CHAMPIONSHIP OF TARANAKI. WON BY STRATFORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13484, 26 July 1907, Page 3

CHAMPIONSHIP OF TARANAKI. WON BY STRATFORD.

Stratford and Patea met at Patea yesterday in the play-off for the championship of the province. Great interest was displayed by the public, people being present from all along the line, from north of Stratford and south oi Patea. Patea town was in a state of great excitement over the match and honoured the visiting team by bringing out its brass band as an escort. The ground was ver.y sodden. There was a good attendance and the spectators were very enthusiastic. £16 was taken at the gate. Patea, was at full strength. Stratford played a substitute in the place of R. Fearon, who is considered the best forward in the club. Mr E. A. Urwin (Hawera) refereed. The teams were: — Stratford— .Full, 8.. Fearon; threequarter, L. Stohr, L. Tocker, E. Kivell ; five-eight, D. Cameron; half, L. Bullot; wing forwards, 'Marchant, Masters; pack, Osborne, B. Kivell, E. Young y(lock),' J. Young, T. James, Melville, Boon.

I pp a tea — Full, Beamish; three-quar-ter, Nicholas, Burke, Tinney; fiveeight, C. Sheahan; half, Thurston; wing forwards, T. Sheahan, Hamerton ; pack, Taylor, H. A. Wilson, Prouse (lock), P. Sheahan, Kerrisk, Elmshe, Davidson. The vigour, instilled into the play by the forwards made the game exciting from the kick off. Stratford was first to defend, Patea setting up an attack which seemed likely to prove fruitful The pressure was relieved by Cameron with a kick into touch. Very soon Stratford was attacking. "When well inside the Patea twenty-five, the Northerners made an attempt to open up the game, but C. Sheahan spoilt the attempt by neatly intercepting a pass. Interesting forward play followed, and then Patea backs indulged in some pretty passing. Thurstoiv passed to C. Sheahan and Sheahan to Burke. The two last-named made fine openings, but Burke spoilt .all by sending a bad pass to Tinney. Burke had a shot at goal from halfway, Stratford having been penalised, but the ball went wide. With play at halfway, Stratford kicked hard and the Patea full-back failing to take the ball on the full resorted to a "speculator." The ball did not find the touchline and a race ensued between Masters, who had followed tip well, and Beamish. Masters kicked the ball across the goalline and fell on it, scoring a well-earned try twenty minuses after the kick-off. Stohr 'failed to convert.

Stratford ...: 3 Patea ° Patea resumed with forward work which carried the ball very close to Stratford's line. A series of scrums* near the line ensued. Patea hooked the ball and the half got it away, but C. Sheahan mulled on two occasions and the opportunities were lost. Stohr had another shot at goal from halfway, but was again unsuccessful. Wilson broke through a scrum and made an opening which the fast following up of the Patea forwards turned into a dangerous attack. Several scrums followed on one another right under the Stratford goal and Stratford had con siderable anxiety. The Patea forwards hooked the ball every time. It went out to C Sheahan, who, instead of passing, cut in— -into a solid mass. Another scrum, and again the Patea half got the ball. Failing to\take a lesson from Sheahan's fate, he endeavoured to cut through. He made a fine attempt, but failed. Stratford, profiting by Patea's haphazard play, turned its defence into attack. Right in front of the Patea goal Cameron received the ball and, seeing no chance to get through, potted, but failed to increase the score. Half-time was called shortly after. On the teams taking the field for the second half it was noticed that the Patea back division had been rearranged, thus: Full, Tinnay; three-quarter, Nicholas, C. Sheahan, Burke; fiveeight, Beamish. Stratford forced Patea immediately after the kick-off. Stratford then attacked with a nice passing rush which was checked by Nicholas, who intercepted. Patea being penalised, Stohr had another kick at goal from halfway. He made a splendid but

fruitless attempt. Shortly after, Stoh • made a dash for the line but was collared at the corner by Burke, crtratford was attacking hotly. Nicholas made a poor attempt to kick, which almost cost Patea another try. A great struggle ensued right on the line, and at length P. Sheahan forced. Patea'* chance to win came at this stage. Play was on one side of the field in the Stratford twenty-five. C. Sheahan got the ball and kicked it straight out to Burke standing away across the field. The ball bounced beautifully for Burke, who made the mistake of trying to take it in one hand. He missed the bail. Had he taken it his pace would have ensured a try. Patea had been having decidedly the worst of the play in this spell, but now woke up. Fine work by the forwards, especially T. Sheahan, put Stratford on the defensive. Patou forwards, put up a vigorous attack, bur. their backs handled the ball badly anu nullified the good work of the vanguard. Passing by the Stratford backs set E. Kivell going Avell for the line out C. Sheahan grassed him. Stohr Lad still another unsuccessful kick at goal from a penalty. Fast following up and smothering by C. Sheahan placed Patea on the aggressive, bat the attack was not sustained. A kick at -goal hy Burke — this was practically l'atea's last hope — fell short. Shortly after, Stratford were again attacking, and Stohr, marking, had another .ry at goal. He failed. No side sounded with play in Patea's territory.

The game was fast, dashing, interesting ; but devoid of high-class back play. Patea pack beat Stratford for the ball. On the line-out and in the loose Stratford were superior. B. Kivell was the pick of the Stratford forwards ; he was the best forward on the ground. Osborne and E. Young also played well. The Patea wing forwards outclassed their opponents, playing sterling football. Elmslie, Proqse and Taylor were the pick of the Patea scrummagers. Cameron was the best back on tho ground", and Fearon was good at full and Kivell at three-quarter. Stohr's punting, towards the conclusion, waa splendid. Of the Patea backs, Ihurston was the best, playing a solid, useful game. C. Sheahan and Burke were right off in the second spell.