FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5423, 7 July 1879, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

DtJHBDIN V. UNION.

The Dunedin and Union Football Clubs mot to try conclusions on Saturday, and, aa was expected, it proved a well-contested game, for although the. southern club won by a goal and a ' try against a : disputed touchdown, the northern "men" worksd "well together, and eeemed to show better:play, taken as a whole, than their opponents, but the individual superiority of one or tiro of the southerners won them the game. Fortunately, the weather wai beautiful, and all that could ba wished for; but the ground, owing to the late rains, was almost as slippery a<i a skating-rink, and there were several pools of water, scattered ovtr the field, offering opportunities for free bathing, of which some of the players involuntarily took advantage. Bose won tha kick-off, and at the first rush it Eeeicod a3'if tha southern club would have it all its own way, for the ball was at ones taken and kept up close to the Union goal; but the attacks, vigorous as. they were, ■were as vigorously repslled, each side striving its best to gain the day. -1- The first poitit was gained by' Austin (Duaedin), who ran in arid touched-downi wo • hastily, "aa he could havi got right behind the"s posts. The kick' was -entiuited- to Ulbriok, who went wide,,partly, owing, to .tho;Blippermes3'/of? the ball and partly through btiogtoo-hasty. Goals being changed, the Union men, played up with great spirit, rushing the hall through tho Dunedin men,1 and eventually forcing it over the line. Tbis was the beat charge of the day, and deserved succes for the energetic way in which it was carried .through. However.it was not to be, for ■ Wyinks (Onion) and Mallard (Dunedin) toik the ball over together, aud as the scrimmage was very, thick, the umpires could not decide whoso the ball was, so it had to remain "disputed." After this each club went in with renewed vigour, and the play of both teams was capital, though' Crawsbaw, M'Lean, Nicol, and Aitken for the Union, and Eoae, Murray, Catgill, and Sleigh for the Dunedin, were the most prominent, each specially trying his best to get away for a touchdown, but the ground was wretched, aud prevented what would have bean brilliant runs from being more than spurts. "Still the Dunedin men, warming to their work, • gradually got the ball up towards tbe'r adversaries' gial, when the Union back indiscreetly kicked the ball into Sleigh's arms, and.he, nothing loth, rushed in between the poßts amid the theen of tho onloDkers, and touched down, for which he was carried out by his admiring fiianda. Tt.is won the match indiaputibly, as ltose, havirg wisely decided to take the try, converted it into a goal, and time was calUd shortly afterwards. We were glad to see that thtre ra less shouting and disputing during ths match than is usua1, but thtra weie one or two players who seemed to roar and gesticulate more than was at all notdfuL J .-i ..r. -^ ■

\' '■ VIOTOBIA OLOB. A match was played., on _ Saturday on the Asylum ground by the Victoria Club. The [ game again reßultf din a defeat for tho ViceCaptain's side, who only obtained three goals, j kioked by Chapman (two) and White TnO, I to their opponents' four, scored by Shaw {three) and Duke (one). Tte igame, although lost, was much in favour ot tha Vice-Captain's side. ■ ■ . ■ ..