INTER-PROVINCIAL FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 209, 4 September 1893, Page 3

INTER-PROVINCIAL FOOTBALL.

A UCiaAND BEAT, *«— | , WB LL.EAJNED VICTORY. a wHTorowded on Saturday wPrff sh«tab and- dißtrf <itb 'DOCba[ p al -ts of the province, who mvorß from all P« Une93 th 9 an nual W c^ ercd fch e football field between trugg'o °\iuA Auckland roproI So7 flf nskß«Ceut ran high, In '^'ftntranw of tho Criterion Hotel tlio !"»" °" of tho two provinces hungthe banners or vi telUnß ln golden theU«« k 1 0I"|OiiJ£ryover Auckland; the cttera <f ° o t the Northern district m^lZ o wins ovor Taranaki. pl ,ola« ;"'„ B - mongati tho surging crow1 of "V IMO ono and who were *t(*" oio predicting the molt. however were overwhelmingly in »-V X It was generally looked """''dead certainty " for Taranaki, «P 00 ; r Bicl-s of Hour to ono ot potaoeal team's chance were freely »% Rain had commenced to fall ab offered- ' Frkl|iy nij , ht> an[ ] ,t con- - lineS dth but brief breaks throughout ''" This circumstance was also confh, i to imP ruve Taranaki's cbance, ft members of the homo team {t" „ the averaco a stono heavier r tto' Auckland1 men. At midbaD f en to one on Taranaki % be had, but four to ono was the *T feu o with bat few takers. At a "llDf ir S t two the teams left tho : ' SSgn'ta hS, the blue and whites 1 X the Town Band (under Band- " S (farry) and preceding the local reps. i eir black and gold banner In this I jlrfhav were dnvon to tho Recreation £ I Zo fully 2,000 people wore dy Umbledto witness the opening oon the now football ground. HctarII ne affordinß splendid opportunities /or ■ ff j , tho game, tospoetators, with rising d terraced banks on its four Jdes, yet ll as a billiard table below, the Sd is rather short for football, as l yi is too often apt to touch the bank She declared "dead" There was a U attendance of ladies, despite the heavy rain, who cheered, if nob as loud, Lite as heartily as those of the sterner sex. Tbaeame.aß will be seen below, resulted, notaa generally expected, in favour of the Auckland team by 4 points to 2. THE PLAY. from start to finish the game was a hardfought one, and there is no doubt but that th« better team won. Placed on the deieDsito during the greater part of tho first mil, Auckland immediately upon re-com-uacetnenfc assumed the aggressive, and leptupsuch an active attack that Taranaki only succeoded in driving the blue and whta into their own territory twice, on toti o! which occasions tho long kicks of I Good were the main contributing causes. A hotter forward game Auckland's reps, have never played. A victory baa never given them greater pleasure. The amber and blacks' chief failing lay probably in their passing. For such a web day, the passes were altogether too long, making tho delivery and the receiving aliko extremely difficult. Auckland, on tho othor hand, went in for shorb passes, and somewhat astonished the Taranakites with the rapidity and neatness with which the transmissions were effected. In A, Good the horns team possessed a kickisb of great force and judgment, who along the boundtry line, besides saving his side time after lime from situations most perilous, made things very hob for Auckland. During the progress of tha match, Beveral pretty exbibitions of high and long kicking, on Viic/i much often depended, were given 1/this leather-raiser on the one side and Cindin, Kissling and Masefiold on the other. The latter, as full-back, was cool and sine throughout, and when things rested entirely upon him and the ball was almost on, the lino, be proved himself worthy of the trust. Gaudin played with all his accustomed dash, but at times failed to take the preany ball, whilst Kissling, ever in his 4'bt position, upheld his reputation as a »ni!j!et, Peace, although he retrieved bimself as the {jamo proceeded, mulled the ball Beveral times near the beginning. "Captain"Elliott was " all there," and he bad hard luck in not adding another two tries to Auckland's score. Little Edmondes, the other half, justified hia selection; like Elliott, ho too would have scored had not a giant Taranaki forirad picked him up by the neck of his jersey and seats of his pants, and Hung him olfthe ball. He stopped the iaranaki rushes in a clever manner. The forwards all played a magnificent game in combination, Rhodes, Murray and Stowarb shining out like " bright particular stare." ivaiksto Clarkin was n greater success wish shifted inside than when playing on we wing, Green was good on tho line m> «nd broke spiritedly through on «jwal occasions.' McMillian, Speight and ™ua, too, pluyed with vim, and were niwya where they wore wanted. THE KICK OFF. factually at half-past two, the Taranaki oam walked on to the field and gave throe nearly cheers of welcome to the visitors who followed them, who in turn responded j™ wok up thoir positions. Elliott won ™ toss and took advantage of the faint "feeze that to blowing from the north, ~™ tho sun—if sun it could be called—in tftoireyes. Lambiestartcdtho ballinmotion, wnseneld returning well down the field, w«e Hugh Good secured and punted up '"Dime, tho ball going out near tho centre. «°m tho throw-in, A. Good punted still lurtuer up, Hugh following his brother's Kicit with tho ball at his too till ho reached Claud's 25 flag, whore Elliott proved an *. i V nd a Bcrum ensuod. The for-' 2 ai< headed by Haua, took the ball m again for a Bhorb distance when the '"Her was forced past, and Masefield tTi Tl fforked tho field wifch a scl'ow '**• iheball touching a Taranaki man f«l Auckland on aido when Stowarb st t ? p0" tho leatl|er and kicked down field ii ' Al Good roturninP t0 Hall' i Taranal£i forwards followed up Wo a driving scramble in Aucklin. f' Waltor Bay'y slipped over the De»nd scored first blood, within two or lr«m inutesof the commencement, amid ki a!H \ ollee »ns:- Kobaon took the lci at Soll'»bub.failed to register. Aaranaki 2, Auckland nil. a2hTV™ ina> tho ball tr»'o"od irnme(iliwnm , ll! I ranaki' B2s. where a succession A Turf flowed, hornthelostonaof which «th, i SBCU, red and tr«"sferred tho leather an ll Z klck t0 Auckland's 25, where ft in !u rUm to°k P'aCo' SbeW»rt 1»8« 1 nX ~ ?™{> bolted in Sallanb stylo, Shi ?" tho Ranald forwards till he t)n 01 1 ,OIL? osito fOa^er, whero RobinftiblUM ■l m low> ? aDg*ter brought I.' 1'" up the field, where MaseC ft °i? aild OT'hßn K ed kicks with *d finll a ' dr°PPlng eventually in «ith t l- forvva«l rush of Taranaki, »ID h A"" , , Qb the Lead' Carri6d EiX,, A"c, kland's goal line, whore lie 7VT t . M?Befield> with a pass and a gjj*nfl their sido. Gaudin and A. K,t y aftonvard9 exchanged kicks, 'fife 8- KOttill" a mark from t»e second outeido V "I , a Very dan e°ro«B P^co, jnab kick anf ,Auckland' s 25. • Good took the iCbM * ed a shot ab g°al- but failed, O«niD'b,r y retu. rning- Tb° ball ai"ltaa(lo aKain' sP8'Kht pot possession, G»0(li n 7 a ma?nilicent run down field, A. \, ""'opting him and kicking hack. Hi' B or<llia, Jlllia rushed ib on to Tara- ** ££%!* Clarkin. Speight ar.d Eltt^th.nga very lWoly for the horn , Humphreys, however, eecuied th

rolling ball, and, strange to Bay, the referee awarded him a mark. A. Good took the kick, Masefield as before returning. H. Good then became proprietor of the ball, running with the same till hard pressed, when he transferred to W. Bayly, who again returned. Good had no sooner regained possession, than Clarkin was on him, Gaudin picking up fcho ball and kicking out near the centre. Shortly after the thrown-in, A. Bayly got a mark and kicked, Peace mulling the return very badly on tho line. The spectators yelled themselves almost hoarse with delight, thinking a score certain, but Edmondes picking up passod to Elliott, who spurted down the field being stopped by one of the enemy's backs. A scrum and half-a-dozen short kicks followed, Elliott securing a mark near tho 50 flag. Peace tried at goal, bnt failed. Very shortly afterwards, Gaudin made a splendid drop at the goal from a free kick, tho ball going just under the bar. Taranaki forced. Play returned to mid field, where A. Bayly picked up and passed to A. Good, who again passed to Bayly, who made a strong fending run up to Auckland's line, being brought beautifully by Masefield. From the scrum, Gaudin., Elliot and Kissling indulgod in some pretty passing and running, the latter oventually kicking down field, Robinson returning. The ball thon in very quick time swung between the two twentyfives. A. Bayly kicked hard up the field, the ball crossing Auckland's line. Kisslinsj and he wore soon on it, the former trying to save. The leather, however, had run up the bank, and was accordingly declared "dead." Bayly claimed a try, bub the referee disallowed it. Stewart brought the ball back to Taranaki's quarters with a magnificent strong run and a dribble, _.ob_on saving his side by kicking oub near the line. From the throw in, Gaudin kicked, A. Bayly returned,Masefield, then, like a shot, kicked behind—the forwards followed up, bub Taranaki saved. The first spell ended shortly afterwards with the ball in mid-field. From tho start of tho second spell, game was fast and furious and the Auckland forwards pressed their opponents time after time. From the kickoff the ball went clown to Taranaki's liae, Robinson (the full-back) replacing it in mid-field. Kissling here picked up and passed to Peace, who gob away with the ball well at foot, till Sangster divorted, and brought the ball into the blue and white's 25. Speight and Green helped each other with passing, and worked tho leather back till Sangster again proved an obstacle, and a scrum ensued. Murray broke through with a dribble. Good stopped him, From the following scrum, Ryan, Livingstone and Sangster made tho second and lasb invasion of Auckland's territory, Murray eventually stopping the rush. Elliott then secured and passed to Kissling, who transferred to Poace, the latter kicking to Taranaki's 25. All followed up, Rhodes distinguishing himself. The game was now very fierce, bub opening up a little A. Bayly secured and kicked, Masefield judiciously returning, all hands following as before. In the melee which ensued, Mills managed to scramble over the line. Even all. Peaco failed to convert. Immediately afterwards the Auckland forwards got on another grand rush, Robinson saving with a force. Re-com-mencing, Coffee, Lambie and H. Good dribbled up to the 50 flag, Gaudin kicking from under their feet. A succession of Auckland rushes and short Taranaki kicks tool, up about 10 minutes of the time, Taranaki working the ball up tho line till midliold was reached. From this portion of the field, Stewart, with the close assistance of Clarkin, took the ball up to within five yards of Taranaki's line, where a scrum ensued. Taranaki gob a freo kick, which they followed up well. Murray and Mills stopping them with great difficulty. Again was this done, Speight, Rhodes and Stewart being added to the arresting force. Tho ball this time wenb out ab cenbre. The backs shortly afterwards exchanged kicks, Kissling doing a very smart piece of work, and stopping a determined rush of half a dozen Taranaki forwards by rushing up and kicking backwards with his heel. The game from this point to the finish was a forward one. From one ot tho heavy scrums on the right hand side of Taranaki's 25, Mills kicked in a slanting direction over the goal line to the left. The teams were even and time was ab hand. N o one was near the ball; the nearest was Taranaki's three-quarter about 20 yards away along the goal line. Peace was slightly further, though ab right angles along the boundary line. Both men spurted for tho ball knowing full well that the result of tho match depended on their speed. A hush fell upon the spectators and all eyes were turned upon tho runners. In a shot tho Auckland sprinter slipped a yard in front of tho Taranaki man and amid the frantic choers of tho few blue and whito wearers steadied the leather. The kick ab goal did nob increase the score. Time was immediately called. Thus ended the most exciting and hard-fought interprovincial match of late years in favour of Auckland by 4 points to 2. The visiting toaui was driven by the Taranaki Union officers and others to the wharf, at 9.30, when the Takapuna left amidsb much cheering.