FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 14, 4 June 1914, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE,

1! E PR ESEtiT ATI VE. Taranaki !) v. Wanganui 8. Wairarapa 5 v. Hawke's Bay 3.. • JUNIOR. Stratford 8 v. N.P. High School 0. Tukapa 17 v. Star «. SECOND JUNIOR. Clifton 0 v. Star 3. TARANAKI DEFEATS WANGANUI. STOUK'S FINE GOAL-KICKING. i I By to News. Wintry weather prevailed for to-day's Rugby match between Taranaki, last season's champions, and Wanganui. Owing to the heavy rain which fell in the morning, the Cook's Gardens ground m was a sea of mud, and the match had to be played on the Recreation Grounds. ~A high wind swept the field from goal ■ to goal, and several heavy showers fell during the progress of the game. Still the ground was in good playing order. On the day's play, Taranaki were very lucky to will, Stohr kicking all the yellows' points by placing three tine penalty goals. Wanganui scored two tries, one being converted, and had -bad luck through another try being disallowed. With the wind behind them, Taranaki made the game open in the first spell, the backs throwing the uall about freely, but faulty handling prevented the finishing touches being added ]to good passing bouts. Inlaying against I the wind in tihe second spell, Taranaki 1 kept play closer, but the blue forwaras, I whose condition was better than that lof the visitors, quickly took charge of the game, and Taranaki rarely got up to half-way. Wanganui had all the better of the concluding twenty minutes, and Taranaki supporters were glad when the final bell sounded, leaving Taranaki victors by the narrow margin of nine to eight. The Taranaki team was not at full strength, Patterson (Ka- ■ ponga) replacing' Hawkins, and Smith (Stratford) and George (Hawera) going on instead of Kissick and Coleman.

| Wanganui were without the servieei #f Alec Takarangi, Krogman replacing him. Lack of condition was the fault of the Taranaki forwards, and Stohr could hardly raise a gallop in the second spell Brown was not as clean as usual, but Loveridge, Roberts and Cameron played grandly. Young had few opportuni- < ties. George was fairly safe at full- I back. Sam. Cameron was ■ the best I back on the ground, going down to forward rushes, and running and passing well. On the Whole it was a ■ good .game, and Taranaki should be a greatly ■ improved team next time it takes the field. I THE PLAY, j Wanganui kicked off against a strong r wind, the ball going out. From the j ! line-out, Krogman led the bine forwards ! to the Taranaki line, touch-in-goal re- , suiting. Stohr's drop-out went well ; down the field, but the blue forwards > brought it back. Roberts and Stohr j failed to stop the rush, but Cameron sav- ! ed with a good kick. Off-side play by i the Wanganui forwards saw Roberts , punt too far, and Wanganui forced. The ' Taranaki backs then got going, but Col- ' lier intercepted Stohr's pass to Loveri idge, and saved a certain score. Another ' | good chance was missed through Stohr I sending a bad pass to Loveridge. I Scrambling play in Wanganui's 26 saw i the ball worked over their line twice", 1 i but the yellow forwards kicked too hard, touch-in-gOai resulting. Roberts I made another fine opening, but Lover- j j idge was promptly grassed. A penalty ' | in a good position for handling in the '< I scrum saw Stolir. hind a good goal, j 'After seventeen minutes' pin v the score i read: I . Taranaki 3 [ Wanganui 0 Young took the kick-out, and ran and | passed in to Roberts' but the latter's pass to Stohr went forward. Rain now came down in torrents. The yellows were getting the ball in every serum, and Brown fed his backs well, but Wanganui tackled well, and there were always two or three men waiting for Loveridge. Meuli (Wanganui), with a short run. cleared his line, and the blue forwards joining in, play was carried up to and over the Taranaki line, amid great excitement. O'Donncll beat George for the bouncing ball, and appeared to score a fair try. The referee, however, disallowed it, statingthat the ball was not properly grounded. In play again Taranaki attacked, but glaring off-side play by the yellow forwards saw them driven back by free kicks. Cain led a forward lush, but Meuli kicked back to Loveridge, who returned the bail to Wanganui's 25. 1'roll) a passing run, ljoveridge was nearly oyer, but the blue forwards, led by Dustin. dribbled back. Cameron picked the ball oil their 'toes, - and kicked to Lockett. who was smothered, and saved by throwing out. The referee awarded a free kick, and from the touch-line, Stohr goaled magnificently. With thirty-five minutes gone, the score read: Taranaki fi Wanganui 0 Taranaki were attacking when halftime sounded. In the second spell, Loveridge went over to the right wing. The Taranaki backs soon got into their stride, and Stohr. who bad few chances up to this, put in a fine run, Lockett pushing him out at the 25. The bine forwards swept play back, and a mi->-k:ek bv Ib'own I nearly let them in. Stohr and Lover- | idge got the yellows out of trouble, and from half-wa\ tain d ihbled right up to the goal line, but Campion beat him in the dive for the oval. Battley next led a sweeping blue forward rush' from end to end, but Stohr led back, and kicked into touch-in-goal. Almost immediately the blues came again, Cameron jusi forcing in time. Patterson next showed out in a lone-handed run to half-wav. but Meuli up-ended him. The forwards secured, and dribbled into Wanwniiti's territory, where Taylor smartly took a rebtnind off a Wanganui man, and Stohr easily goal. Ten minutes' play saw— Taranaki 0 Wanganui 0 'I lie yellows were now showing signs of ilistre.-s. and the blue forwards, placing with great dash, took charge of things. A mis-kick by Roberts let them through to the 23, but Cameron forced his way back to midfield. Roberts was penalised for holding, and Collier dropped at goal, but the ball went wide, and laranaki forced. A blue forward rush saw Taranaki in a bad way, until Brown saved with a short run nnd kicked. Smith, who wag using his feet cleverly, dribbled up to half-way, and Taylor also i took a band, but Temperton 'returned I tiie ball to the 3'cllows' territory with | h h>ng kick. Tight play in the corner I saw Wanganui forwards force their way across, and Swan scored. The kick at | goal was wretched. Twenty minutes gone, and— , . ,

Taranaki 9 Wanganui 3 Encouraged by this success, Wanganui l'laycd with great dash, and the forwards swarmed tioun 011 tlie yellows' line. Cameron iviieved with a bustling run, but the blues came back again. Bad passing by the Wanganui backs saw several chances missed. The blue forwards were almost over, but George saved with n lucky speculator to touch. Temperton put in a line run, and when blocked by Loveridge sent, the ball in field. The blues rushed it down to 'the line, Roberts saving by carrying back. A serum in front of the Taranaki goal saw the blues almost over again, and Taranaki was in. a bad way. Stohr temporarily relieved with a good kick to the line, but Wanganui were not to be denied, and their backs for once making 110 mistake, indulged in pretty passing, which saw Collier transfer to Meuli. and the latter dived under the goalposts and scored a well-deserved try, Meuli adding the major points. Taranaki 9 Wanganui 3 Play now became strenuous, and the barracking was deafening. Taranaki woke up, and tnc backs Indulged in passing runs. Cameroir heat several men and transferred to Young, who dashed t up the line, and when collared .sent- the ball in to Roberts, . who collided with the Wanganui full-back and lost the ball at the blues' 25 (lag. Brown's knee, was here injured, play being stopped for several minutes. On resuming, the blues made desperate efforts to score, Headed by Leahy-and Battley they rushed down the field, George marking on the line, and Stohr sent them back with a good kick. Again and again the blues charged, but the Taranaki backs beat them off. Young made a fine run to half-way, where Lockett up-ended him, and the whistle hounded with play in midfield, and the final scores:— Taranaki 9 Wanganui 8 The Rev. ScotJ referced satisfactorily.' SECOND 'GRADE MATCHES. TUKAPA, v. STAR.

The meeting uf these two teams 011

the Sports Ground yesterday did not produce much brilliant football, and resulted in a win for Tukapa by 17 points to nil. The weather was cofyl and wet, but there was nevertheless a fair sprinkling of spectators." Star was conceding considerable weight in the forward division, and had not as good a back team as their opponents, biit nevertheless put up a very willing struggle, nnd several times came near scoring. The brightest spot in the whole team was C. Lealand, who showed himself a shrewd, and dashing forward. He was not sufficiently supported, however, and the dribbling rushes which he instituted went for naught. Indeed, lack of.combination was the team's weakest point. 111 the first spell nlny swung from goal to goal, with the advantage mostly to Tukapa. Loveridge nearly scored, but was thrown out in the corner. Then Weston landed an easy penalty goal. Tukapa .'i, Star I). Soon afterwards Loveridge scored a try, which Weston failed to convert. Tukapa fi, Star 'I. The play in this spell was uninteresting. The Tukapa three-quarter line threw the ball about, but could not score, E. Grant on the wing seeming to be the' weak spot. _ In the second half, Star livened up ft little, hut soon died away, except for fitful forward rushes. After a bout of close play, Whitaker secured and passed to Grant, to IC. Stohr, the latter scoring in the corner. The kick failed. Tukapa 9, Star 0. After ragged play, Graham Hashed across, and Loveridge converted. Tukapa 14, Star I). The best try of the match was the hist one, the result of a pretty piece of passing between Whitaker, Grant and Wilson, the latter scoring. The kick was a "poster." Tukapa 17, Star 0. CLIFTON v., INGLEWOOD. This match, which was to have been played at Inglewood yesterday, did not eventuate, as Tnglewood advised Clifton that they wore unable to raise a team, for the day. STRATFORD v. HIGH SCHOOL. At Stratford yesterday, Stratford and New Plymouth High School met under very unfavorable conditions, as it wa,s blowing a gale and raining as well, rendering' good football almost impossible. Early in the first spell Bergen scored for Stratford from a scrum near the line, and Collins converted. Stratford had all the best of this spell, Stratford again scored, early in the second spell, Rogei'3 getting over after a fine passing rush, practically the only one of the day. Thereafter play was very even until the last twenty minutes, during which( High School attacked strongly, but they could not break down the uefence put up by the Stratford rearguard. The game ended: Stratford ti, High School <l. Mr. B. Petty was referee. SECOND JUNIORS. CLIFTON v. STAR. This match, which was advertised to be played on the Sports Ground at 1.30 p.m., took place on the racecourse at IS p.ni. The Clifton team stated that it was not notified until Tuesday that it - would be required to pla". and could not get in before p.n.. and understood that the match was 1o be played 011 the racecourse. Now I lie "question is. Who loosened the screw'!

The game ended in a victory for the visitors by (J points to 3. For Clifton, S. Crowe and G. Soffe scored tries, while Gusli scored for Star. TIIE LEAGUE GAME. ELTHAM 18 v. NEW PLYMOUTH 9. New Plymouth journeyed to Eltham yesterday and played a friendly game with the local, team. Despite "the bad weather, there was a good attendance, and an interesting game resulted. New Plymouth were defeated by 18 points to !). Eltham had a fine even set of forwards, while among the backs Moir -was the pick. Kyle and Parker iplayed great games for New Plymouth, who only require to get a little combination to he hard to heat The New Plymouth tackling was very ;ood. Mr. W. Perrett was referee.