AUCKLAND 9 v. TARANAKI 3.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 19 July 1920, Page 5

AUCKLAND 9 v. TARANAKI 3.

(By Telegraph—Special to the Star.)

AUCKLAND, July 17. The football match. Taranaki v. Auckland took place at Eden P/t»k to-day in fine weather, in the presence of 14,000 spectators. In the opening stages of the game Auckland had all the best of things as the result of McLean, Singe and Greville in the forwards opening out to the backs who tried a number of passing bouts, which Robertson and Roberts were chiefly re_ sponsible for breaking down in the Taranaki twenty-five. George was unsteady at full-back, and Hickey and Roberts were several times caLed on to save his fumbles. Eventually from a free kick Baddeley placed a *roil, nn<i Auckland continued to play an open game, but play lapsed frequently into raggedness among the backs, as a result of Malone, Masters, Kivell and Roberts doing spoiling work. A dash by Singe, McLean and Grierson led Auckland to the Taranaki line where Baddeley placed another goal. Taranaki were repelling another attack, when Hickey cross kicked into Grierson's hand, and a passing bout from Baddeley to Nixon, and back to Baddeley, saw the latter brought down at the line, but he threw on, and Nixon touched down, being awarded a try which Baddeley failed to convert. The spell ended, Auckland 9, Taranaki nil. In the second spell Taranaki showed wonderful improvement, Malone Pat terson, Johnson and Masters showing prominently in frequent heavy forward rushes, which several times forced Auckland in the first twenty minutes. liater Taranaki forwards opened up a passing bout, Malone sending on from a line out to Oliver, to Roberts, who scored. The Taranaki backs also improved their * indling, and in the last twenty minutes Taranaki had all the best of it, but could not score further.

The general opinion is that the Auckland team is below form, and Taranaki lost a good chance of winning by want of confidence about playing their own game in the first spell. Neither side played up to the best traditions of the provinces, the Taranaki backs lacking combination near the scrum, and starving the wings.