FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 207, 3 September 1886, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

* — New South Wales v. Nelson.

(P.Y TELEGRAPH.- PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Nelson, this day. The weather was dull yeeterday, but the ground was in capital condition for the match with the New South Wales foot bailors, the attendanco being large. Caird captained tho viaitors, and Cooke the Nelson team. The latter winning the toss, took the west ond of tho ground. Caird kicked off, and hia men followed up with a big rush, in which weight told for the New South V\ ales men, who average 11st 101b, and could have gi>en tho blues an average of nearly a stone Scrummages ensued nearly in front of the blues' goal, and three minutes after the kick off Biaxlund, one of the red wings, got tho ball out of the scrummage, and succeeded in getting in with it. He took the try, which was an easy one, but failed to got a goal. After the kick out, the game waa very -even for a time, the leather keeping about the middle of the ground ; but play was soon very livoly, and in the scrummagea Nelson, contrary to expectations, hud the best of it. Ball then got a mark for Nelson, and after this play was confined almost to the rede' twenty-five. Tho Now South Wales, however, had a great advantage in their heavy backs, who played well, and presented a stubborn defence. Aa the leather was continually in dangerous proximity to the rods' line, there waa a good deal of oxcitement and some disappointment when New South Wales were forced down. In the second forty Cooke kicked off, and tho blues followed up with a goed rush, Harper kicking the ball into touch close to the rods' goal line. After a scrummage, one of the reds got the leather, and made a splendid run, but ho was collared, and the ball gradually wonted back into the red*' 25; and after the New South Welshmen were twice forced down, Harper got a'mark, but missed tho geal. The Nelson tactics were now to pot a goal, and there were two or i three narrow misses ; whilst Barnett, from a mark, sent the ball within a few inches of the bar. After another force down the reds got tho leathor, by playing well together and passing prettily, into Nelson's 25, but only for a minute. Bolton making a capital run again, tho red goal was in danger ; the visitors were offering a desperate defence, whilpt the blues pressed them very hard. At this stage the ball came out of the scrum, but was called back whilst held by Harper, a light weight, whereupon one of the visitors picked him up and dashed him to the ground, being hooted by the spectators The match ended without further scoring. I and thus resulted in a victory for the visitors by two points to nil.