FOOTBALL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13637, 3 July 1908, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

A CONTRADICTION. Per Press Association. ' WELLINGTON, July 2. Harding, captain of the Anglo-Welsh football team, telegraphed to the NewZealand "Times" contradicting the Press Association message from Napier to the effect that the tour had been badly arranged and the team compelled to do much more -travelling than was necessary. MiHarding says:—"Have not criticised travelling arrangements; report untrue."

RUGBY UNION COMPETITIONS.

The first round of the junior flag matches- was concluded yesterday; and the other grades were each advanced a stage. Temuka. defeated Pirates hi . the senior clai_s"by 6 points, to nil, and are now only "one point behind the leaders; Timaru ran into third plae# "by a victory over Star, the scores being 11 points to 6 point*. Zingari are leading in the junior grade, Celtic and Temuka following in that order. The tal«ugs at .the Caledonian Ground weae about £6 lfts.; SENIOR.

Temuka 6 2>ciuts, Pirates, nil (referee, Mr A. Shirtchlfe).—This game was pju\-eu on the Caledonian Ground, a great pari of which was under water, and the remainder in a, very sloppy condition. Temuka'"were late in at living, ami ■ x'lrauas started the game at a quarter to .4. The first few minutes was occupied in splashing near the centie, till a■'.speculator.'by D. Grant was quickly .followed by \v. Scott, into Pirates 26. Temuka then attempted some slow passing,,. Koogers driving them back by: maiKing. ' Another is*ay at passing allowed Coies to kick to halfway. A. Scott and L. Grant started a hot attack by leniuka, and a long loot pats by iioigau to Sullivan nearly , let the latter over, Kir by stopping mm. Fitzgerald and Cai-.ton uribbied to niidtieiU, out Jroui a siirniu A. bcutt started away; AV, Seoit joined in and carried the ball over the line, scoring a good try. G. Spillane could not improve. I — -.J. 1 1 . Wall took piay to hail-way en resuming, but Roddick .and Melvm immediately compelled Pirates to force. Another attack «"o6 stalled off l by G. Wail, and an exchange between iiorgan and Brad.ey was followed by O'Brienvand.-ifrtzgeiaia .starling a dribble which Coles continued to the centre Offside against Grant further improved their position, but tome tiglit play ended in a good kick' by-I» Grant lelting Temuka into the 25,./ and another loose rush saw W. Scott register a second Irj*. Spillane's kick went outside. 6—o. A spell of neutral piay ended in Coles making a break, and Bradley made a good j)ick up, passing to •''Wall, who was- not' collared till near the line. A force gave Temuka relief. L. Grant was next prominent, though off-side by his namesake nullified his work, and D.. Scott was called upon to make a good recovery after .huh-' ing the ball. A good, rush, dribbling and passing took Pirates back; againj and O'Brien headed a rush to. the corner, where several scrums, took place.- A-free/kick to Pirates was fielded by A. Scott, 'who I put in a good, run to half-way, and■■:a mi.-s by Kane let Melviu.into:the Blacks' 25 just on half-rime. A mark'on the line-out. by Carlton allowed Bradley to find the Temuka 25 flag at once, and olf-side play Jby Ker proved of no benefit to the Oolouis, Carlton and Mabeu making good. v¥-ynuth and Hopper headed a rush to near: Halfway, but Rodgers and Maben replied. A neat mark by Bradley kept Temuka in, and the same player saved a miss by Kirby and renewed the attack. A hard kick forced Temuka, and another assault by RodgeiS was met by' D.'.-'Scott kicking to the 25, Williams and Bradley by good fielding and kicking kept Temuka, busy, and,Rodgers snapped a smart mark which led up to scrums under the crossbar. Another lorce was the I. Darcey was next to set up aii attack, but after a try at, goal by Caillou M. Horgau and W. Scott relieved the pressure. Williams, Scott, and Morgan did some good work, and 'the prettiest run of the day followed a scrum outside the' 25. JJarcy pasted to Coics, the latter to W il-

Jmiiit,, who rau right through 10 U. Scout, being tackled on the liue. | W. Scobt and 1).-Grant gave respite to the toiouns, but. Darcy started a loose rush : .which was not stopped tiJl it leached the .corner. W. Scott was again the rescuing agent, and loose play ended in Sullivan kickm" down and Piratus being forced. Up to this ribint Teinuka, had b;en defending since half-time, bub the remainder of game was slightly in their favour. .Caiiton returned one of Ttmuka's rushes bv. a' fine dribble, but. the Scott-Melvin-Hoopcr-bmith combination was going strong, and worked down to the opposing line. A 'good run by K,irby-regained the ground tor Pirates, and; alter some even pi ay in the failing light W. Scott was pulled up at the 25 flag just, as time ">W" called. lemuka .were returned wiuueis, alter ,W game in which twe* goodsets' of forwards ' gave a creditable display' under adverse conditions, by 6to 0. . ;• ,• '• Tinraru 10.; Star 6 (Referee; Mr' K; Bennetts).—Star, who played with the sun, behind them in the first spell and with four junior players in their ranks; opened the attack and the- game was stationed in mid-field for a while. Then Star-Crushed and Bain fumbled the ball, but fortunately for Tiniaru they'were awarded-a penalty kick which relieved. Shortly afterwards Mayo took a mark and Star were enabled to advance to the Timaru 25, where Griffiths obtained the ball. and crossed the 'ine. Budd took the kick, but failed. Star, 5; Timaru 0. Timaru made.'an but Budd kicked down to mid-field, Star followed up well and ultimately gob a free kick which Scott failed.tp make good use of. From forward play Timaru got up to Star 25, where from a penalty O'Leary secured a g0a1.., Star 3; Timaru 3. Star then pressed Timaru back and a forward game resulted, in which Timaru' showed some good.passing. Budd gob in a good free kick, but it came back to the centre. A good kick by O'Leaiy sdiit Timaru ahead a little, and after a„ slight check they got up'to the Star 25, where .two or three scrums occurred and Timaru'/ made the game fast.' The position , was saved for Star by Giant taking a mark, and Budd, who took the kick, found the line about half way down. In the second .spell Star gained a good 25 yards in the kick oft bub the: game soon drifted to the centre and after some tight play Fraser got in a good kick, ' which Budd secured and sent back to the middle. Star followed up with-a rush, but a penalty relieved and Timaru' worked down to the .Star 25,. where a. scium occurred opposite the Star goal. This was followed by Mayo kicking down the field, but the, ball came back arid Fracer, taking a pass, potted a goal very neatly. Timaru 7; Star 3. Getting into play again aioTr-n-ord game was indulged in and Priest nearly broke through. Soon afterwards l Fraser got the oval and-scored a try, but O'Leary's attempt to convert was a failure. Timaru 10; Star 3. After this Star were hard pressed for a time and were, obliged to force; then they shook themselves to-, gether and made down to the Timaru 25. They lost several good opportunities liere and Timaru, taking advantage, worked the ball "back to the other end, but. in a very shorb time it was back in Timaru territory,, ind from a rush. Scott scored" a try, which Morrison failed to convert. Timaru; 10: Star 6. Then Timaru retaliated: by; pressing Star back to their 25, when.-a kick towards the centre '■ relieved ; ' j ust .at the call of time. .'"'!_ juniors. '" -"J, :■'. 'Zingari v. Point. (Referee, 'Mr . Palmer.)—Zingari had the. best of the ■ first, •spell: Their forwards opened bv Vhibbline: to their opponents' line, and Point could, not shift them.- The town paik 1 made the' visitors force repeatedly, but t did not score 'till Pei-ssons, with a fine

dash, crossed. Wa'ter holes and soaked ground 'prevented any good' back play. ,ihe Zihgairi half got the ball 'away several times, (nit all passing ended in i>ne of the rearguard slipping or being brought down in the wa eiv '" Near the first call Point forwards broke, away, but A. Darroch taking the ball from their feet beat the whole team and scored. In the second half Zingari played two emergencies as Stevenson and MoWhii\er were slightly injured. This made the game more even and Point were on the attack pretty often. From a scrum in the centre N. Darroeh made a splendid run arid transferred to Mi chell near the line who scored. N. Darroeh converted. . iSoon after the Zingari pack broke away, and one of them picking up well passed to Maslin, who crossed with- a strong dash. The Point forwards then brougnt play to the Zingari. line and from, a loose rush Maroney was .successful in crossing. Booth convened with a splendid kick. When the whistle 6ounded Zingari were again on the attack; the score^stood—Ziugan 11, Point

Geraldine I. vl' Star 11. (Referee, Mr G. Glover). —The match was played at Geraldine. The muddy state of the ground made skilful play impossible. The game was nevertheless well contested, but neither side * crossed the line.' Douglas, for Star, drop-kicked a goal, making the 4, Geraldine nil.

PRESIDENTS,

Celtic 11. v. Temuka 111 (Mr Shaw, Re feree-.j—Celtic , travelled to Temuka. ti meet Temuka thirds, and the game ,prove? to be a very exciting one throughout. Tli< ball went up and down the field in : quid succession, and both teams showed ai amount of training, i Tiie ground was ii a terribly muddy, .condition.) and frustrate? any attempts at: good back play, althoug at times a good exhibition of, this "wai given' by both teams, but tlie solid de fence and the greasy staie of the ball ren dered these fruitless. About a-quart*] of an hour after the game started the Te muka backs kicked high, and' Fisher fol lowed; up very smartly and scored,for Te muka.' The try was nov converted, Fron this out the game was very fast and Cei tic forwards outclassed tuelr opponents, but: awing to the: sla e of the giouiid aiit overeagerriess they could not score. r Th< game ended, ■leaving Temuka '"victors by l to nil. '■' ■ 1 ;.. .'. ■„

Pirates 111. v.. Old Boys. (Referee,: Mr Thompson).—Old Boys had only 12 men but played a plucky game right through. •Pirates with a heavy teani should 'have made a big score, but they took it very: easily, and the game ended in a draw. ' • _High School y. Zingari (Referee, Mr Newton).—These teams met on No.'• 1 Athletic Ground prior to the senior game. At first it was confidently expected that the school 'team, being heavier, would : gain avictory, but on the : whole they had 'the worst of the game and repeatedly, had to force. Each side secured a,n .'unconverted; try, Worsdell for Zingari and Bowker for the School being the scorers. It was only; iff the last few minutes that: the school; ..obtained-'their:' points, which thus ma.de the - game' a draw, -with 3 points : for each team,,;

FOURTH GRADE.

Celtic 111. v.* Timaru, IV.—This game took place on. the High School ground and proved to be veiy good. The two teams were rather welL: ■matched, but both in and forward the'.'• Celtic were superior. In the fiiist.|spe}l Jones scored for Celtic- The. second: |ialf was rather fast, and Celtic backs gave at times a good exhibition,, but therfllmaru uefence was solid: . Pi;oni a penalty J. Allan kicked a very neat goal and shortly after D. Allan scored, making Celtic 9. '-. Timaiu livened up alt er A :good bitldf work, and Harold scored. No further score resulted, and the gi-.me: inded Celtic 9, Timaru 3.