FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1926, Page 4

FOOTBALL

SATURDAY’S PROSPECTS.

THE SENIOR MATCHES. NORTHERN DIVISION. The senior fixtures for Saturday are: — Star v. Old Boys, at Pukekura Park, Mr. H. C. Scanlon. Clifton v. Stratford, at Stratford, Mr. F. Eggleton. Eltham v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, Mr. E. Clare. SOUTHERN DIVISION. Hawera v. Okaiawa, at Hawera, Mr. J. Kiley. Athletic v. Waimate, at Manaia, Mr. A. H. Guy. Kaponga v. Patea, at Patea, Mr. MrtNae. NORTHERN DIVISION GAMES. In the northern division probably the greatest interest will centre in the meeting of Star and Old Boys, and, if the ground is reasonably dry, a great con; test between these teams may be looked forward to. Both hare shown marked improvement since last year. They possess fast and clever backs that seize every opportunity of throwing the ball about, while their forwards are also of the light and fast variety that never let np from start to finish. In the past, Star have put more sting into their

work and that has proved the deciding factor. Old Boys are said to possess <some very dashing forwai'ds and are confident of holding their own. Both teams have been training hard for some time past, and have had the advantage of two or three games, so that they should not be lacking either in fitness or combination. Star, however, go on the field fresh from two successive wins, and that will serve them in good stead. Stratford and Clifton meet at Stratford, where a stirring struggle can be anticipated. Each will be the better for last week’s game, and each will take the field determined to win, knowing that a second defeat will materially diminish the prospects of securing premiership honours. Both teams possess good sets of forwards, though last year’s champions showed plainly last week that they were short of a run. Stratford’s backs last week were all at sea, never having played together before, and they should take the field to-day much more confidently. Clifton possess some very useful backs who combine very well and, given opportunities, are capable of doing things. A very even and interesting game can, therefore, be expected. Bitham will visit Inglewood, and on form the former should have no difficulty in securing another win. They showed last week that they possess a powerful set of well trained forwards, with backs that are more than useful, and look like being able to throw the ball about. Inglewood, however, expect to be a much improved team on Saturday, with the addition of M. Taylor and Chard in the paek, while last Saturday’s match would have given their young backs, several of whom were playing their first senior match, the needful confidence. Moreover, in the past, Inglewood have shown that they are a team that must not be trifled with, as they have frequently risen to the occasion and defeated the leaders in -the competitions.

THE SOUTHERN DIVISION. In the southern division, of course, the greatest interest will attach to the meeting of those old rivals, Hawera and Okaiawa, and Saturday’s struggle promises to be as keen as any between the pair. Okaiawa showed last week that they possess a well balanced team of keen, determined forwards, with speedy apd resourceful backs that play a fast, open game, and know hew to press an advantage home to a successful conclusion. They possess a capable leader in D. Johnson. Hawera suffered severely last year by the formation of the Athletic Club, but they appear to have made a full recovery. Always strong in the forwards, Hawera still command respect in that department, where Robinson, Paterson, Malcolm, Williams and Co. have to be reckoned with. Their young backs last year showed a lot of improvement at the close of the season, and they have this year been reinforced by the inclusion of McAuliffe and Meuli, Wanganui and Taranaki representatives. The former particularly is a tower of strength to them, and to Taranaki also. In their match against Old Boys last week, he proved this. The result of the match is very open, but Hawera should not be far away from premiership honours when the division final is reached. The meeting of Kaponga and Patea, at Patea, should be another fine struggle, as both possess good forward teams. Both will have benefited by last Saturday’s match, Patea possibly more than Kaponga, as the latter have had the advantage of participating in numerous seven-a-side tournaments. Kaponga is a strong team that looked like going elose to championship honours, but they will need to improve on last Saturday if they are to go through without a defeat. Saturday, however, will probably I see them an improved combination. Patea have the advantage of playing on their own ground, and expect to put a much improved fifteen in the field today. The men of the southern port are at a disadvantage as regards travelling in the competition, so that all would like to see them take a prominent part.

Both Athletic and Waimate did well last week against strong opponents, and therefore their meeting to-day is invested with considerable interest. Both possess young players who should improve as the season advances, and they will probably prove a thorn in the tides of the strongest combinations before the season closes.

NEWS AND NOTES. It wiU generally be conceded that the (reason opened moot auspiciously last Saturday, The majority of the players took the field very fit, allowing that jthey lave taken pains In their preparation, while the way in which all tried to open up the’ game proved most refreshing. For the opening day the Standard of football was higher than has been the case for some years past, and if it improves as the season advances, hs it should do, there should be some

very interesting football served up for the delectation of the public. It is, of course, early yet to size up the representative prospects, but there are already indications that there will be no dearth of good, hefty forwards, while the inclusion of some new backs from outside, and the improvementshown by some of our young backs, indicate that there should" be an improvement there also. It is pleasing to note that teams that have not been in the forefront for some years past, though always battling gamely throughout the season, look like being well in the running, particularly Eltham and Star in the north and Kaponga and Opunake in the south. Before the final is reached, however, there are certain to be some surprises, as the teams look very even. It is to be hoped that referees will be strict in checking any semblance of unfair play. It is, of course,'difficult for them to see everything, but in some of the matches on Saturday incidents occurred that roused the ire of the crowds. Particularly was this the case in the Stratford-Eltham match, when an Eltham player was unnecessarily charged after he had got rid of the ball. Such tactics are not sporting, and only tend to cause trouble, through the desire—a not altogether unnatural one, perhaps, but one that the sport is supposed to keep in check —of “getting one back.” Taranaki club football is noted for its cleanness and it is up to players to endeavour to maintain that reputation. It would also considerably increase the publie interest in the game if clubs would see that their players take the field in numbered jerseys. This would enable a player doing good work to be identified and get the credit for it, while in the event of rough play the wrong man would .not get the discredit. Ward, the ex-Taranaki and Clifton player, is back in Christchurch, placing for Linwood.

RUGGER IN ENGLAND. A NAVAL DISASTER. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, March 17. King George had a rousing reception at Twickenham on Saturday from a deep-lunged Service crowd, duly assembled fo watch the Rugger match between the Navy and the Army. Unfortunately, what had every promise of being a memorable game was rather marred by a curious pedantry on the part of the referee. As a rule these Service games, though tremendously keen and relentlessly fierce, call for no refereeing at all. But Mr. Cumberlege, the old Blacklieath and English fullback, possesses a personality not to be submerged even by big drama. And he kept playing a solo on his whistle that constantly held up the play and obviously puzzled the Navy as much as it did some quite expert and impartial onlookers. It was no doubt perfectly correct, but it was unnecessarily punctilious. When the bail was kicked off it was five to one on the Army. But the Navy forwards surprisingly outplayed their opponents from the start, magnificently led by Master-at-Arms Luddington, and were rewarded after ten minutes’ play with a fine try. At that moment the Navy were on tiptoe, and the Army, despite their array of internationals, distinctly rattled. Then came a unique series of penalty kicks against the Navy, first of which yielded a goal, and the Navy never recovered from the bitter temperamental setback. They played a gruelling game gallantly, but the luck of the bounce was against them, and the Army eventually emerged victors by a bigger score than the play justified. Young at scrum half was their long suit, but Aslett at centrethreequarters, and Guardsman Rees at full-back, were towers of strength. At one time,, fielding a high kick with the sun in his eyes just on the touchline, he took i, headlong dive, with the ball, right over the wooden balustrade into the ring seats. He might easily have broken his neck, and a shriek of horror arose from the crowd, but luckily the handsome young Guardsman fell soft on a cushion of admiring flappers. It is now any odds that the Army win the Service Rugger Championship again, because the Air Force are not quite good this year, having already succumbed to the Navy. But, of course, in these Rugger affairs, you never can tell. The Air Force have upset mathematical calculations before now,- and when they line up against the Army a week hence, it will be in the true “Ad astra per arduam” spirit.

THE SOCCER GAME. SEMI-FINALISTS IN THE ENGLISH CUP. (From .Our Own Correspondent.) London, March 18. London had three representatives amongst the last eight clubs in the Football Association cup competition, but not one survived to reach the semifinal round. The Arsenal failed in their visit to Swansea, and Fulham and Clapton Orient were beaten by the two Manchester sides, the United and the City. The fourth contest was between Nottingham Forest and Bolton Wanderers, and, though they have now played for three hours and a half, the result has not been determined. One of the bottom teams in the Second Division of the League, the Forest, even on their own ground, appeared certain to be beaten by the Wanderers, but, though they were twice a goal behind, they saved the game. In the re-play at Bolton, not a goal could be scored even after extra time was played, and so the clubs are to meet a third time on the Manchester United ground next week. The principality, with its boundless Celtic enthusiasm, is confident that Swansea will capture the trophy and atone for the failure of Cardiff City in the final a year ago. Their victory over a team so good as the Arsenal was most deserved. Indeed, they showed themselves to be a side of marked skill, and, in being drawn to oppose the winners of the Bolton Wanderere-Nottingham Forest tie, they have excellent prospects of taking part in the deciding game at the Stadium. GREEK MEETS GRADELY GREEK! It is a strange stroke of fate that two Manchester clubs should have been drawn against each other. What a

clash it will be, for they are the keenest of rivals, and, in the circumstances, it is just as well that the game is to be taken out of a partisan atmosphere and played on the Sheffield United ground about fifty miles away. The supporters of both cluba complain of this arrangement, but the semi-final ties arc always decided on a neutral ground, and, even if they had been given the option of tossing for the choice of ground, it is unlikely that either club would have agreed, for the risk of losing would have been too great. For some weeks the United have been favourites for the cup, and they have a splendid record in the competition. In each of the four previous rounds they were drawn to play away from home, and they could not have beaten Port Vale, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, and Fulham in turn if they had not been an exceptional side. Their last win was by two goals to one. Manchester City have an even more remarkable record. They had a desperate escape in their first tie against the Corinthians, the amateurs missing a golden opportunity to win, but, since then, they have gone from strength to strength, and in five games have scored as many as twenty-eight goals. The last six were at the expense of Clapton Orient,

THE LEAGUE GAME. MATCH IN AUCKLAND. Auckland, May 6. A meeting of the Auckland Rugby League received a letter from the Otago League accepting an invitation to play in Auckland on August 7. The visitors wilf play Hamilton on August 11. It was decided to inform the New Zealand Council that the usual fees would be charged for the hire of Carlaw Park. With reference to Mr. Moylq’s supervision, Mr. Stillworthy, the Auckland representative at the meeting in Wellington, denied the statement that Mr. Moyle had been referred to in certain opprobrious" terms. He asserted that no Auckland "League official advised Mr. Moyle to defy the council by not resigning.

Other speakers thought it would have "been better if the matter had not been discussed in committee. Mr. Stillworthy declared an open discussion would have done more harm than good. Mr. Hamill, the chairman, said the matten, was purely one between the Canterbury League and the New Zealand Council, and the Auckland League had no right to interfere. INTERNATIONAL SOCCER. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, May 4. Two international Association matches, England v. Belgium and England v. France, fixed for May 8 and 13, have been postponed.