FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12867, 27 May 1905, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THK STRATFORD-TUBvAPA MATCH

In Stratford before the nvatoh, Tuka|i>as were the fatvouritos, thowgih it was eixpocted that the wearers of the rdd and black would plit up a great iiglht. New Plymouth supporters of tjie Tulkapa team, who attempted the match in fair force, were not oversangiuine, thoug-h, nattirally, they hoped for the best. Whffli the teanis liaed out it was at once nviden't tiiat jt.he Stratford forwaivls were a mMcJh heavier lot than their opponents, and | this preponderance in weight, aidldetl to tfpoed and activity, won the match for tho men who Kve unidor the mountain. The game was plaj-od in the Stratford Recreation Gradual (w-hioh was in good order), and was witnessed by a decent crowd. The (victory of tho homo team was, of eoinrse. vory pop-ular, and tho barra<<kors had a goiod time.

Tho teams woro as follows < —

Stratfoixl.r— Collins, Fearon, rJ. Thomas, KiVe-11, To<4ver, Diani'o'nd, Must(»rs, Knight. James. Wils-oin, TCfcuiknoss. Young. Dollow. Osiliorne, and Webb.

Tukapa.— Ridltwd, Fit^.herbort, Morey, Hardgrooivos, '.\Fynott. Frewin, Smith, McLean. Joirnson, Balfe, JMalcolm. Dyne, Flalt, Ward, amd Seamark.

Winning the toss, the Tuka(pas .played with. a fair breeze, an!d by Jirdicuous^ lino kicking <rot into StratEondV -cfiarto.rs, whore a bit of result loss passing Initiated by I'nnvrn was f ollowiid "by a forward rush of Stratfoiiditcs, hoajdp«l by James, Wilson and liai^knoss. which rom<»vt'd play to half-way. Hero Tukapa wore awarded a free Uiak, ami I F'aridgreaives placed a beautiful goal. (.Jive and take play followed, in which the Stratford vanguard showed tihoir superiority in close wotfk. anld I hen T.ukalpas were on tlieir s%do of tho half-way Hag penalised. Collins' ■kiiik fa'ilwl. A Tm'kapa forward riush, in which S. Snritfi an,d MicLean were con.Nj>it'uous, gained an aid.vaaitag-e for the blue and whites, and tthis was followed up by a passing lAin, Spoilt by Fitzhorbort failing to take the ball from Morey. Stratford, working hard, 'got into Tukapa's 25's, ainjd Collins had an easy, but fruitless, shot from a penalty. Shortly afterwauds, however. Diamond marked a return from Mynotl, ami Collins kiakad a goal. Stratford 4. Tiikapa 3. After the kick-out Frowin started a passing rtin, which was ended by Hardgrea'ves' failure to take the ball, anld play hdveri«d around centre. Here on ( ce again Stratford were penalised, and Hardgivaves, rising to the occasion, fevotod another line goal. Ti\kaipa (5, Stratford 1. Stratfoi'd buokud in merrily after this — 100 Thomas, Tookor, Diamond, Kivell and Wilson boiirg particularly prominent — and sushetd the ball right on to Tu'kapa line, Rrdlaild satvLng. Stratford were not to be defied, however, and though tihe Tulka|[ias»— Mynott particularly— put in some excellent dofen«ive work, Yqung crossed the line amid afjiplaiuso. v Phe kick was

:ii failure. 'I-fai'd play followwl uiitil tho end of tho Mpoll. wlum ('ho sooros \<\aft(\—> Stratford 7 Tukaipa • € Shortly after resumption, Stratford rrot a pan art y kick, the shot proving abort iive. "\l\nott ki<-kod olut, b'lit Stratford came with a nus J h, anH TukaiMi'J woro c-alh'd on to in some QToat df'fensive work, in whiA Lean. Har'd£>reavos. Mynott. IVewin, a»wd Moroy were particularly jn-otnin-ent. Sti-atford woro again giiven a penalty kidv, but it was not ]Krcwhirtivo, arrd cjuirtkly following this Tukapas wore- forced. Aftnr t.ho ball was sot going again,, a nice jiassin-g liiis'h by the Tuikapa backs was spoilt through an hrfringeimmt, anfd ihr> rowultant penalty put the Ijluo ankl white ba^o in jeopardy. Tho line was cleart\(] after stcmc hot j)lay, artd Myiiott foom<l touch near half-way, whore imir moid iatoly aftorwaixls, Jkirdgroaivos, fi-om a ])e.nalty, narrowly oscaipelcl seriurino; anot'hor goal,, the )>all jiist falling un'dor the bar. It was a magnificent kick against tho winll. Stratfoiid, in quick oilier, had better Vudk, Collins lamding a goal from a muiflv by Wilson. (11-0.) Then Tu/l^apas were treat c»d to a merry time, the black and red forwards playriTg a dashing game and getting on some irresistible rushes, from ono of which Masters scored. No goal rortulWd. Stratford 14, Tu-kapa 0. ! Ivo<Jpi'n:g up tho pressure, which was (nocas-ioivally telioVed by groat work on tihe pai*t of Mynott, H.ardgroaves ari(d MicLean, Osborno Keeurod the ball from a lino onit anid bustled tihrojugh t'ho o)t}[i-»osi-

tion, scoring Stratford's tilled Iry, to which tho major points worn not addrid. "No side" was Kounldofd dWorlly afterwards with tho scorer— Stratford 17 Tftflcapa C The Siratfoi'd forwards arr> a fast, hf*a|vy lot, ami pi'oV«cl morn than a match for tho Tmk-alpa vanguraiid, who worftwl fairly well in tho dpon, especially in ihn first half. Pro/toiticfnt am.'ong tho homo scrummors wore Wilson, TT'aritfness, Young, a'rtd Offljorno, vvhil(> Mas-twjs, on tho wing, pi 11 ** in a lot of good graft. Tho Stratfoi^d backn woro so'uml, though in 'tiho fu*sfc half thoy did not mako on^ug«h msc of tho toMiah-lrno. Thomas playc/d a ftno jramo, and in his present form would make a decided acquisition to the New Zoalanvl team. Tocker and Diatnonid also shaped well ; the latter being partiroilarly smart. On tho Thiftcapa side, TTardgroaVfs' kiolcing was fine, and he also did oxrellunt woilk in other departments. Mynott was easi-

ly the best btu'k on t<he gronnid, and m aide some good openiing^,, wihic'h were not taken fiull advantage of. Frewin put in some, goo^d tlef«vnsiK r e work. j\l>orey was nol so good as ns\ual, aitJiaugh occasionally he perforjnod snifcvrtly. Fi teller) jort o<st oiut of his place too much, and his iioHdinjg 1 was weak. McLean and Smith wore good on the wiivg, the former playing 1 a heady game. Dyne, Balfe, Jo'hnsmi, anjd Seamark were proTninntrt in the forward division, and Ward (a junior) played a hard game.

Stratford s'liauKl q<o near to whmino- the championship.

Mr tt'kog-lan'd was refoiw, aa<l Wcws-rs Slohr (Stratfoi'd) aiwl Slamlisih (Tiika\pa) line umpires.