FOOTBALL.

Te Puke Times, 16 September 1919, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

TE PUKE V Wfl AK ATANE

The Te Puke and Whakatane teams met at the latter placet Saturda> and- played a drawn '

game, no score. Owing to the depleted state of the Te Puke team, in consequence, of the non- ' inclusion of such players as Montgomery, Wihapi,. Petherbridge, Morton, etc., it was anticipated that Whakatane, who. were re- ■. ported as being very strong would have an easy win, Contrary to ' 1; expectations, however, the visit. s ors rose to the occasion and mipsed scoring by inches on at least two -S occasions, The playing ground 1 ' was a regular' quagmire and con- ' certed back play was hot much in evidence, with the exception of a - couple of good attempts on the part of Te Puke, which would, , under ordinary circumstances, - have ended in scores. '

( Every man in the back division playe'd well, and it would scarce* ly be fair to individualise, A word however, must be said for Austin ' at full back, who played his best , game of the season, arid not-only saved, but put his side in a good ' position every time the ball came ' - Jua way. The forwards' easily held their own both in scrum and ' J loose, though how they could see ■, the ball at times, in consequence 1 of flying water and slush was a marvel to many, The viators were entertained at tea by the Whakatane Union and spent a merry half-hour. r The game though hard and strenuous .was • clean, and the utmost good feel* ing prevailed throughout, MrC, ltogers of Whakatane, gave thorough satisfaction as referee

The junior match, played <)n the local grounds on \ betvveendeams representing Tel \ Puke and Rotorua, was not remarkable for, its brilliance, On the contrary, the play was ragged in the extreme, and scarcely better than would have been seen in schoolboys' match, Some of *' the players appeared to be ignor* "r. ant of the most . important rules of the game, the local ' backs' 1 for, instance, repeatedly makinpf wild passes immediately in front of their own goal. The only re*, inarkable thing about the contest ' was the scoring. Towards\the close of the first twenty minutes lePuke was strongly attacking m the visitors' twenty-five, and ■ a score seemed imminent, when Wally Smith, a Rotorua .three* quarter; got hold of the leather, ' and, eluding the opposing backs, raced down the field. He was hotly pursued, but could not ! ' be overtake!), apd grounded the ball behind the line. The kick at goal was a failure. Later on, whilst loose play was taking place in front of the Rotorua line, a Te Puke plaver took a speculative kick at the ball as it was on the ground, and to th<» of everybody, landed a goal, ■ There was no further score throughout the game, of which the home team had slightly the - best, Points—Te Puke 4, Roto- " rua3 ' .

Whilst play was, generally speaking, very poor, there ■ some good individual play, Hicks and Smith put in good work for Rotoru&. whilst Boucher played a " very fine game for te Puke. Sec. jeant. of the home team, wafiSfe best forward on the ground, Ver« coe also showing up well, The following team will represent Te Puke in their match against Tauranga, to be plaved on the local ground on Saturday next: I , Austin jWihapi, R. Rogers, McGeehan, McEwen Asher, Kokiri t 1 Johnstone „ A, Gray, Tapeta Gardiner, Iraia, P. M. Gray, J. Naera Reserves: Back J, ' Marara, . Forw.: Sergeant, Ti wha. Players are notified that .'a practice will be held at4p,m, on on Thurday. ,