FOOTBALL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 145, 11 August 1911, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

MAORIS v. TARANAKI.

A CLOSE AND EXCITING MATCH

Tho Maori team mot Taranaki at the Show Grounds yesterday in the presence of a large crowd of spectators, who had gathered from all parts of the province. At half time the score was 1-1 to 3 in Taranaki’s favour, and tho odds seemed against the Maoris; but in the second spell tho visitors steadily piled up scores until tho tally stood at 10 to 1-1 in their favour. This was the score to within, a few seconds of time, and during this time McLeod took a mark from which Stohr kicked a goal, which decided tho game. Mr. Payne carried the whistle. The Teams.

Tho teams lined out as follows: Taranaki — J, Coleman, H. Goodwin, J. Stohr, D. Cameron, S. Mynott, McLeod, 0. Brown.

C. Taylor, H. Whittington, G. Hawknis, Tamu, Kissick, 0. Young. M. Cain, A. Osborne. Maoris — Dawson, Cochrane, Moana, Takarangi, Grace, Burnett, French, Makahuri, Piki, Kaipara, Winiata, Rogers, Nuku, Hyland, Hughes. First Spell.

Taranaki won the toss, and defended the southern goal. Within four minutes of the start of play Camei - on took a nice mark near quarter way and Stohr landed the oval over the bar. ' Taranaki o Maoris * ••• ••• Play was taken to Taranaki’s territory for a time, but soon again wont up the other end. When play was about half way Mynott intercepted a pass in a good position, but was pulled back for being off-side. Play for some time was very tight and remained about half way, but at last the Maori backs got the ball clean from a scrum and indulged in a fine piece of passing, the effect of which was nullified by a mull. Just afterwards Coleman took a mark on Taranaki s side of half way. Stohr took a shot at goal, but failed. Play was then gradually worked down towards the visitors* twenty-five. Here a Taranaki lorward got the ball within a few feet of the line, 'and attempted to dive through his opponents, but the Maoris lyerb too solid, preventing a score by more pushing strength. 1 Jay continued, however, on the visitoi s side of half-way, until a Taranaki passing attack was initiated. I ins, however/was smothered, and tlie position remained much as it was. hipm a scrum near the visitors twenty-five line Brown secured the leather, and was only tackled after he had grounded it over the lino. Stohr made a good but ineffectual attempt to convert.'h. ' ...

'J’q.fanaki 6 Ijlaofis u Soon' after play was resumed Brown took a mark from his opponents feet near half way. Stohr punted rip the field, and from his kick the visitoi s sot up a passing rush which tor a time put thorn in a good positron. Alter further tight play, the ball was worked into Taranaki’s territory, whore the Maoris indulged in a number •of short and scientific but unavailing’ passing attacks, one, particularly, being stopped by forward play; The ball was taken to the visitors’ territory, and over their line, but it was forced in time. A sliort time afterwards it was taken over again, but, was brought back for an infringement. The play was now swift', moving quickly up and down the field, being at one end one minute and at the other tho next. From about half-way the Taranaki backs got tlie ball, and Stohr scored in a nice position, after a good run. Ho took the kick, but failed. t-Taranaki 9 Maoris 9

It was not long after play was resumed before the Maoris were in difficulties again, but a tight position on the line was relieved by a freekick.' Play continued to move up and down quickly until Tamu got the ball and took it the line. Cameron succeeded in converting. Taranaki ... ‘ ... 14 Maoris 0 Play was of a loose character on resuming, and in Taranaki’s territory the visitors got the ball and some brilliant passing culminated in Rogers going over the line. The kick at goal failed. ~i Maoris 3 Taranalvi 14 Half time was sounded soon afterwards without any further score being registered. Second Spell. ' Play was in favour of Taranaki for some time after play was commenced in the second spell, though a nice piece of passing among the backs came to nothing. A pass intercepted by Takarangi resulted in play going down to Taranaki’s line, where an infringement nullified; but within a few minutes Takarangi took the ball from a line-out, and dived over. Rogers converted. Maoris o Taranaki ... ... 14

Play was vigorous and quick-mov-ing on resumption. Piki took the ball well after a scrum and kicked for the line, but Cameron took the ball and centred, where it was marked. Shortly afterwards Rogers had a shot at goal from half-way. He missed the posts, but transferred play to Taranaki’s twenty-five. Here Kaipara put in a fine run, and then transferred to Dawson, who got over. The kick failed.

Maoris ... ... 11 Taranaki 14 Good kicking by the Maoris soon put them in Taranaki’s territory. After considerable give-and-take play the Maoris put in a strong challenge with a fine passing rush, which was initiated by Nukii, who scooped the ball up to the rest of the backs. The ball was taken over by Winiata, and Rogers converted. Maoris ... ... 16 Taranaki ... ... 14 Taranaki pressed on resumption, but the visitors were relieved by a brilliant mark by Rogers, who had to jump high for the ball. Taranaki, from this point played harder, and, play was. held on the visitors’ side of half-way for a long time. Stohr found the line near the Maoris’ lino, but the visitors extricated themselves and gradually got up to Taranaki’s twenty-five. From tight play in Taranaki’s territory Cameron took the ball, and after a useful run, passed to Goodwin, who bent two or three men and then kicked well. But the Maoris were not to be denied, and continued to hold their own, and to cause the homo team some anxiety.

Rogers had a shot at goal near halfway, but failed. Thou a ball was sent down to near the Taranaki lino. There was a call for one man to take the ball, but though four waited for it nobody got it, and the ball was taken over the line. Tarana*.;_ having the best of luck in not having a score registered against them. Taranaki then pushed play into the Maoris’ territory, and fc'tohr, within a lew minutes of time, had an unsuccessful shot at goal. They continued to press, and from a mark by McLeod, in a good position, Stohr landed a lovely goal just before time was sounded. Taranaki ... ... 17 Maoris lb MAORIS SATISFIED. There was a good deal of take alter the match finished yesterday to the effect that the game, bad boon wrongly prolonged. Before leaving for Wanganui by the mail train tins morning the* captain of the Maori team, Takarangi, took occasion t ■ assure a representative of the “Post” that the team was entirely satisfied with its treatment, accepting the word of the referee, the rosp.visible party, that the time played mis correct.' Personally ho thought ins foam haul put up a good light. '1 hoy I' new before they began that they w< re to moot a team equal to themselves, and that oponion ’of the Taranaki team had been heightened by the play. Ihe refereeing was all that con id i."> desired. “I merely desire, ’ -aid the captain, in conclusion, that, whatever may have been said, the team are quite sure that throughout they have boon treated in x fair and sportsmanlike manner.”

OMdmbers of tho Maori team state that the Show Ground is one of the host grounds they have played on so far. Thov say the ' ground remained surprisingly fast and dry after the recent r;*in.