WELLINGTON V. HAWKE'S BAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 217, 14 September 1888, Page 3

WELLINGTON V. HAWKE'S BAY.

(BY TELEOBAPIL, — PRESS ASSOCHATION.)

Napier, thig day, The football matoh between Wellington and Hawko's Bay; attracted 2,0Ci0 spectators, though theweatlier was wintry, and rain threatened. The ground was in splendid order despite the heavy rain-which fell''on the previous night. The teanl3 were as follows: — Wellington: Full-hack, E. J. Bamett; thxee-qua,rters; W. Thomson, W. Fraser, and G. Cooper; halves. If. Itoberts (captain) a.n,d K. Sim; wings, J. 10. Sniithand J. M. King; forwards, S. Cookrot't, F. Moore, J. Sullivan, K. Malcolm, J. Reich, L. SiOrey,* and G. Hume. Hawke's Bay: iFull-back, Taku: three>quart.ers,' Mcßao. John lioas, and VVi Hape; halves., Dempsey aud Taiaroa (captain); wings, Morrison and Swan; forwards, LcQuesne, Hawkins, Moore, James. Ross, Peacock, Childa, and Fleming. Roberts won the toss, and cnose the town end, Taiaroa ;kickiug off against a light breeze. Coopermulled the r^tura, and vv ©lliogtan were quickly forced down. Some play followed in Wellington's 25, when Cooper kicked the ball to' tho centre, where it was kept lor about ten minutes, the fortune of the" game varying slightly until Fraser cot a good kicK and took the' ballover Napier's goal line, winch was.endangored, but Taku tatting the ball- away, relieved his side. A good deal of passing followed. Tne ball was worked back to the Napier goal line, which resulted iii Napier being forced down. Swan and Morrison then made a good run tci Wellington's line, but the. halt-backs relieved their line* quickly, and Napier's goal wus, again threatened. A mark by Fraser gave OockroJtt a try at goal, but tho ball dropped short; and Taitirda quickly took" if into' the centre of the field. Several scrums followed, but the passing of the Wellington men again brought &$ bail to Kapiers end, and Wellington obtained another mark, from which Cooper made a line attempt' at'goal, but the ball again fell short. The ball was shortly * brought to the centre, when a kick " f rdm Roberta was niulled by Ross, endangering Napier's goal. VVi Hape relieved his side, and canned the ball'" back to; centre. This piece otgood play was followed by a series of scrums, of which Napier had tile' best, getting, near Wellington's goal line. Nothing worthy of record 'then! bcou'rred till nearly';the end of the Spell, when Roberts passer* oxit to Ihomson, wh-a "by a succession of dodgy runs wri^sjled through the Hawke's Bay'baeks, and fell over Napier's line.' Cooper took the kick, but failed to'add the score, and shortly after time, was called., The ends being changed. King kicked off, and >Vi Ha'po falling with-tho ball right oh Napier's line, gave the Wellington' men another opportunity to score, of which they did not avaiVtlisnlselves.; Tho, ball was well passed to centre field, and by a succession of driDples, headed by Swan and Morrison, was taken down close to Wellington's goal line, but it was soon returned; by Roberts,' and wlieo, within twenty yards of Napier's goal passed out to Fraser, who potted a. goal, and succeeded in adding tlitee toWellingtou's score; which, then stood at four, Napier nil. By a series of good runs. by. Swan. Morrison, RoaS, and Moore, tye ball was next carried into vVellingtop's 25, when atsouple of scruQisfollowed. From one oi these Taiaroa passed out'tq Ross, yrho dodged the Wellington backs, antl Kicked an unniistakeable goal. Neither umpire "saw it, .but .the referee allowed'tha score,. Wellington disputing it. Imn)edi,ately after' tlio ball being brought into play afrain, Napier was forced down, but VVi Hape quickly returned tho ball to tho Centre of tftoilsid amid cheers. The Hawke'a Bay men iow1 \vcr'.<ed well together, and by combined rushes; in which Taiaroa and Morrison were conspicuous, the ball was earned to^ Wellington's 25, Moore ■(Wellington) ..abortly after ran down' the touch lino to Napier s 26,. where •he was stopped by laku, but Napier were forced down soon afterwards. On tiie1 ball;being brought into play, Napier gradually.carried it to Wc^naton's goal ljne, Where a number of scrums ensued, antt snort rfins followed. When within six yards of the goal lihe,*andaalJapier was getting all the best of the'Etoims,' Roberts took the ball, and deliberately turned on hie opponents, and earned it into Wellington'srtoil, thus accepting a force down.' "This aotiou, wiilch was greeted by loud hboting, ocqurred within ten mitiutes^of time bfeing cair'ed, and for the remainder of the spell play was moit In centre bt! the iield, neither aide adding to their scdreJ Wellington thus won by 4 "to S At the. cpnclusion of" the «ame, the Hawko'B Bay team gave three cheera for the visiting team,■^Nffeioh were, no.t, however, responded to by th,e spectators., for Wellington. Cockroft, Hume, Malcolm, and Smith', among tho torwards, played best, while Roberts was the. best of the backs in his position, Thomson ' Mil},'the next.1 On Napier's side. Tai&£ a, MeRie, Dfimpsey, Morrison, Swan, Taku, Ross and i ieming were iqbst cqnspicupu3 for ,good play. A'dinner to the visiting team was given in tno .evening.;-;',' -,-, ■. ;;^v ~.V ■; '■; ■,"■: I '"'- ''J,} .