FOOTBALL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 13014, 29 June 1906, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

THE RESUMPTION Oi" PLAY. Play in all grades»was Presumed -yesterday. The weather wasTfine, but the grounds were generally xgy greaßy- afterthe heavy rain-which;feJt dtaring<"siPedn£!r-' day night and yesfcenlay morning. It is "needless to' add-much •to the reports ,of matches, -chronicled below," except to .express regret ;that the senior match, Pirates, v.t Temnka« came to such an abntpt - The incident will no doubt be reviewed' in- due course by the Rugby Union.

TEMUKA I. BEAT PIRATES I. (Referee, Mr Glover.) This match was played on the Caledonian Grounds, Temuka setting the ball in motion at 3.35 pan. (more than half an hour late). The visitors at once took play to the Pirates' 25, and from a scrum near their lines were forced down inside of five minutes. Directly afterwards their lines were once more invaded, but from a loose rush and by fine pnwrig they raced the length of the ground, and TeTnnVn - -were forced down. . After some keen play in the centre, Temuka by splendid footwork got right under Pirates' bar but a free kick saved. Forces in quick succession, first by Pirates then by Temuka followed. The JPirates gained noi thing from a couple of marks, but Temuka from a free kick' .got clean away,, and W. Scott got a very easy try. D. Scott very comfortably added the major points. Play had hardlv been resumed, Temuka again pressing tie Pirates hard, when the referee ordered Ted. Horgan off for rough play. Grant (the Temuka captain) objected to this, remarking- that it was a fair tcakle, and the. referee .-then ordered Grant off. Grant "consulted with "his men and .then-' brought them all off. Half-hearted..cheers by each team brought what promised- to be an excellent match to an abrupt close.

TIMARU I- V. STAR I. ' (Referee, Mr G. Strachan.)^. This game commenced late and turned oofc to be a betters forwardr than back; game.- The display < on the' - whole waspoor, bat this, was not surprising in the least. The * Athletic Ground was in fair order, and fast, enough, .but the month's r seemed to tell on the players before game got very old. To some it looked as if they were commencing a new season, while others who had kept up training had visibly an easy time. Star played much the better game fore and aft, especially among the forwards.. They never gave Timaru qny chances and dropped on to them too suddenly to leave them in comftfrt. The Stars were never in much danger although the first spell, saw each side attack and defend in turn. On line out work, loose or open it was. Star who prevailed, but in the scrums Umarn hooked very often, but the attack-

ing division was found wanting. Holderness plyaed a very heady game at half, but he was not supported enough. Budd for Star seemed to be the hero again as singular to say he troubled Timaru mostly when he last had a chance.- The score of three tries is very substantial and Star well deserve their win. ■ Their forwards seemed, oftentimes, tijib - powerful for" Timaru and it was their work that visibly tired Timaru and tried their defence to the extreme. Timaru kicked off and Star wpTked up and then_ "for" some minutes, play became slow at about half way. Scrums and kicking filled up. some tame. The play was fairly even and Star who were good on the line broke over Tiamru and Husband securing the ball, scored a nice try which was not converted. Star by no means had the better of it so for and Timaru returned to the attack and tried some passing which was nullified by hanging on to the ball by the intermediates. The play was quickly grading into ruck and tumble and became uninteresting and ragged and slightly in favour of Timaru. Timaru were able to get into good camping ground and three times had shots at the goal for breaches on Star's part. Holderness was throwing the ball several times to J. Fraser who on" the blind side was too well watched, but- some of his spasmodic efforts were good. Star then bustled Timaru and forced them and play again went to halfway by Priest safely and cbmfortably doing timely line kicking. From the kick off Star assumed the aggressive, but after a few scrums Timaru recovered but only momentarily. Star were making the game open and in using their backs; made no mistake. These tactics worked well and succeeded in shifting Timaru all over the field. From some loose passing Bruce secured from Burns and scored a try as he fell into Priest's arms, just on the line. Later on Bruce got a mark .from which Budd had a faillxg shot. Star still made the play willing and from this out had the better of the game in every department. About ten minutes before time Auld, who got into the thick of it, chased the ball and fell on it as it crossed tlie line. The kick failed. Star won by 9 points (three tries) to nil. Star by using their feet and their backs succeeded in winning a good ,game.

STAR H. V. PIRATES H. (Referee, Mr Cotterill.) This game was played an the No. 2 Athletic Ground, which was very damp, and in several places held too much surface water for the general comfort of players. Pirates were four men short, and under the circumstances played a good ■game. Star, like their .senior brothers, played' a strong forward f game, and had the better of it all through. Pirates kicked off and Star at once returned the ball. Gradually they' worked Tight on to the Pirate line, but good kicking by Warner and Eliis gave them relief. Later on , Star got on a, good rush, and Knowles by quick work succeeded in- forcing Pirates. They conld not recover 'before they were again forced. Star kept at the attack work, and the ball going smartly to Burns from a scrum, this player easily scored near the comer, and Ellis by. a good kick sent the ball just inside .tie post. After this reverse Pirates recovered for a few minutes, but Star looked as if they revelled in attack, and kept Pirates busy till halftime, with no further score. Star kicked off and at once set to work to find -out every corner of the new 25,- and remained there for nearly tie whole length'of the spell. Occasionally Pirates put in good work,, hut their efforts were of no avail, .and the .shortage of. men was evidently on/them. Star did not once fail and from some loose parsing Roberts scored, but no goal resulted. From a penalty later on EDis converted by a fine kick. Star now had the game their own way, and towards the finish Mayo, who received a smart pass from the scrum, crossed' the line from the blind side. - The.score stood at 14 to Pirates' nil, and ihe' whistle sounded.

PIRATES in. V. TMARU m. (Referee, Mr D. Strachan.) These teams opened play on the Coledonian Ground shortly after 2 o'clock. The Pirates were much the more -keener players, and won by 14 points to 7 points. Kane got a goal from a mark and from a. try by McAnliffe, and two goals from penalty kicks.. S. Stevenson kicked a goal from a penalty, and Davidson- potted a gcfcl, by play:-that was well up; to senior form. !Rmaru. were very; slowi in following up, while -Pirates 'lost ro opportunity To|.,getting on the ball; and, If possible, -scoring.

. TEMUKA m. V. HIGH SCHOOL. —— * (Referee, Mr Johnr-ton.) At his match, played on the Athletic Grounds yesterday, some most disgraceful behaviour in a football match was witnessed. Temuka kicked off, -and the play was fairly, even for some time,.but towards the end .of the first spell Temuka-'s play was marked by very rough methods, bad language being ako frequently heard. During .the second , spell these bad points were still more in evidence, with- insults to the referee and line-umpire far ~ too frequent. Early -in this spell the toferee ordered three men off the field, two for bad language and one for deliberate tripping. About half-way through ' the spell the High School captain decided to withdraw his men from the gome, and the referee agreed with-this decision: ' Temuka had scored eleven points (two tries and a goal from a try) to High School nil. * " ;•

ZIXGARI V. WAIMATE 0.8. (Referee, Mr -Goldstooe.) f The Zingari team travelled to Waimnte yesterday by train and had a most enjoy-' able outing at the hands of the Waimate Old Boys who, after a very; friendly .and even game, beat the visitors,,by a -penalty to nil. The spectators' conduct -was all that could be desired. At was no .4'core,. and- both sides * .Wert* evenly matched. _ In the second • spell j>lay vas' very' even, but one JZixyyi off gide,Jd eked the- ball,' and ' placed a very pretty ma£mg jthe. score three to nil. In the last five ihrnutes Zingari kept Waimate penned. own 25, but could not get ore* Beazley, Henry, and Duckett shone iov Waimate, _ and Seager, McsWhirter, Griffiths' and Maslin for Zingan. Before tie station-.three, cheers grferi for Wai-f' mat®, Jmd Mr the" referee," also/" a cheer for the spectators. Waimate .folks say this "was the friendliest and" most even match played in .Waimate for some' tints past.

PLEASANT POINT BEAT TOTARA * VALLEY. (Referee, Mr Halstead.) \esterday afternoon a team from Totara journeyed .to Pleasant Point and met a fifteen in the Domain. The visitors had Tatter a big team but lacked experience in the latest points of tie game, and this was where the local men shone. The i Point team played a very fine game, e?peci-

a'.ly among and ing the greasiness of the' ball owing to the dampness of tlie grotind, some veiy Me passing iTha'following-scored" a try each for Point, Hadlee, Dossett, Raynes, Reid? Glidden. Gibson, and Cosgrove and Reid converted one try by ai splendid kick, iofi a-heavy, ball. Tot&ra could not Score.and settled down from the start to do defence work only, -but the continued attack became monotonous, and at- the finish it: was found that there were only eight men who had not scored for Point- The game was played -in thei most friendly spirit throughout, and the spectators were most impartial in their praise of good work.