FOOTBALL.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9815, 26 August 1897, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

SOUTHLAND v OTAGO.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

INVERCARGILL, August 25. The football match between Southland and Ofcago wu9 played to-day in line weather on dry ground. After a close struggle it resulted in favour of Southland by 3 points to nil. The attendance was about 1500, and the game was very interesting for the spectators. The Blues, captained by Priest, played first with a slightly oblique wind in their favour. The feature of the game was the splendid dribbling rushes of the Southland forwards as opposed to the admittedly fine back team, and from the start they ran over the Otago forwards, and were only prevented from scoring by the excellent defence of Otago. From a dribbling rush over the line Anderson touched down, but the kick, at an awkward angle, fell short. Changing ends the play was continually in the Otago half, but no further score resulted, owing chiefly to the indifferent passing by Southland. Hirst, Manson and Ward were the best backs on the ground; Jenkins, though passing erratically at half, putting in valuable defence work. Pardue, Anderson, Anthony and Donaldson formed a brilliant quartette of fast forwards for Otago'. Ross at full-back was faultless. The pansing runs started by Mc-Ara, who got the - ball from his centre forwarde by far the most frequently, were very pretty, but the defence was always equal to the occasion. Stephenson was closely watched, and did not appear up to bis usual form. Priest, Hobson and Burfc played a fine forward game, but the pack was fairly done before the finish of the game. The general opinion is that Southland's score should have been larger. The visitors were entertained to dinner this

evening. 4

\ (PRKSS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, August 25. The Auckland football team apeak highly of their treatment in the southern tour.