FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143838, 12 July 1912, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

CLIFTON (3) v. , TUKAPA (0). This match, which proved to he the semi-final of the competition in the senior division of North Taranaki, was played at Waitara on Thursday, and resulted in a win by the local team, after a very strenuous and cleanlyplayed game.. The ground was in a very greasy condition, and, considering the state which it was in, the game was a very- fast and exciting tussle. Clifton led off with a rush, and not only scored in the first. five minutes, but actually crossed their opponents' line during the next two minutes on two further. occasions. After this Tukapa rallied, and,, although having, decidedly the worst of matters during the I whole of the first spell,, .gave the yellows a taste of, their quality in the second half, when honours may. be said to have been even. The result loaves the Clifton and Stratford teams on tne same mark,' and a play-off will be necessary, to decide the championship of the northern division. Tills will be played next Thursday at either Inglewood or New Plymouth, it not having been decided definitely at which place the play shall take place. Tukapa enlisted the sendees of an old cluhmate, Simonides, who played an excellent game, and materially helped to stave off the Clifton attack on many occasions. Tukapa won the toss and Cain kicked off for Clifton,; and the ball went out in Tukapa’s 25.. .Bertrand. picked up out of the' ruck, and Brown marked and found touch. Kupe fielded nicely and transferred ter .Eggleston, who gained some ground. A,, free ; kick to Tukapa did not gain much. A; scrum was formed in .front of the visitors’ goal, and Lash, picking, up, scored near the posts,; but Cain failed to add the extra points.—Clifton .3, Tukapa 0. ■Kupe cut in and nullified a passing rush started by; Brown and carried on by Simonides, "marking off, the latter’s pass. Good passing between Bertrand and Eggleston " saw the last-named player cross the line, but he was held up and a scrum was .formed on the line, and Tukapa a moment later forced. Simonides, who was playing tho heady game of an old experienced general, kicked upfield, Bertrand sending the ball to touch at halfway. He obtained possession again from the lineout and. found touch ten yards from the corner, and a minute later Clifton again crossed Tuklipa’s line, but the visitors were able to force. L. "Whitaker kicked across the ground, the ball just beating Goodwin, , to the ; .touchline, Kupe marked, and Bullet returned bis kick to touch. Tukapa, who had been getting much the worst of matters up rallied, and ;L. Whitaker took the ball up to, the, "home quarters, passing to. Brown, who threw forward, giving Clifton a free kick; Obstruction by:Perry gave Clrfixin anotherfreo kick, and Kupe kicked across the field; Webster cut in and passed, when blocked; to Brown,’ who sent the ball back to halfway.... Eggleston.,returned and Bullet kicked to touch. Db Bloki dribbled down and Bullot failed to pick up, tho ball going out at the 25 flog. Sinlonides ■ made a nice - opening and sent on to W. Whitaker, who. failed to find the lino, and Bertrand-with a long punt put the oval ouK near the corner. A good passing! movement between Kupe and Eggleston, ended by the latter giving Bertrand a difficult pass which he was unable to pick "up. Lash got offside, and Brown kicked high, and, following, reached Goodwin before he could gather in the ball, Tukapa pressed, but Cain relieved with a kick to the line. Simonides started another back movement, ip .which the brothers Whitaker and Webster took part, and L. Whitaker finished up with a strong run into Clifton’s; 23. Bertrand came round the scrum 1 and picked up, hut Bullotv grassed him after his making a fine. attempt to get through.: C. Crowley whipped the ball out ■ to Eggleston, who. sent to Bertrand, who was finely tackled by L. Whitaker. Eggleston stopped a determined dribble by the Tukapa forwards, headed by Davidson and Oakes, by "speculating into- touch. From the line-out Cain broke, away and dribbled down, to within five yards of the Tukapa ,line, where the ball went into touch. From the line-out W. Whitaker kicked upfield, and. ! following up well, forced Fuller to line in his own 25. Webster took a mark and Goodwin returned the kick to Bullot, who kicked out of touch, and the half-time whistle went. Tukapa set the ball in motion again, Bertrand returning to touch. Simonides" was again prominent in initiating a back rush, and passed to-W. Whitaker, who sent," on to Webster, ‘ who made a good run and got .through to Fuller, who grassed hiin,-and Goodwin with a long kick sent the ball back to Tukapa’s end. Webster marked, but Eggleston returned with a long kick. Cain and Thomas headed a rush up to the Tukapa line, where Bullot tried to speculate, but missed the ball at the foal-post, and Whitaker was lucky in eihg able to force. Cain and Do Blois pressed again,- and Tukapa again forfced. A long dribble by Oakes took the ball down to the yellows’ quarters, but Fuller was not found wanting. Tukapa now made a great effort to score, Brown setting his backs going and passing to W. Whitaker, who sent on to Webster, who almost; got over, and a scrum was formed on the line. The ball; came out to Crowley, who kicked up the field, relieving the tension. Cain headed another forward rush and passed to Kupe, who wiis not tackled till he had got to Tukapa’s 25. Clifton now set up a great onslaught on the, visitors’ line and C. Crowley picked up and nearly got over," and Tukapa forced. Crowley made an opening and passed to Kupe, who was collared before he got going: Crowley took a nice mark in front of" goal, but it escaped the notice of the referee. Soon afterwards Tukapa, were again forced. Cain was again prominent, forcing his way through and giving a pass to Goodwin, who attempted to get through but just failed, and the blues again forced. L. Whitaker with a good run transferred play to Clifton’s end, passing to Morshead when he had only the full-back to'pass; with a-bit more pace he would have got through. Brown passed out to AV.. Whitaker, and a Clifton, player getting offside, Tukapa had a free kick. Eggleston and Simonides now each marked in turn. Thomas got off with a nice dribble and was grassed by Bullot. Brown here went to full-back, Bullot coming up to his place. Webster "and W, Whitaker started a passing rush, but the former was well tackled by Eggleston. Crowley picked up and worked the blind side of the scrum, and when collared sent hack to Bertrand, who picked the pass up neatly and lined. Fuller made a good run and gave to Eggleston, who carried the ball to within ten yards of the visitors’ Ene. Bullot took a mark which relieved his

♦-Bidej but Bertrand returned to touch. From the line-out" the Clifton forwards took the bail to the line, arid a scrum "was formed, but after a hard tussle Tukapa obtained a" force. . Eggleston passed to Goodwin, who missed taking it, but afterwards retrieved himself and kicked to touch: A good dribble by Webster was stopped by Fuller, who. brought the game to an end by kicking to touch. Mr. F. Spurdle refereed. JUNIOR MATCHES. FIRST JUNIORS. STRATFORD (8) v. STAB (3). The Star juniors went to Stratford on Thursday arid after a close game suffered defeat at the hands of- the locals by 8 points to 3. Stratford being two men short Star agreed to play 13 a-side. Bowler and Sheahan scored irks for the winners, one. of which was converted. For the Stars M'Gahoy - kicked a goal' from-the field, Gleeson, who got, over once lost; the ball, and enabled the home, side to force. Mr. J. H. Thompson refereed. CLIFTON (6) vT TUKAPA (3). This was the only match played at New Plymouth on Thursday. The Clifton; team was much the heavier of the two, but the local men put up a fine fight for victory. They were very unlucky in losing three of their men who were injured and bad to’leave tho field. Tile referee (Mr. W. Roch) had to warn several players for roughness. West kicked a goal from the field for Tupaka, and Lash scored for Clifton, the second score being obtained, from a forward scramble on the line. Inglewood forfeited both of their junior games; the first juniors were to have played Eltham, and . the seconds Clifton. NORTH v. SOUTH. ' „

Per Press Association. NAPIER, July 11. The North and South Island football teams arrived this morning. Steady :cain has sot in.