FOOTBALL.

Press, Volume XXVI, Issue 3391, 17 July 1876, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

CHBISTCHUBCH V. TEMUKA. . A most interesting and splendidly contested match took place on Cranmer square on Saturday afternoon, between the Christchurch Football Club and a team from Temnka. The day being beautifully fine, a large number of people assembled to witness the game, and from the hearty applause frequently given appeared to take great interest in the sport. Owing to the late rains and frosts the ground was in a very slippery condition, and consequently spills were pretty numerous throughout the contest. Shortly before three o'clock the respective teams began to arrive on the ground, and from tbe stalwart appearance of the majority of the Temuka men it was pretty evident they would prove no mean antagonists, and that if the Christchurch team intended to leave the ground victoriously each man wou'd have to exert himself to the utmost-, as, in addition to an immense advantage is weight, the visiting team were known to have some really good players amongst their number, and had come up with the express determination of making the game a much less oar-sided affair than the recent match with South Canterbury proved to be. In order to prevent the game ending in adrav, in the event of no goals being kicked, it was agreed to count points, viz, one for a force-down and three for a touch-down ; the match to terminate at the end of four spells of twenty minutes each. Subjoined is a list of the names and weights of the respective teams: — CHBISTCHUBCH. TBMUKA: et lb st lb J. Anderson (cap- F. Barker (captain) 9 10 tain) 12 4 T. Chapman 11 9 8. Barker 13 0 E. Cotterill 9 9 J. Barker 12 4 0. Croxton 12 0 B. M. Buchanan 12 0 J. B. Evans 10 6 W. BHoweU 11 10 W. Hartland 12 0 E. P. Jones 10 6 H. W. Moore 14 7 H.D.McPheraon 12 6 H. McCardell 9 4 J. Mcßrati»ey 10 0 G. S. Mathias 9 8 J. Patterson 11 7 L. M. Ollivier 12 10 H. Pierpoint 11 10 F. Pilling 12 0 T. H. Rawson 12 6 A. Potte 11 3 — Watson 10 4 W. gtringer 11 OR. Westenra 11 5 M. Smith 10 4 A. D. Wilson 11 4 ,V\ Ootterill 9 4 O. D. Fox 10 1 Mr K. J. S. Harman acted as umpire for the home team, and Mr Qoodeve for Temuka. Christchurch won the toss, and chose the south goal, their captain placing hi 9 men as follows :—E. Cotterill and H. W. Moore, backs; Mathias, McCardell, and Stringer, half-backs; the remainder playing forward. For Temuka, Watson and Westenra played back; S. Barker, half-back; J. M. Bratney, E. P. Jones, and A. Wilson, quarter back, and tbe rest forward. Play commenced at 3.15, the ball being kicked off by the Temuka captain. Mathias caught it, and immediately darted off at his usual speed towards the north goal, but had not gone far when he was collared, and the first scrimmage took place, in which we are sorry to say J. Anderson, the Christchurch captain, got a rather severe kick in the face, obliging him to retire, and thus causing a few minutes' delay. ; A. M. Ollivier came forward to fill the vacancy, when the forwards again closed round the ball, and on its coming out of the scrimmage it fell into the hands of the ever-watchful Stringer, who made a good run for some little distance, but only to be collared by a host of his adversaries, who were already showing a determination to defend their goal to the utmost. A succession of tough senmmfiges now ensued, Chapman, Stringer, and Mathias each making several good attempts to carry the ball into the Temnka quarters, but without much success, as the visitors were playing well together, and were upon the ball before their opponents had time to take it far. Gradually, however, the Chrisfchnrch teem began to gain a little advantage, and at 3 30, M'Cardell, by a splendid drop-kick, landed the ball just a few inches over the rope, thus scoring a goal for the home team, a feat which called forth well-deserved and hearty applause, as it was one of the finest kicke we have seen this season. The ball was again kicked off and a scrimmage took place, when Stringer, by a very smart piece of play, got Jhold of of the ball and sent it flying high over the rope, thus securing another goal for Christchurch, the spectators cheering him luslily for his brilliant play. Time was now called, the game so far being in favor of the home team by two goals. After a change of goals the ball was again kicked off by the Cnrietchurch captain (A,

M. Oliiviex), when tough scrimmages became numerous, both sides doing* their utmost to take the ball over theer opponents' goal line, bat neither coald manage it, though the home team's goal was several times in danger. The ball was eventually worked into the Temuka quarters, and the Christchurch men tried hard to get it over the line, but F. Barker got hold of it, aud made a good run for the visitors for some considerable distance. He was, however, quickly overtaken and collared, the second spell thus ending without either side gaining any advantage in it. After a few minutes rest, and a change of goals, the Temuka captain again kicked off, and both teams once made went at it in real good earnest, the visitors struggling hard to torn the tide of events in their favor, but every time they attempted to get away with the ball, their opponents collared them, and a hard fight would ensue. This state of things continued for some little time, when the Christchurch men again worked the ball well into the Temuka quarters. Westenra cleverly got the ball away from a scrimmage, and was making off with it towards the couth goal, but by a smart piece of play McCardell took it from him, and it was finally kicked into touch, from which it was taken out into a scrimmage. The Christchurch men, however, did not succeed in scoring any point before time was called, the third spell also ending without any point baing scored. Upon goal being changed, Ollivier started the ball for Cbristchurch. The home team following up well, again placed the visitors' goal in danger, a good deal of play taking place almost on the goal line. At last the ball was worked over the line, and a maul in goal ensued between A. M. OUivier and Croxton and Jones and Ho well. This caused a good deal of excitement, the four men struggling together for several minutes. The Temuka men, however, proved the stronger, and HoweU ultimately obtained the ball, which he touched down, thus scoring one point, instead of having a kick at goal, as would have been the case if they had succeeded in touching it down. Soon after this Potts secured the first touch down of the day. The kick was entrusted to Moore, who succeeded in landing the ball safely over the rope, Christchurch thus adding the third goal to their score. The Temuka captain again kicked the ball off, and Moore caught it and claimed a free kick. It was a difficult one, however, and the ball fell a little short. A few minutes after this time was called, the match thus ending in favor of Christchurch by three goals, a touch-down, aud a force-down, to nil. . • The -game throughout "was a most enjoyable one, and splendidly contested by both teams. Though the Temuka men scored nothing they played exceedingly well during the whole time, as will be observed by the fact of Christchurch scoring so few points. Our men may well beproud of their victory, as they had a strong team against them, and had to play their very best from beginning to end. At the conclusion of the game three cheers were given by the Christchurch team for Temuka, who responded most heartily. The visitors were entertained at Warner's Commercial Hotel in the evening, the customary toasts being proposed and drunk with much spirit, thus winding up in a most agreeable manner a day that will always be looked back upon with pleasure by the Christchurch team.