GAME WITHOUT SPARKLE

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1934, Page 12

GAME WITHOUT SPARKLE

DULL FOOTBALL AT WAITARA CLIFTON AND EMPIRE OLD BOYS. HOME TEAM WINS BY TRY. At the Waitara ground Clifton and Empire United Old contested a game almost entirely without highlights which was won by the home team by an unconverted try to nil. At odd times individuals shone and movements were bright, but the football generally lacked that quality of sternness and enterprise which brings a Rugby crowd to its feet. Furthermore the standard of the game gradually degenerated after the first half hour and became dull until a few minutes before the end of the second half when Empire woke and stormed the home defence with some determination. Wild passing was rife among the backs of both teams and Empire dropped six seemingly certain points in failing to land penalty pots from angles by no means impossible for the average first grade goal kicker. Of the individual players, Collins produced his usual club game,' sure and somewhat restrained, and Fleet, the Empire full-back, if responsible for a misjudgment that allowed Clifton its only try, showed spurts of dash and headiness. Cole, a junior player substituting in the Waitara team, at least stood up to heavy work well if he was not brilliant. On the day he was well worth his place in the club side. Smith and White played a solid game among the Empire backs. The teams were:— Empire Old Boys: Fleet; White, S.mith, Herbert; Lee, Carncross; Caffipbell; Kerrisk; Grey, George, Dixon, Archer; Ingram, Mercer, McKay. Clifton: Collins; Niwa, Wilson, P. Cole, McFarlane; Robson, Fenton; Oxenham; Calgher, Brown, Kawe, Broughton; Olsson, Armstrong, Fowler. Empire opened briskly and broke through a loose Clifton defence within the first few minutes, but Collins was not bustled and forced with the utmost coolness. Play went back to midfield and was quiet for a time with the Clifton backs getting slightly the worst of exchanges until they broke through in a series of ragged passing movements and would have scored if the handling had not been so uncertain. Well cleared by the Empire forwards, the ball went into Clifton’s twenty-five, where Collins was again prominent in the defence. If the football to this stage had been marred by lack of finish, both sides had shown flashes of enterprise in both forwards and backs, dribbling rushes now and then being particularly good. Clifton spoiled an excellent opportunity when an infringement gave Empire a free kick after a scrum on the five yards line and the Empire man kicked over to force from a rush. A moment later White and Smith were prominent in a really brilliant run down the sideline which gained more than half the field for the visitors. Fleet also made a fine run, tricking man after man, and punting for the benefit of his forwards when less than 10 yards from the touchline. The Clifton defence carried over, but from the scrum the ball was well cleared. There followed a period of more or less bright play, but the defence of both sides was too good. McFarlane came through excellently from a rush in the right comer but was tackled. From a free kick for off-side Collins missed a penalty goal by inches. Clifton backs at this stage were gradually developing an effective combination and staged several stirring passing rushes which were without result rather by bad luck than bad management. Then Fowler came through fast and took full advantage of singularly inconsistent play by Fleet, who kicked at a dribbled ball instead of picking up, missed by feet and was unable to recover before the Clifton forward dived accurately. The try was unconverted, Collins, missing the kick from a sharp angle. There was no further score.

The second spell opened with brisk movements by both sides in the open. Clifton broke through in no uncertain manner and was unlucky not to make points when Oxenham lost the ball and an Empire back forced. Empire threequarters lost several chances shortly afterwards by bad passing. Clifton came down strongly in confused passing rashes, but Empire backs were out of position and two home forwards with ball at toe were unlucky when they lost the ball on the line and an Empire back dived on it. There followed a series of scrums on the visitors’ line upon which Empire was penalised. With doubtful judgment Niwa took a place kick from a difficult angle and the pressure was momentarily relieved.

A long, dull period of play followed in which several injuries held up the game. A drizzling rain set in, making the ball greasy and handling difficult. Neither team showed to any advantage. Empire lost an excellent opportunity of equaling when Carncross missed a penalty kick from an easy angle, but play brightened somewhat in the last-quarter of an hour when the Hawera men attacked vigorously though to little purpose. The wingers of both teams lost chances by a disinclination to centre. Hard tackling and willing forward play resulted in Empire breaking through with some dash, but Robson beat the man to the ball and from the drop-out play went back to midfield. Once more Empire men came down in enterprising fashion and Camcross again missed a penalty from an angle. Empire was fighting hard to equalise and the forwards were associated in a good passing rush until a knockon recalled play to the twenty-five when it seemed that an equalising try had been scored. Empire backs were again attacking hard at the end. Clifton ■' 3 Empire Old Boys 0 Mr. K. Nodder was referee.