FOOTBALL NOTES.

Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1038, 15 June 1894, Page 5

FOOTBALL NOTES.

— ; ». . (By Red-and-White.) KAITANGATA v. OWAKA. The Kaitangata football team showed, in my opinion, very great pluck in braving the elements on Saturday. A journey from Kaitangata to Owaka any time in winter is no mean undertaking for a football team, but in weather like that we had on Saturday it would indeed be a long and dreary one. After a journey of between five and six hours they arrived at their destination, and although rather stiff with the long damp drive were soon on the ground for play. Two spells of 30 minutes were agreed on owing, to the lateness pi the hour, Kftitangata Jsicked, off, an.4

by good following up kept Owaka backs busy, and Walter Duncan on one occasion picked up neatly and dashed over the line, scoring first blood. Fraser failed with the kick from a difficult angle. This was the only score in the first spell. Owaka kicked off for the second spell, and shortly after, owing to some muddling in the Kaitangata hacks, rushed the ball over and scored. The kick at goal was a failure. Kaitangata forwards, waking up, came away well, and from a good rush A. Thomson scored, Dr Thomson getting the major points. Not long after this Tarr gained a smart try for the visitors, and another goal was the result. Crow then rallied his men, and the Owaka backs, passing well with the greasy ball, were nearly over once or twice. From a scrummage on the line Owaka scored a try, which was not improved on. Time was then called, leaving Kaitangata victors by two goals and one try (13 points) to two trys (6 points). Our Owaka correspondent says " Kaitangata shewed great pluck in turning up to play Owaka last Saturday in the pouring rain, and certainly they deserved to win, which they did by 13 points to 6. They got the Owaka boys on the hop, as they played 13 men to Kaitangata's 14, and had seven of their best men away. They go to Kaitangata next Saturday week, when I hope to see the tables turned, and if they take their proper team I have not much doubt about them being able to do it. I hardly hold with our correspondent when he says that the Kaitangata, men " got Owaka on the hop "by playing on Saturday. Owaka only played 13 men to 14, and seven of Owaka's best men were away. Perhaps our correspondent does not know that exactly the same number of the Kaitangata team proper stayed at home. Playing 13 men to 14 is not such a large misfortune when the 14 have been in a drag for nearly six hours previous to the game. Besides, if my information is correct, Kaitangata wired down that the drag was waiting and asking if they would proceed, the Owaka answer was " Certainly." Clinton and Clutha Schools meet on the reserve here to-morrow afternoon. Milton play Waikouaiti at Duuedin tomorrow and efforts are being made by the former club to get Kaitangata to visit them on the 22nd inst., that being date of the M.F.C.'s concert. Saturday's matches in Dunedin resulted as f ollows : — Kaikorai (28 points) beat Alhambra (nil) ; the forward play was about equal, Kaikorai's superiority being in the back division. Dunedin (9 points) beatTaieri (3 points). The other senior matches were postponed owing to the wet weather. At a meeting of the delegates of the Southland Rugby Union on Friday, a resolution was passed to the effect that in, face of the dictum of the New Zealand Union forbidding matches with unaffiliated clubs, the intersts of football would best be served by seceding for New Zealand Union. Subjoined is a table showing the relative positions of the clubs in the senior championship. Kaikorai, it will be seen has scored 139 points, while not a single point has been registered against them,

roints. Club - H * i .1 3£ 3 3 t g Sp^ h3 fl Ph <} Kaikorai ..5 5 0 0 139 0 Union.. ..4 3 1 0 44 17 Zingari ..3 1 1 1 (5 8 Alhambra ..3 0 1 2 6 34 Dunerlin ..5 1 3 1 20 48 University ..4 1 3 0 11 54 Pirates ..2 1 1 0 j 5 35 Taieri ..2 0 2 I 0 i 2 38