Football.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXII, Issue 3878, 25 May 1906, Page 2

Football.

(By ScEtm Half.) The Woodville seniors journeyed to Pahiatua on. Wednesday to meet the Swifts. The ground was very sloppy, and consequently good football wu out of the question. The game was painfully uninteresting, neither side showing anything like the form they did on the previous Wednesday. The honors were even pretty well all through the game, and no score was registered on either side. The match ended in a draw. Mr Snell was an efficient re* feree. « * * • The match between the Woodvillo Juniors and Excelsiors on the local ground was also most uninteresting. Woodville had a far superior team to Excelsiors, but either from want o£ combination, laziness or ignorance, they did not take advantage of their strength. They should have run over their opponents. Their kicking wu erratic, they didn’t collar well, and their passing was execrable. The outstand* ing feature of the game was the bril* liant try scored by Fred. McCormick, From his own twenty-five, McCormick went through the opposing pack with the ball at his feet. He got off scot free to within a few feet of the goal, line, and when he was attacked, b* used his brains to advantage and kicked with his left foot. The ball went oyer the line, and McCormick fell on it. The try was not converted. Thi* was the only score, the game ending in a victory for Woodville by 3 to nit, Mr McTavish was a most efficient referee. His decision were prompt and impartial. Both sides were unani* mous in their opinion that Mr Mo* Tavish was the best referee they had had on the Woodville ground, baiv ring, of course, Mr Cato. * * « * Mangatainoka easily defeated atua Junior by 15 points to 6. The match between Aotea and Ex*

celsiors ended in a draw. The Aoteas have appealed against the decisions of the referee, and ask for the Management Committee to consider the matter. In this connection, I do not think the Dannevirke Advocate contributes much to the promotion of friendly feeling between teams by reporting matches the way they do. For instance, their report of the Aotea-Excelsior match was most unfair. Knowing there was dissatisfaction the reporter might have avoided such a statement as this: — “Mr Dyer carried the whistle, and I have every reason to believe he returned to the bosom of his family without the loss of life and limb.” * * * * Owing to the Battalion parade next Wednesday, all football matches under the jurisdiction of the Euahine section of the Bush Union will be postponed until the following Monday (Prince of ■Wales’ birthday). * * * v * I should like to point out that there is a lot of unnecessary blowing of the whistle indulged in by referees nowadays. When the ball is thrown in from a lineoat, it surely does not make any difference if it is not mathematically straight. * * * It is high time the Football Club took steps to have the picket fence erected at the Recreation Ground. They have the money in band for the purpose, and it is time it was used. Mr McTavish took prompt measures on Wednesday to keep the cro a d back. After to the commencement of the game he addressed the spectators, and said that if there was the slightest encroachment on the line he would blow the whistle and stop the game for the day. The threat bad a good effect. At the same time it should not have been necessary.