FOOTBALL.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 151, 24 June 1892, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

Aratapu nv. Maropiu xi was the football fixture for last Saturday and the Aratapu lads journeyed up to Mangawhare and on toDargaville in search of their opponents, and finding none claimed a win by default. A scratch match was played and some very good form shown. If the Maropiu Club are unable to raise a Second Fifteen it will be as well for them to officially inform the Secretary of the Union so that the down-river friends may be saved the expense of a fruitless journey up-river, often in wet and unpleasant weather. On Saturday there were very few players outside the team, but several ladies were on board who no doubt would be somewhat disappointed at Maropiu's non-appearance. The Kopuru and Aratapu boys had another contest on Saturday which after a well fought game ended in a draw. Joseph Seymour scored a try for Kopuru and Edward Scott for Aratapu. "No goals were kicked. The Auckland Rugby Union Cup matches last Saturday gave somewhat unlooked for results. Grafton defeated Ponsonby 16 points to 5 ; Newton scored 9 points against City’s 2 points ; and Parnell secured 7 tries (no goals), 14 points, to North Shore’s nil. The Taranaki Union intend sending a representative team to Auckland about the end of July, and are asking the Thames Union to meet them about the same time. The local Cup fixtures for tomorrow are Kopuru v. Maropiu at Mangawhare and Aratapu v. DargaviUe on the .Aratapu ground. Aratapu will be represented by—Lionel Ki'ching, Morrison, Butland, Smith, Alf. Keane, Morgan, Len Kitching, Bassett, T. Keane, Bonella, J. Elliott, G. Nisid, Veale, IS. Phelan and "Wooilams. Emergencies, E. Harrison and C. Heywood. Someone writing from Te Kopuru appealed to the ; Evening Star ’ asking whether a fair catch could not be made from a ball bounced from i lie head and received an answer in the negative. We hope those who so positively claimed in the Kopuru Aratapu march that marks claimed from such head balls should be allowed will take note. It was the positive assertion of one player, recently arrived in this district, that such marks were always allowed in Auckland that caused much of the talk in that match, and led ignorant spectators, who evidently believed him, to hoot the referee, who is now proved to have been in the right. It is astonishing how ignorant even old players are on matters of football law. The Kopuru Club will be represented tomorrow by—Holford, Smith, Elliott, Nelson, Lowrie, Tidmarsh, Ross, F. Molloy, Bleakley, Keegan, J. Molloy, Flavell, C. Molloy and Cunningham. Emergencies, W. Legge and J Johnston.

The Aratapu Club has applied to the Union for permission to play the Ilokianga natives on July 9th, and to have their next match with Maropiu adjourned for that purpose. The Kopuru Club, we believe, intend to arrange a match with Helensville for the 9th July if possible, The district is scarcely able to make two visiting matches successful in one day, and we think it would bo better for all parties that the two visits should not clash. The Kopuru-DargaviUe fixture might be adjourned with the Aratapu -Maropiu, The DargaviUe boys are we believe coming to Aratapu tomorrow, but whether it is to jolay with Aratapu or Kopuru seems uncertain down this way at least.