SENIORS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 23 August 1926, Page 7

SENIORS.

SOUTH TARANAKI CHAMPIONS. LEADERS ANJ> RUNNERS-UP MEET. OKAIAWA (13) v. KAPONGA (3). The above teams met on Saturday at Okaiawa in the final match of the second round of the championship fixtures. Splendid weather favoured the encounter, the only Hy in the ointment being a fairly strong breeze blowing down tlm field. The visiting'team won the toss ia;nd elected to take advantage of the wind and mui at their backs. Their team, weakened bv the absence of Guthrie, Kissick. P. llaminei sley, him Scott and 'i houmiiie, was unable up exploit the handicap given by wind land sun pi ml victory went to the more .complete and better organised team. Though Kaponga had no hope oi winding, the- main object of the game was ’achieved, in that Ok ala w a w,a.s afforded an opportunity to improve their combination in preparation for the playoff with the northern division winners. There was a fair and impartial gathering of spectators. Mr. W. A. Guy, sole selector of Taranaki’s representative teams, was an interested .spectator. Tim teams wore : Okaiawa- (maroon anil blue). —Tuki (full-back), D. Crawford. If. Cameron, ft. Roberts; Johnson, B. Roberts; 1. Crawford; Par-slow, Linn, Riuru, Ike (lock), Cameron, Bireball, Phillips, Griffin (rover). Kaponga (black).—L. AMialcn (lullback). Eli a son, McCarty, C. Paterson; C. Whalen. ill jB. Hammer,sley ; W. Guy, Free, C. Espin, 15. Espin flock). 1». Guy. J. Hamme: >!ey, J. Clarke. Guy (rover). Okaiawa kicked oli against iho wind, and the blacks, aiilou 03' me latter element at once invaded tic.' home quarters. Within five minutes of the start C. "Whalen was forced to retire, a recent injury to his’knee being aggravated. Kaponga pressed hard tor a solid ten minutes, the home team forcing. The Blacks returned to the. attack and relief came to the defenders in the form of ,a fine dribbling rush l>y Bird nail and carried on by D. Crawford. who sprinted for the line well •supported. A. Guy, however, accounted for him with a low tackle, wlnc.i precluded all chance ol a transtcr. Eiom a penalty outside the half way. C. Paterson attempted a- goal with a wonderful kick. r Jlie-ball dropped beside the goal post. Johnston and. the two Crawfords launched an -attack r which just failed of its objective and L, Whalen and Paterson cleared in • good style. Down field went the Black fdnbards, headed by J, Hummersley and B. Espin, until cheeked by Tula kicking into touch. A -short kick b.v the latter wn-s well fielded by Eli asm 1 and he .set off down the touch line to .\Vithin a foot of touch-in.-g<>al, where he was forced out. Okaiawa. set up & passing movement in which forwards