CLIFTON DEFEAT TUKAPA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13203, 29 June 1906, Page 7

CLIFTON DEFEAT TUKAPA.

This match, played a"t Waitara, was one of . the mtost stubbornly contested and 1 even .of the , Season. -At this stage it 'had an important bearing on the fight with Stratford for ;the premier-

,3hip, and both teams iwere "out to win."' The climatic conditions were in favour of the Clifton team* their

heavier pack being -a decided advaTitiagte, 'but Tukapa? s Superior back combination was an equalising factor.

Clifton's team, was about the best they; •have put on the field this year, despite the absence of Old and Pur die, two of

the forwards, whose plaices were filled

by Jones and Tetter. The Kojine team kicked off with the wind. • !W. Lash ; , at

half, initiated a nice patesing rush,

and in tho first three <minuibe» Tufcapa were <lefen('d!m'g hard near $bm. Hive. It looked like a score, 'but - a force down *aved the sriua'iian. Thco! %h© red ami whites catae -ah it again, but Mynott got 'fohe ball in^o- neuiral territory, .aided by Honeyfield. When the forwards were • being beaitetn 1 back, Hardgr<eaves, Stannwing, ain'd'H/oneyfield stopped the forward move, the latter finfdrng the line. In 'a- heavy rain squall the k Tukapa pack worked tho ball ,jblo.' , their opppneihts $55,.jbut could make no opening for their 1 scoring men. .After some hiard tussfclling, Clifton s started a dri-Wblin-g , rush, but Ridland, .playing a safe, golid ga)mo at lull-back, put the ball into touch. The home 'team continued to press, and after a foYce dpwn, Sampson secured a paste in anloe"" position, and managed

to scramble over the lino near th goal. The kick was futile. ' . Clifton < 3 Tukapa < ..»■ •••• ° The game continued fast and will ing. Up "to this time Clifton hat been: hooking the ball, but Frewir commenced to do better wiork. JELi passed out to Mynot/t, arid the lattei to Honeyfield 1 who dashed, down the field, but was intercepted and thrown out at the corner. The red and whites, battling strenuously, 'transferred the leather, only to Shave it returned by Rid! and. A nice bit of work by the Tukapa backs was smothered by ihe forwards, but Hardgreaves secured. 'His kick was too hard, and a force down was recorded. A chance for Tukapa then came. Frewin picked up •bhe'ball 'behind ascriim^ and instead! of passing out as his opponents expected, made an unique charge through tihe pack, which broke up too soon, arid! got to the line, Staaidish being the actual one 'to score. The attempt to 'add the major points failed. : -, Clifton ... 3 Tukapa 3 A free was awarded to Tufcapaand Hardgreaves made a splendid attempt from a long shot at goal, the ball just falling under the bar. Honeyfield kicked from the centre and a good follow up looked like yielding a score, but a knock on spoiled thi*gs. Play in neutral territory followed and the Tukapa forwards, now holding their own, dabbled the fca)U right to the f corner. Cliffcon defended well, .but were rather luoky in getting out of a tight corner. By working |down the line the home team invtaded their: opponent®' territory again. , The second half was characterised by a fast forward game. The visitors were the first to gaiiu ground but nothing resulted. 'Kaleidoscopic changes saw Clifton in "the ascendant, but the defence was sound. 'Abbott marked and from, a hard kick the ball was forced. Across the ground the pack surged, and Hard'greaves beating Potier bolted near the line, but was collared, Matthews saving. Tufcapas remained in, the home team's 25 for so'nie minutes, and from "the ruck Mynott marked in front' of the goal. Hardgreaves unaccountably failed badly in his attempt to register ' 'the points. , Neutral play, and . then Clifton were attacking. The 'ball bea"t the full back but he managed to touch down. Honeyfield , smothered a dribbling rush, and -the . blue and whites got possession, Davidson re- j ■lieving. Steele and 'Crowley were I prominent in a forward move, but a~ breach enabled Clifton' to * clear and they followed up the ball. Davidson j and Crossman sn-ortly -after carried the leather on, arid a scramble/ took place over the line, but "dead ■ball" was the result. Tukapa'. tried to keep the play' close by line kicks,, but near the centre Abbott raced away and when tackled passed to Isaacs. The latter made an . electric dash, and, TMoLean being out aL. ins place, fairly beat Bidland andpjlmo'tner for pace, scoring Clifton's Second try near the' corner. The angle shot was too difficult to convert. Clifton „ 6 \. Tukapa 3 , This wast only five minutes from the call of time and Tukapa struggled, hard to make up 1 dtefilcit. The forwards went in irresistible fashion, into the, ' 25. A penalty gave . Hardgreaves a fair shot for goal, but over anxiety beat him and the Mck was a - failure to the chagrin of the team's supporters. Tukapa were still attacking w%en the whistle sounded.