FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 139, 13 June 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOOTBALL.

Despite the miserable drizzle of rain lasb Saturday afternoon, bhe interesb in bhe Grafton-Ponsonby contest was such thab a large crowd braved the unpleasantness of the elemenba and attended ab Potter's to see the game. As only a few of the Auckland men rolled up, Gordon won their game by default, and added their numbers bo bhe spectators. I have never heard such uproar at a football match as was created on the crowded stand by the rival partisans. There was nothing particularly unpleasant about the noise, excepb bhab it was troublesome to the tympanum. Everybody was fairly good-humoured, and " barracking " chaff flew aboub in greab style. But if the "barracking" was never worse than on Saturday, it would nob bo much of a nuisance, though a little less noise would bo desirable in a drawing-room. I heard no bad language used, only the ordinary crios of encouragement or despair. The Grafton men seemed to be the popular favourites, most people being, no doubt, anxious to see tho Cup contest made a bib mote exciting. Of course, had Grafton succeeded in winning, thoy would have been on bhe same footing as Ponsonby, with a loss each.

Bub in spite of bhe hard struggle the Grafton men made, they did not win bhe match, though they did nob lose it. Ponsonby, with only a draw against them, must win the cup now, unless Grafton can beat Gordon this afternoon and Gordon can beat Ponsonby nexb week. These are bwo prebby big " ifs," and even it bhey bobh come off the Grafton will have to play off with Ponsonby for tho cup. Gordon must be right oub of bhe hunt, except in the very improbable event of Auckland beating Ponsonby. It would thus seem that Ponsonby has, by a good deal, the besb position for tho cup. In spite of the wotgroundand bhe drizzle, bho game on Saturday was pretty fa. b. The Grafbon men in the firstspell were taken "on the hop" by thoir opponents, as thoy very ofben are, and allowed two tries to be scored very simply. Tho Ponsonby men hardly ever allow a show to go past, and both Tanfield and Masefield took theirs on Saturday with much cleverness. Masefield did a risky, but in tho circumstances, and in the way he did it, a wise thing in jumping across Kissling when he went so low for him on bhe line. Tho firsb spell was fairly even, the Grafton men having evidently not settled down to play tho dribbling game that bhey should have played all through. The passing game is nob the game for a wet day, and old footballers should know that as well as anybody can tell them. Ponsonby got off several passes rather luckily, and so' did Grafton, bub bime after bime ground was losb by the halves brying to pass, and by the bucks trying bo pick up when they should have dribbled. Players should remember thab little point. The advantage of dribbling the greasy ball was apparent in the second spell, when the Grafbon forwards, led by thab splendid dribbler Smith, time and again carried the ball right to tho line, and bhen lost ground by trying to pass. Ponsonby's last try even was got from a pass bhab was really mulled and kicked across. The fine play of Sbibchbury, who took tho ball as if it were dry, saved his side time after time. It must be remembered too that the Grafton men did notdribble with anygreatcleverness. Their work partook a little too much of bho nabure of a headlong rush. The Ponsonby forwards never have triod to dribble much, and they could not do it on Saturday. Thoy all'kicked too hard and tried to force the scrum work, in which they found their opponents too strong. Ib was a forwards' day, and the Grafton men showed distinct superiority in that line. Their backs did nob all, however, keep bheir places, and ib was this fault thab gave Ponsonby the firsb scores. Grafbon had, however, a bit of luck in getting their first two points. I have nob seen the referee to ask why tho free kick was awarded them ; but ib appeared from the stand that there snould have been a scrum for a throw on by a Grafton man. However, tho score was given. Thero was a very palpable amounb of whab is called off-side play on Saburday on bobh sides. It is not, however, actual off-side play, ib is simply loafing off-side when a scrum is formed, in order bo be down on the opposing halves when the ball comes out. The Ponsonby halves, with the assistance ot Mills and Bruce, woro particularly consistent in this loafing play. Now, it is generally admitted that such play is not fair football, for if ib is bo bo allowed, ono of a team might very well loaf near his opponents' goal for chances, and so long as he did nob interfere with the opposite sido until ono of them made a mull, he would be all righb. The referee has sufficient discretionary power to put a stop to the practice, and no doubt if ho warned off tho field one or two players for persistently pursuing unfair tactics, it would have a salubary effect. Ib is expected thab amongst bhe mosb prominent members of bhe new Suburban club will be Messrs H. Poland, James Poland, W. C, Rhodes, R. McKenzie, M. Herrold, G. Peace. Otway, Maynard, White. McMinamin, Goodwill and Hales. The lasb named has been elected a member of the committee.

I believe there is likely to be a fight for Rab McKenzie's body between the Suburban and Parnell districb clubs. Each claims him, and the Union will doubtless have bo settle bhe inabter.

Ib appears thab some of the senior players talk of nob playing ab all in bhe disbricb matches. As the represenbabive matches bake place after the district matches starb, it would be well if the Union led all players to understand bhab bheir chances of a rep. cap will depend on bheir keeping in form by playing all matches arranged by the Union. With mosb of bho players the scheme is io greab favour, and with nearly every one of the spectators. The New Zealand " P.eferee" says: "The experiment of touch-line judges in Christchurch lasb week gave universal satisfaction to players and spectators alike, and ib certainly tends bo make the game a good deal faster. lam glad the Union, a. their meeting on Tuesday nighb, decided to recommend bo the captains of clubs thab umpires should be done away with for the rest of the season." The experiment, though unfavourably received here on its firsb trial, mighb be given anotLor chance. The following is the position of the Wellington Clubs at the end of the first round. v -1 Club 1% d % . °ft la P S | £« CJp, 2 Q »_. P.O Wellington ..4 3 0 1 6 Petone .. ... 2 1 1 5 Por.ek. 4 2 1 1 5 Athletic .. ... 2 0 2 . Melrose .. ..4 0 0 4 0 Now and then I receive football reports of a conbradicbory nature as to the result of a particular match. It is impossible for me to know bhe exacb result in every case, so that where such contradictions occur I have to cusb out both reports.

The Sydney " Referee " says :—Strathfield fairly romped over Arfoma on Saturday, laving them out to the tune of oO points to nil. Lusk is getting into his old _i.ucl.land form, his running and tackling ... ■ very good. The old vet. Braddon is as cool-headed as ever, and he musb be an extra smart player who can geb the besb of him. Zealandia pub bhe Universiby B. down on Saturday,. McCausland, the skipper, doing all the scoring, obtaining a try and kicking a goal from the field, making 7 points to nil. Marks played a good game for 'Varsity, and bub for the good tackling of George Lusk, the Zealandia lull-back, he musb have scored. The Rugby game is spreading_ far and wide in Queensland, and is booming with great success. Another union has been formed in bhe north, called the Northern Queensland Rugby Union, which includes clubs from Townsville, Charters Tovveis, Mackay, Cairns, etc. " Pi " Wynyard, Caradus and Kelly, old Auckland footballers, receive great credit for their play in the Poneke-Petone drawn match of Wellington. A New Plymouth paper says : — "The decadence of tho game of football in town this year is very pronounced. No enthusiasm is shown in bhe game ab all, the practices called for Saturday afternoons by bhe New Plymoubh Club being attended, as a rule, by about half a dozen players only." 'The match between Lancashire and bhe Resb of England ab Manchester abbracted a crowd of over 18,000 people, and nob a penny had to be baken ab oho gates. The gates were opened ab twelve o'clock, and for three hours people streamed in. An exchange says :—" Lancashire winning the toss, elected to defend the entrance goal. To describe it fully would take up at least a good column ot space, and as I know from paab experience bhab my chief could not possibly bo induced bo spare mo thab length, I am unwillingly forced bo make my remarks as brief as possible. Well, to be brief, the play may be summed up thus : Prom the commencement until tho final whistle sounded ib waa fast and furious, excellenb play being shown on both sides, McCubcheon, Berry, Cross, Alderson, Lockwood, Kenb, and j ohnsbon being conspicuous during tho firsb half of the game, when the score bhen sbood—Lancashire, 1 goal 2 minors ; England, 1 bry. From bhis oub bhe play was exceptionally good, both teams doing bheir besb to secure a victory. However, by good play and a rush, the English forwards, through Hughes, secured a try, which was converted into a goal by Alderson. From thence until the finish, despite the splendid individual play by all concerned, the Rest of England ab the call of time were hailed the victors, the final scores being—England, 1 goal 1 try and 3 minors ; Lancashire, 1 goal 2 minors, Valentine captained Lancashire, and Stoddarb All England. Valentine during the season had scored seventeen tries.

Saturday lasb was nob a day for individual players to shine particularly luminously. Bub Smith, for Grafbon, was so far ahead of everybody else on bhe field of play bhab he deserves especial credit. On bhe line oub and in dribbling his play was a breab, and he did his work in bhe 3crum. Pennalligan and Stone played well, too. In the first spell, Wells seemed quite.oub of form, but towards the end of the spell ho warmed to his work, and in the second spell he was playing quite in his old style, dribbling cleverly aud working hard. McKenzie was nearly as good as ever, but he does nob yeb seem bo be up to his best form. Bavidson played very fairly ab centre-half, bub he was a bib smothered, and the day was so web that passes were hard bo make. Elliott was a bib too selfish, bhough he played hard. Madigan and Mackie wore oub of ib. Kissling w ; as good and collared exceptionally well. Sheriff showed himself a good fullback, stoppiug rushes very well and getting out of difficulbios nea.ly. Hales played a better gamo than he had yeb done this season.

For Ponsonby, Stichbury deserves the credit of playing a splendid game ab fullback. His sure picking up and backling were of immense service. He only wanbs to learn to kick and punt better, to be as good a full-back as wo ever had. Maseiield was hardly at his best, though he did a deal of work. Robert, made one or two dashing runs, but did nob geb a greab many shows. Tan field was clever at times, and Brady did a lot of work in smothering. The referee should keep an eye on him. Mills and Bruce, of the forwards, were always on the ball, and cleared it away frequently, bub they did not do all the scrum work necessary. Murray played a fast hard game all through. Jim Poland worked as he can work, bub did not shine as usual in bhe open. MISCELLANEOUS. The managemenb of the Zealandia Rink have another Sheffield Handicap announced for next week. It is likely bo produce good competition, and under bhe new management ib should be a succsss. There aro now over 100 cyclists in Auckland, of whom only about 30 go in for racing. The road races are, however, bringing oub a few more every bime. Selby is, I believe, going bo bry bo lower Stewart's time of lhr 48min for bhe 20 mile 3 of road between Papakura and bhe Alberb Park gate in Princes-streeb. If Selby succeeds ib ia likely bhat the cyclists will present him with a trophy. " Pab" Morrison, the mile runner, has stated thab he will nob again pub on shoes, as he cannob find the time for training. Ib has been suggested to me that as there are now a good number of our cyclisba riding the safety machines,it would be well to have a race on bhe next programme of Amateur Sports for the safety riders. Another suggestion is that there should be a championship of Auckland on next programme, to give our riders a chance to show their besb times,in the hope of getting a trip to the next championship meeting. Both suggestions are worthy of being borne in mind by those interested. The long-talked-of contest between Peter Jackson, tho Australian pugilist, and Jem Corbebb, the American, came off ab bhe Califoinian Athletic Club, San Francisco, on May 21sb, and ended in a draw after 61 rounds had been fought. Both men stripped in splendid condition, each having undergone a thorough preparation. The men fought with greab deberminabion, and the firsb few rounds proved exciting, bub afber thab bhe fighbing was uneventful. Afber bhe 40th round there was virtually no tubbing, and bhe spectators became impatient. Both men were so exhausted after fighting four hours that bhe referee decided bhab ib was useless for bhem bo conbinue bhe contest. Neither was much hurt. The fi_rhb was for 10,000dol, a side wager of 5,000d01, and the championship of bhe world. H. Curtis, of bbc Highgate Harriers, the English Amateur Walking Champion, accomplished a grand performance ab the Spartan Harriers' Athletic Meeting at bhe Tufnell Park on Saburday, April 13th. Starting from scratch in the Two-mlie Walk, he came in third, and covered bhe distance in the splendid time of 14mi:i 10 l-ssec, thus beaolng his own previous record of 14min 14 2-ssec. J. F. Dalrymple is credited with j having run, at tho Speedwell Bicycle j Club's sports last Saturday week, the mile from scratch in 4min 28 710 th sec, beating Comer's record of 4n.in 29 9-10 th sec, made ab Newcastle. The following is wh_.t the Sydney " Refere_"saysof the Sullivan-Bubearconbest:— " Tom Sullivan and George Bubear rowed their second race on the Nepean course on Saturday afternoon, and the order of bhings was reversed. When last they rowed Sullivan went to a standstill and Bubear finished alone. This time Sullivan got best away and established a five-lengths lead. Bubear set sail afber him and came up bo within half-a-lengbh of Sullivan, but, having shot his bolt, Bubear collapsed, I being then 100 yds from the finish, and

Sullivan finished bhe course alone in the fastest time bhat has yeb been pub up on bhe river, so ib is said, bhough the actual figures cannot be correctly obtained. The record stood with Beach and Hanlan previously, which was broken in this race. The race was foi £100 a-side, and Sullivan has shown himself worthy of a win by dint of sheer hard work and pluck, Bubear having tried his utmost to down the New Zealander. The betbing was 5 to 2 on Sullivan ab the start, and 10 to 1 after half a mile had been rowed, and 100 to 10 went begging, and very little money could have_ changed hands, as Sullivan was much fancied.'' Sullivan's match with Dutch is to take place ab the end of the month. The following amusing paragraph aboub cyclists and cycling is from "Pick-me-up : —" The term cyclist is taken from the word sick list, owing to the number of them constantly in the hospital through accident. The try cycle is the kind you try, and the buy cycle is the kind you purchase when you've had a try. The pneumatic tyre is round the wheel, the rheumatic tyre is all over the body. There are forks and spoon brakes on cycles for the same reason bhat there is a knifeboard on an omnibus. Some riders of cycles break their records, others break their necks, while some others smash their machines : Some hang over the bar of their bicycle, others hang around the bar of a roadside public. It is difficult to ride a cycle straight because tne wheels go round. It is even more difficult with a bicycle, because bhe machine itself is inclined to go round. If you wish to learn to ride a bicycle you must try and geb on ; if you do nob fall off in your riding you will keep your scab ; though you leave ib on bhe machine. If your machine squeaks you wiil rind a little oil will make ib righb. You can hire bhe low bicycles, bhough you can't lower the high ones. Ib is not usual to sit on the road behind the back wheel of a safety, but as near to ib as possible is bhe style usually affected." An offer by Mr Simpson, ot the Zealandia Rink, to run amateur races ab bhe rink for trophies was recsived by the Amateur Committee last Wednesday, but of course was declined. Messrs Cooper, Owen, and Speighb have been appointed a sub-committee to pick oub a suitable course for a cross-country race to come off within a couple of months, probably aboub bhe time our footballers are training for the Taranaki or Hawke's Bay matches. The Victor Ludorum cup for cyclists is to be ridden for nexb Amabeur Abhlebic M eeting.