV i ■ Then Herring scored a try, which Delgrosso converted, makiii" the -scores 11 to 3 in New Zealand’s favour. 1 hompson scored a try from a loi \\ ard rush for the visitors and converted it. Shortly before time G.ij-ov scored behind the posts and Delgrosso converted, hitzgerald retired injured in the lirsl spell, being renlaeed "by Deigrosso. Ciinlifi'e was ordered off "in the .second snell for rough elay QUEEXSLAND DEFEATS VICTORIA .. BRISBANE, Aug. 3. , , : ! Bugby League match, Queensland deteated Victoria by 47 points to ASSOCIATION. CHINA (4) V. WANGANUI-(2). WANGANUI, July 2. lip the presence of 4500 spectators the Chinese University Soccer team detented \\angamii this afternoon hv 4 goals to 2. The game was very interesting from beginning to end! The giound was springy, which suited the Chinese, whose backs demonstrated a great pace, while, the brilliant footwork of the team as a whole was the. subject of most favourable comment. \\ anganui were the heavier team, and until the latter part of the second spc-11 were out-manoeuvred, but. when thev began to bustle and make use of

their weight they held the visitors, and the game was very fast and spectacular. Those enthusiasts who journed to Wanganui on Saturday to witness the maten between that city and the Chinese students were well repaid 'iv witnessing a splendid game. As one old player and official remarked, a better exhibition of football has never Lc-.en seen m Wanganui. The students me undoubtedly clever, in their footwork, and on Saturday their combination was good. It one could find fault, it is because they are too lady-like for the robust -New Zealand method of playing the game ; they seldom use their weight and always play the ball. Their first goal was a corker, Winstanley having no chance to' save Chang’s shot. Webster, Wanganui’s left back, saved his side on many occasions, and Winstanley kept a good goal. Pao, the students’ goalie, did not have a great deal to do, but what he did he did well. The half-time score was I—o1 —0 in favour of the visitors. The second spell saw Wanganui change their team round, O’Neil going up to centre forward and llicnmds going back. Cooper and La w aTo changed places. About ten minutes after the restart the students netted again, and Wanganui had hard iiu-k, a shot from Cooper hitting the top of the upright. One of the ‘-■•-idents was knocked out, but on resuming brought Winstanley to his knee’s with a beauty. Shortly . after the same player came through again and scored No. 3. The crowd were unstinted in their applause. Wanganui kept pegging away, and the ball hovered around the visitors’ goal. Pao fisted out from O’Neil and Cooper, and the ball came out to Law, who netted with a fusttimer well out of the goalie’s reach. It was good to see the students rush to shake hands with Law. China played some pretty football for a whde, and then their inside left added No. 4. From the kick-off Wanganui swept clown to the students’ goal. Alack’.cv forced a corner, which O’Neil inf.did over. Wanganui were now getting tneir share of the game, and Copoer put his side two up. Five minutes later the same player sent in a beauty, and Pao made a great save. The students were attacking when the tinal whistle went, leaving them the winners of a splendid game by 4 goals to 2.

Taranaki will have to look !o their laurels on Wednesday. The visirejs now have the services of Mr Reel, of Wellington, who is travelling v ith the team as masseur, and their manager, Mr Dowie, insists oil/their training the evening and the motning before every match. Hence it has been found necessary to curtail some 'of the entertainment. CHINESE TEAM v. TARANAKI. The Chinese football team will arrive in Hawera this evening, and will play their fixture with Taranaki on the Egmont A. and P. grounds on Wednesday next. The visitors are credited with playing an exceptionally fine game of “soccer,” and rely on pure skill to carry them through. They are very fast, and, if light, can hold their own generally among the more robust teams encountered on tour. The present team is reckoned to be stronger than the one that toured Australia last year, which was most successful and quite equal in strength to the best Australian teams. Enthusiasts and any interested in football will be able to see a good team in action, and as the local team is strong a splendid game will result.