FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 301, 13 May 1913, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

WANGANUI NOTES. (Own Correspondent.) ' The football season splashed in on' Saturday afternoon, and, as if to emJ phasise the fact that the. pastime is I a winter one, the rain deluged players, J spectators, and grounds, and the leather j was just about as slippery as a yard of Wane mange. With Waverley playing I in its own back yard this season, only three clubs—Pirates, Kaierau and Wanganui—are billed to battle for the senior cup, but it is on the cards that the Collegians—at present spelling—will "come in" on their return. Kaierau and Wanganui played a pointless draw that was excellent football considering the weather conditions. Cameron strengthened the Wanganui rear-guard, but the superiority of the maroon forwards equalised matters. , Both sides lost chances to score, and on the play Wanganui should have won. Both teams were well trained, and play was fast right to the final whistle blast. An immense crowd stayed away from the League match, and the game was a sad dispiriting affair. Eastern proved themselves worse than City, and fell in the mud to the tune of 16* to 3 against. The Leaguers have secured a fine referee in Mr. O'Farrell, an ex-Sydneyite, and remembered by sports as the tall, cool gentleman who refereed the Trus-c'ott-Porter fight at Wanganui recently. It was a common sight to see Mr. OTarrell having a heart-to-heart talk with the players during the game, and there is no doubt the presence of an impartial referee and a fine judge of the Northern Union game will do much to improve the standard of play iau Wanganui. JUNIOR MATCHES. The following will represent Star 11. v. Clifton at Waitara, on Thursday:— Harvey, Gomner, Gush, James ! (2), Plum, Lovell, Clark, Johnston, McGahey, Gunson, Gray, Page, Mason, and Hai'greaves.