GREAT FOOTBALL MATCH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 4111, 10 September 1883, Page 2

GREAT FOOTBALL MATCH.

Auckland v. Wellington. [l!V TELEfiKAI'H.—OWN REPORTED,] Wellington, Saturday Evening. The interest centred in the match which cume off on Newtown Park this afternoon between the two champion football provinces of the colony was even greater than that evinced in the contests which took place last July between Wellington, Otago, and Canterbury. Auckland's recent successes induced a good deal more interest; to be manifested in football matters in that district than would otherwise have beenthe case, and ever since the question to send a team to try conclusions with the Southern representatives was mooted, the chances which such a lifteen would have with the other three provinces of the colony were canvassed. It is, therefore, not surprising that the attendance at to-day's match was even greater than on recent occasions, despite the fact that early in the afternoon the weather, looked very threatening indeed. Shortly after dinner, tram-cars and vehicles of all descriptions commenced to ply to Newtown,and were kept busily employed for a couple of hours conveying the general public to the scene of operations, so thut when the game was started there could not have been fewer than four thousand persons on the ground. The ground was in excellent condition, the rain of the previous two days having rendered it nice and firm, and the weather was all that could bo desired for football. Both teams were taken out to the ground, a distance of two miles, in drags, and on arriv- ■ ing there were lustily cheered. The Auckland men were the first to strip, and the fine physical proportions of several . members were commented upon in laudatory terms. Tho Wellington team were attired in black Jersey, trousers, and stockings, a colour which served to make them look very much smaller in stature than their opponents. Betting was about even, but in a few cases old Aucklanders backed their opinion to tho extent of 2 to 1. It had been arranged that the game should commence punctually at 3 p.m., but it was several minutes after that hour ere the ball was kicked oil.

The Wellington team were exactly as I telegraphed last night, with the exception that Johnson Thompson, a heavy weight forward, was substituted for Berry. Oeo. Campbell won the toss on behalf of Wellington, and elected to defend the southern goal. Warbrick kicked off at 3.10 o'clock amidst the cheers of the assemblage, and ; in a few moments the opposing factions were exerting themselves to the utmost to secure victory. The kick-off was a fine high drop, which was returned equally satisfactorily by X, Allan, who was playing back for tho home team. This player, it may bo explained, officiated in a similar capacity on behalf of Otago in July last, when he allowed Wellington to win by fumbling the ball. He is now permanently residing hero. Dumbell, Wellington quarter-back, then obtained possession of the leather, and ran through several of the opposing forwards before he was collared. Roberts, his colleague, was, however, close at hand, and by a pretty piece of speeling succeeded in taking the ball further into lixed play, where the Wellington forwards showed their superiority over the Auckland team by taking it a good way down the ground. By a dc-. termined rush, Auckland changed the play to near tho local 2f>, but were not permitted to remain there long, as the Wellington forwards (prominent among whom Mas the skipper, who was working like a Trojan) forced the blue-and-whites back to their former position. Campbell, assisted by Cooper and Young, worked the leather within 25 yards of Auckland's goal line, and afforded Davy an excellent opportunity of getting behind and securing a try, but his run was soon cut short, and the oval then formed the subject of severe packed scrimmages in tho middle of the field, tho weight of the Auckland forwards telling in every instance. Ring, who had been watching his opportunity, snatched up the ball 08 it came rolling out from Allan's lap, and darted down the field like greased lightning, amidst the cheers of Auckland backers, but finding that he was about to bo collared, dropped tho leather almost up to the goal line, from which it was removed by Davy, who gave some of his own side a splendid chance of carrying it in. Tho ball was, however, mulled, and Whiteside picked it up and made tracks with it tucked securely under his arm. The run W&8 a grand one, but did not result in anything.as Davy collared him low and brought him to earth. The leather then went into neutral territory, and returning to field was secured by Whiteside, who was so closely watched that he was unable to get far before he was brought face to face with a couple of Wellington lightweights, Davy attempted a run in, rmt this effort was not successful, Warbrick landing him as pretty a cropper as one would wish to see. Ryan picked up the oval as it came along the turf, and took a pot shot at goal, which ho was unable to reach, and Dumbell promptly returned it. The pi act ice of heeling out was not indulgedin to any exteut,buttwctf)rthree times, notably at this juncture, it was resorted to in order to givo tho backs a chance of clearing away with tho ball. A loose scrimmage was now formed, and after some uninteresting movements the play was taken within the Wellington's 25, where some excellent Sussing was displayed by the visiting backs, wing to the close proximity of the goal line, the excitement of tho spectators becamo very groat, and for a minute or so it was a case of touch and go. Tho Northern backs fortunately kept cool, and the danger was soon averted, tho leather being nicely worked out into tho open. Goal Kicked for Auckland. — Whltosldo Retires Disabled. The play now bocamo interesting, and there was an evident determination on the part of the Aueklandora to secure a victory, and for some time tho ball was kept in unpleasant proximity to tho homo quarters. Whiteside mad'; a grand rush to obtain a try, and would have succeeded had he not been brought to tho grass by Davy, who appeared to do nothing else but watch " our Bob." King then endeavoured to run in, but was also unsuccessful, and passed tho ball to" Warbrick. The latter took a pot shot at goal, and sent tho oval over amidst great cheering. A few minutes after this, Whiteside Mas obliged to retire from the Mold owing to an injury to one of his feat, nnd was not able to resume play. Tho Auckland team was considerably weakened by the loss of such a valuable _tjp-^r t .an.d.for tllG-I'ijmaiqtlGr of the term they were more than matched by the Wellington representatives. No furthef score toolc place during tho remainder of the spell, although King made a couple of determined efforts to do so.

Tho second spell started at 5 minutes past 4, when Campbell kicked off for Wellington. The leather was at onco carried down tho ground by the Blacks, who wore working together adnfirably,. and within 5 minutes atter resuming, Davy almost got across tho line. The ball was kept very closo to Auckland's quarters for somo time, and would, undoubtedly, have been touched down had not i,t been for tho splendid defence of the backs. Davy again attempted to run in, but was neatly collared by Biggs, who passed to Arneil, who dropped it into the hands of Moore, a fullback of the Wellington team. This player returned it just in tho nick of time. Ono Northern forward dropped on him just too lato to prevent him from saving tho goal. Dumbell potted at goal shortly after this, but tho score was disallowed, as it appeared that the ball had been taken off-side, The play now became moro central than it had been for some time. Davy passed to A. Thomson, the Fielding representative, who ran out of bounds in trying to avoid Webster. A Warm Dispute. On tho ball being thrown out, Webb touched, to the great delight of the backers of the local team. The point was disputed, Cotter considering that the leather had been thrown on, and Frith that it had not. Tho roferoo decidod in favour of Wellington. Henderson and his men declined to accept tho decision, and threatened to leave tho held if the point was given to the home fifteen. Campboll graciously conceded tho point, and tho game was resumed, but not, however, before tho Northerners had been treated to somo hooting, which was quite undeserved, a: tho question at issue was one verydifficultto decide. Ring made one or two ineffectual attempts to push his way through the blacks, who were now playing together like clockwork, encouraged by tho examplo of their skipper, who probably worked harder than any other man on the ground. Struggle for Victory.—A Drawn Game. A. Thomson managed to get within a convenient distance of the Auckland goal, and placed tho leather over tho cross oars in beautiful stylo amidst deafening cheers. This made both sides equal as regards scores, and the excitement intensified as the game progressed. With a grand rush, the Auckland men carried tho play within the local 25, where there ensued a contest the like of which

has probably not been witnessed on that ground before. The Northerners were determined to increase the scoro, and the other, side wero equally determined that they should not do so. Again and again the Aucklanders managed to get within n few feet of the coveted line, and as often were they driven back. W'arbrick acquitted himself splendidly in this portion of the match, making no less than four attempts within 10 minutes to either secure a try or obtain a goal. A pot shot which he took at the goal landed the ball just on one side of the near post. The Auckland team were then driven back, but soon regained the lost ground. Ring made several magnificent runs, but in each case he was collared before he could touch down. No further score was made, and the match was consequently a drawn one, each side having obtained a goal. Owing to the absence of Whiteside, Wellington had by far the best of the second spell, and several times came very near scoring a number of points. The play, on the whole, was good. The Wellington public were rather disappointed at the manner in which your team worked together, but they greatly admired the line kicking of llyan, the running of Whiteside and Ring, and the drop-kicking of Arneil and \Varbrk-k. Both team's dined together to-night at the l'ost-oflice Hotel.