FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143788, 11 May 1912, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

(By “Rugger.”)

The Tukapa-Stratford match on Thursday at Western Park was without doubt the worst exhibition of senior football that has boon seen locally for a long time. In the first half, playing with a strong wind at their backs, Tukapa missed many fine opportunities of scoring. Brown was doing his work all right, but the three-quarter line simply could not take a pass, J. Stohr being about the worst offender of thorn all in this respect. On the few occasions when they did manage to take tho. ball they kicked too hard, and it went over the dead ball line. Within live minutes of the start Loveridge had a pass given to him in the Stratford twenty-five, with only the full-back between him and the goal line. Instead of dashing for the line ho kicked over the full-back’s head, and tho ball reaching the dead line, an almost certain try was lost. This happened on at least four occasions in tire first half of the game. L. Whitaker played the best gamo in the three-quarter line, his lino kicking and taking of the bah being in great contrast to that of his confreres. Bullot at full-back did very well and was very safe, taking the ball very cleanly, especially when it was most wanted in the second half of tho game, when the Stratford backs were indulging in long high kicks, with the wind, when a mull would often have meant a score. Brown played a good gamo at half, but must have been disheartened at seeing the fine openings which he made taken so little advantage of. With only a three points lead in tho first half, it looked any odds on Stratford winning easily, as the wind was generally conceded to be worth from six to nine points. But they failed to tome up to expectations, and Tukapa were able to keep them at bay, and they only crossed the lino on one occasion. Bonner getting tho ball from a linc-ont, and dashing across. What would have happened had the visitors had their full team in the field, as published, it is not difficult to surmise, for Tukapa had to do all they knew to keep the visitors out as it was. With Don Cameron and Dive in tho back division, Stratford would probably have had matters their own way in the second spell. Bullot, the Tukapa full-back, got his side out of 'many a tight place by his clean taking of the ball and safe kicking, only making one bad kick, which, hut for tho bounce of the ball going against the Stratford man, who was in place for a clear run in, would have given away a certain try in the second half. The forwards were very evenly matched, but on the whole Stratford got the ball out more often than their opponents did. The Stratford backs, as in tho match against Clifton Inst week, wasted a lot of energy in passing rushes which only transferred play from one side of tho ground to the other. The Tukapa men lost a good many chances of being able to make use of the great asset which their team possesses in Stohr’s kicking ability, by failing to take marks, through two men going for a catch at one time. Simon Mynott on the sideline kept admonishing Stohr to name the man who was to take the catch, but time and again chances were missed of easy marks being taken, if one man had gone for the ball.

The following representative fixtures were decided on; v. Wanganui, at Wanganui, June 0; v. Wellington (special match), at Hawcra, June v. Wanganui, at XJawcra, June 15. The latter two dates being in the Hawera Show week. The union are also inviting Waimatc (who are out on their own in the Southern district this year) to play a combined North Taranaki team at New Plymouth on June 6, one of the Winter Show days.

Permission was granted to B. Dive to play for Stratford. Inglewood were put into the Waitara district, so that any Inglewood seniors will be able to get a game with Clifton. Several reinstatements were made. The Tukapa and Star thirds withdrew from 1 the competition, and the fixture list was rearranged.