FOTBALL.

Te Puke Times, 9 September 1919, Page 2

FOTBALL.

The match- between: Puke and Rotoriialrepreseritati]|§ ; teams, played on:Saturdayr traded a. large crowd, of Jplf lookers. The visiting teahv"wa9S| a much stronger than the one that; was defeated!! in the- final Cup contest a;foffll niuht previously,.whilst Puke team was decidedly Montgomery, Petherbridge;-ahd'§l Kokiri being absent'from their/f ranks. The inability -of gomery to take the field was par-' i ticularly felt, ds he was the king -1 pin of the back division, which, J without him, appeared to be thor- ,| oughly disorganised. ||

Contrary to the sanguine feel* ng that was displayed by local ' importers on the 23rd Aug., i rreat want of confidence regard- ~ ;he ability of the local team to,; vin was exhibited on Saturday. ' This was due to a great extent , ;o the belief that a " don't care fwe win or lose" feeling per- v meated the team. Public opinio*. < as usual, proved correct, visitors had decidedly the beswhß the game, and there is no doubrH that, on the play the best team won. It was only in the last ten minutes that the Te Puke team , appeared to wake up, and then they played brilliantly, We do not propose to give an ij account of the game in detail,. - The visitors attacked hotly from '" the start, and very soon had the home team on the defensive. Wild ' passing by the latter's backs wis J followed by R)torua being given a free kick, from which Rogers placed a goal. McEwen and Gar- , diner each eased the pressure at intervals, but the situation re- .; mainedthe same until sides were changed.. Shortly, after the kick- <; off Te Puke was forced down. Fast open work followed, Wihapi ' and McGeehan, putting in good * runs for Te Puke, and Caider- -' wood and Royal being con- i spicuous for Rotorua. There was no further score when the half- " time-whistle went,

*Nt, From the kick-off fairly ; )lay took place in the centre of .'• ;he fieid, relieved by a passing Mish by Rogers, Tapeta* and Mo- -' jeehan. Rotorua was not to be ienied, however, and took the ' ball to the home line, where Riki secured it and scored. Woods '• fared to convert. Another passW rash by Woods, Parcel!, and > Rogers again Te > Puke, but Gardiner saved The latter fifteen now t shook them* reives up, and and on the change : . ' ove? playei despeiately, Shots at goal were Men by McGeehra ' and Austin, the latter making a '' beautiful attempt. Then Gardiner j from loose play forced hij way across and .touched down, The kick at goal was a failure, No .-A farther scire was'male, RotoruaS winning by 6 points to 3. For Te Puke Gardiner played a , - slashing game, and Austin as full ' was seen at his best. 'Royal and - Woods played well for Rotorua, •

The following team has been •- selected, to represent Te Puke against Whakatane, at the latter "'•- place on Saturday next: -Austin, ' Wihapi, R, Rogers. McGeehan, McEwen, Kokiri, T. £)ra , Asher, A. Gray, M. ' diner, Iraia, Tapihana, Taptta, , Morton. u -Emergs. Back ; K. Rogers, Forw. J. Naera. Any players unable to make- "' the trip are required to notify the i selector, not later than Thursday, '.;■■■ : The following junior team will "; represent Te Puke in a matchagainst a Rotorua junior repre- « sentativeteam, to be played at le Puke on Saturday next:n rl.Tapsell, Donovan, J. Grant,E. Kokiri, Snodgrass, P Grant, ; Pinker, Boucher, Keleher, Sergeant, Duncan, Pene, Vercoe, Harawira, Wfniata, Emergs. Back,. M. Drabble, \ Forw,, R. McCauley.

The team to represent the Bay of Plenty against Auckland will be chosen at Whakatane on Saturday next.