FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144150, 21 July 1913, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

ROVERS (0) v. INGLEWOOD (0).

THE SATURDAY COMPETITION. j

The two last matches of the third round in the Saturday Rugby competition were played on under wretched weather conditions. Inglewood and Rovers played a drawn game at Now Plymouth, and Star defeated Okato at Okato. The position now, at the end of the competition, is that Inglewood and Star aro level at the top of the list, and Rovers one point only behind, but out-of the running. Inglewood and Star will now have to play off, the winners meeting Tukapa (winners of the Thursday division) tor the premiership of North Taranaki. The successful team in this match has then to play Waimato (winners in the Southern Division) for the premiership of Taranaki for the season.

It is a long time now since a senior game in these parts ended without : somo score being registered, hut such : iwas the result or the meeting between Rovers and Inglewood on the Western Park ground on Saturday. The very - heavy and continued rain had made .■'even this ground slippery and in places ‘treacherously muddy, and light rain fed almost intermittently throughout the game. The natural result was that the ball early became too greasy to handle with any degree of certainty, and play for the most part was confined to the forwards. Both sides were without several of their usual players, and on the day were very evenly matched, Inglewood, if anything, having slightly the advantage. More especially was. this noticed in the second spell, when tho visitors made most of the running and on several occasions went very close to scoring. Rovers attacked from the kick-off, and good forward work, followed by a concerted effort between Cargo, Stannering and C. Webster, put them well on the right side. Tho forwards were carrying further when Bullock' and Curtis, two of the defenders, were found offsidv. D. Webster was thus given •an early shot at goal, but the heavy state of the leather made kicking difficult. His effort was, a good one, and Russell forced down for Inglewood. The reds followed the drop out, and faulty handling by the. home backs allowed Inglewood to transfer play right to tho other end. A Rovers man was penalised for lying on the ball and, Eggleton was given the shot. The ball -fell short of its intended mark jand'D. Webster returned to touch. The "visitors kept up tho attack until a series of loose rushes by Rovers saw play again in midfield. Cargo, one of the homo wing-forwards, received a nasty ci;t on one eye and had to retire, Reid filling the vacancy. Very soon Inglewood were again hotly" besieging, and Curtis and- Fred Nicholls made unsuccessful dashes for the goal line. From a scrum near Rovers’ line Inglewood hooked and F. Nicholls gave to Eggleton. This player cut in, but passed forward bo It. Nicholls and so a good chance to score was lost.’ .VUGiven and other forwards were responsible for clearing to half-way, where D. Webster next took a nice mark, his kick at goal suffering the same fatV as the previous ones. 0. Webster returned Sutherland’s kick and tho green forwards worked over tho line, but lost the ball, Russell again forcing. The reds were quickly aggressors once more, and mostly from forward rushes, Bullock, Chapman and Curtis predominating, saw the lastnamed pushed out at the corner. Rovers wore kept defending for a time, relief coming with a free-kick for Chapman. being offside. Eggleton put in a good run and. kicked, and E. Grant'got 'offside, thus giving. Smith a chance to goal, the ball falling just short of the bar. Tho rod forwards were on to it smartly and a hot scramble ensued very close to Rovers’ line. From a scrum tho home men hooked and Lusk falling on the ball forced down. The remainder of the spell was characterised by short-lived rushes from either side. Glenn, Reid and ll'Given were mostly prominent on tho home side and Curtis and Sutherland for Inglewood. Glenn broke away strongly and reached as far as Russell, who fumbled, but kicked to touoh-in-goal to save. Half-tim-i sounded without any score.

The second half opened similarly to the first with Rovers attacking. M'Given and later 0. Webster carried play well towards the goal lino. Russell kicked out near tho corner. From the throw-in M'Given secured again and pushed over, but lost tho ball, and Russell once more forced down just .in time. Even play followed for a while in Inglewood territory. 6. Karalus was penalised for offside work, but D. Webster’s kick at goal was charged down. The advantage was with either side alternatively for the next few minutes, until Stannering marked and Lusk prepared for a fairly long shot. Inglewood rushed before the ball was down, and) wrongly thinking “no charge” had been given, the ball was placed on tho ground, but the red forwards again rushed and so interrupted tho kick. Play was back at mid-field when Lusk being offside Eggleton lined with a long kick. Inglewood pressed over the goal line, the Nicholls Bros, being in the van, but Stohr forced. A good retbrn kick from Curtis allowed the visitors to attack again, only to have their good work nullified by offside tactics. ( Glenn, M'Given and Newell were mainly instrumental in returning to Inglewood’s half. C. Webster ran strongly and kicked, Russell returning short of touch. D. Webster punted high and oyer the line, Sutherland just managing to force down as M'Given charged him. The Inglewood forwards next took a hand and worked right to the other line, where, after a prolonged scramble, Rovers successfully forced. Again the visitors returned with a loose rush, and Grant kicked to dead ball ground. Helped by a free Inglewood wore once more on the attack, without much good resulting, and then tho home men took charge. A good lino kick by Eggleton from the mark stemmed the attack, and the visitors were very soon back with tho upper hand. Tho forwards pushed over, D. Webster forcing. Smith showed up with a strong run, being grassed by Stohr very close to the line. Sutherland very nearly got over, but another force down, was registered. Time was nearly up and Inglewood were trying valiantly to score. The defence, however,’ proved equal to the occasion. D. Webster once more came to the rescue of his side by forcing down, from a forward rash. Olsen marked tho drap-out, but Eggloton’e kick at goal was again short. Before time was called, oaSy a few miiantcfi afteruraids. Hewers ftad. .ferced dioon

| again on two iporo occasions. Tho | whistle sounded when the home side 1 had managed to return to half-way. i Mr. W. Roch refereed. J STAR (5) v. OKATO (0). \ The majority of tho Star team are Maoris, and in view of tho “scare” restrictions on their travel, considerable doubt existed as to whether the team would bo able to go to Okato on Saturday. However, the Maoris wore vaccinated in the morning by Dr. Homo, and reached Okato by brake and motor-car at 3 o’clock, - Weather conditions were very dismal, rain falling throughout the game and a strong south-easterly wind/ blowing across the sodden field. The game itself was hard-fought, and was productive of some sparkling glimpses of meritorious play. The New Plymouth men ovem- ■ ually triumphed by five points to nil. Star won tho toss, and chose to play with the wind in their favour. Okpto followed the kick-off to the town men’s twenty-five, where a series of lino-outs and scrums took place. M. Skipper got away, and with a good run took the ball to half-way. Hero Ma'loue made good use of a penalty in transferring play to Star land, and, his forwards aiding him, tho leather wont out past the twouty-fivo flag. Okato ivere awarded a penalty, but Malone’s kick was a failure. Okato pressed, and Turner, when in a handy position, 1 sent a long pass to Adlam. That player, however, dodged into tho midst of tho opposition, and a good chance 1 was lost. Star retaliated, and went 1 to half-way, but infringements sent them back. Lively work was then indulged in near Star’s line, and, after securing the hall in a wild scramble, 1 an Okato forward made big efforts to got through, but the New Plymouth men stuck to him, and “carried over” ■ was the referee’s verdict. From the ' resultant five yards scrum, Star got ; the ball, and, helped by two fino marks : by M. Skipper, effected a clearance. 1 The blacks swept up-field, but the movement was only .momentary, Okato sending them back with some big kicks. ■ Star were Hot to be denied, and stren- • uous efforts by both teams resulted in ! play being confined to neutral territory, i Star were given a penalty, which ciir ! abled them to invade the , country i twenty-five, but Okato equalised raati ters with a penalty also. Then Star i rushed right to tho line, and a scrum ■ was ordered in front of the posts. The 1 Star hookers captured the oval, and • Jacob, darting round on the blind side, i sent to Stanley. Tho wing put iu a ! strong run, and raced for tho corner, • but ho was pushed into touch-iii-goal. > Okato relieved from the drop-off, and i stormed tho Star citadel. Box and Bertrand were in fine form, and sent some useful kicks Well uip tho side lines, i J. Skipper and Ellwood broke away in 1 mid-field from a line-out, and dribbled . the ball to the Okato twenty-five. The ’ country team equalised, and half-time i went with the scores

Star 0 Okato 0 Okato pressed from tho resumption, Turner and Malone backing up' some good forward work by ,Burrows,.Eustace', Carey and the O’Sullivan’s. But play did- not long remain in Star’s country, the blacks breaking away and removing the scene of the activities to the Okato twenty-five. Hero Box made a good attemnt from a penalty, the hall falling a little short. _ Then Okato swept up-field, Carey and Co. doing solid work. Box was to the occasion, and saved nicely. Crockett also got in some good play; hut Okato were at it again. Jury stemmed the onslaught with a strong gallop, but Ins pass wont astray. Surgenor and Malone then led the attack, but kicked too hard, with tho result that Star forced! Star swept down-field from tho drop-off, Mackay being prominent with Jury. J. Skipper and Kopu in carrying play to Okato’s tweiity-fivc. Here tho Star backs combined in some splendid passing movements. Bertrand picked the leather up, and transferred' to M. Skipper. That player put in a strong run before giving to Tito, who sprinted hard, ,but was pushed out ton yards from the line. A minute or so later, Stanley made a good opening before passing to. Tito, and tho fieoty three-quarter made another hid to score. Again he was pushed out, this time two yards from the - goal. From the line-out, M. Skipper obtained, and pushed his way over, but was held up. From the ensuing scrum M. Skipper secured and whipped the ball out to Carroll.' This player made a fino elusive run through tho opposing backs, and touched <}i about five yards from the posts. converted with a good kick.

Star S Okato 0 Star were at it again, Carroll putting in a good run and passing to Tito. The three-quarter made another strong sprint, but was once more pushed into touch about ten yards from the lino The Okato forwards grafted hard, and made strenuous efforts to force their hard-working oj)ponents back. Success was with them, and play went to halfway. • Tight work followed among the forwards, and then seveJal Okato men sljowcd individual brilliancy in making their way to the Star twenty-five, Malone had an attempt from a penalty, but the ball went wide. Star were defending to their utmost ability, but nevertheless, with but two minutes to go, Okato were only five : yards from tho lino. Skipper and Jacob were instrumental in saving their side, and play went to mid-field. One or two more anxious moments were caused Star, Wickham sending down a big kick. Carroll, however, replied with a bigger boost to half-way, tho final whistle being sounded simultaneously by Referee J. Johnson, with tho scores; — Star 5 Okato ~ 0 QUEENSLAND v. NEW SOUTH WALES. BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT. BRISBANE. July 20! Queensland defeated New South Wales by 13 points to 3. WELLINGTON v. AUCKLAND. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, July 20. The Wellington fifteen played Auckland to-day for tho Banfurly Shield, and suffered . defeat by 6 points—a penalty goal and an unconverted try—to 5 points—a converted try. A strong wind blew almost straight down the field, and heavy rain foil almost continuously. Wellington had the wind in tho first spell and had Auckland'defending most of tho time. Tho first try came-aftor J7*-“minutos’ play. Roberts

. secured from a loose forward rush, and 1 the ball went to Mackenzie, Kinvig, - and Mitchimvon, who beat Macky and .scored a brilliant try. Evcnson coniverted. The visitors continued to press, bait found Ot'Lcary, at fail-back, a stumbling-block. Evcnson made a. fruitless attempt .-it goal. Tho second half opemed with Wellington attacking, but long kicking b.y Auckland’s backs kept them off O’licnry.had a fruitless shot at goal, but hA cl a successful shot soon aftowards during one of Auckland’s sudden rashes. Tho deciding try was secured fmovi a .high punt from halfway by Mackenzie. Kinvig mulled and Nes- : bit scored. , O’Leary failed with the kick. Mast of the play was in Auckland’s half, Wellington having slightly the better df the game.

WELLINGTON v. HAWKE’S BAY.

•, WELLINGTON, July 20. Tho inter,provincial Rnguy match Wellington; B v. Hawke’s Bay, played on' Saturday, proved a walk-over for tho homo team, who simply did practically as they liked in the first spell, and piled on 18 pointy to nil, tries being obtained by Young (’4), Heketa, and Shearer. In the second spell the visitors made a Letter stand, and, while unable to score tL.eraselvcs, prevented Wellington from adding any further points. OTAGO v. MAORIS. DUNEDIN, July 20. Th)o»f<K>tbaU match, Otago v. Maori teanv was played here to-day in perfect weather and on a splendod ground. Tho standard of play was not high, though, tho game was fairly Last in the second spell. Tho game resulted in a draw. Grace kicked a goal for the Maoris, and Watson did likewise for Otago. ,