FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 176, 20 April 1908, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

———^ —- —- EASTER MATCHES. Tho cheerless' southerly weather robbed tho Easter liugby fixtures of a good deal of their interest, but in spite of the unfavourable, conditions several hundred people journeyed to tho Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon to tritness tho games hetween the Wellington and Christchurch clubs, and St. James and Kia Ton, of I'almorston North. Tho ground was in excellent condition, but tho rain which fell throughout the afternoon made both the turf and the ball slippery. - As a rule Easter games find tha.' players in too soft, a condition for Anything like •strenuous ' work, but it must bo admitted that, in view of tho heavy going, Saturday's games were above tha average. '.. ST. JAMES v. KIA TOA. _ In the St.. James-Kia Toa match the Wellington team started out in groat style; and it Jooked as though they must defeat the visitors with ease. The St. James forwards attacked from the outset, and nutting in aonja excellent work, in \yhich Brnco and Samuels took a prominent part, pressed on tho visitors' line repeatedly. ' Soveral tries wero njisswl by tho narrowest nf margins; Tho roward camo at last, Ruddy getting across near the corner as the-- result of <v forward rush. Thomas took tho kick at goal, but tho ball fell under tho bar! Tho town team kept up the ;pressure, ,but Kia Toa wore tham down at last and set up an attack, on St. James line. They were, driven .out without scoring', and Thomas broke awav from inside the lialf-wav, line. He dribbled the ball to within a few. yards of 'tho goalline wharo he lost it. Bruce was backing him up, however, and lie dived over at tho corner flag. Thomas took the kick, but although lib made , another good attempt the 1 ball foil short. . Towards the close of tlw spell, the visitors' forwards wa,rmed up to their work, and put in a strong attack which gave -St. James all thev could do~to stem. "The'snell ended with the score: St. James, 6; Kia Toa. 0. v."" ': - -. Tliero was no further snore in the second term, but-tho visitors fought pltickily and had all the best of the play. • Their forwards were responsible for some capital work, and swept tha'field time after time, only to bp foiled when within an nee of scoring. The town team mado several good efforts, but tlieirattack seemed to have lost its sting. No-side sounded with the score, St. Jamas 6, Kia Toa nil. Mr. P. M'Coll was referee; "' WELLINGTON-CHRISTCHURCH -INTER-" CLUB MATCH. \ ; ' The annual match between the Wellington , and Christchurch Chilis resulted "in a draw, neither side, scoring!,' The. play was lively, and on the whole'was in favour of tho local team, which, on its display on Saturday's wet ground, bids fair to do something bettor; this season than it did last. . ' Thev play, was mostly confined to the. forwards, but- some interesting snatches.. of! back play were .witnessed. Both sides appeared to bo in good nick,;and the. pace was-, fairly fast in view of, tluj * ,weather conditions. Both sides lost chances of scoring, but taking a' line right through tha play Wellington had back luck in not coming off-victorious. Mr. 6. Lusk was referee'. '/ V , ' , I.' COLLEGE OLD BOYS' TOURNAMENT In connection with tho Ititsr-Collego Old Boys' Rugby Tournament the first .match was played at Miramnr on Saturday afternoon, when the Wellington Collega Old Boys met the Nelson College Old Boys.' The present is the first Old Boys' tournament^that-has been held, -and it is inten&d'to make it an an-' nual fixture.- Tlio matches Vill be played for a shield presented hy Mr. W. Dovenish, president of, tho Nelson Colbgo Old Bovs' Football Club.'. . , ■ ' * - The match on Saturday proved to bo an interesting game. The. two '.-team's wero not. very ovenly matched." / Wellington donended inainlv' on-,their, - forwards, whilst Nelson placed reliance- upon their backs.. - Thus the wot weather aiid. tho .slippery ball jtold in favoui 'of, tho loV'al msn, 'b>itUhey".Yfor'o' the better' team, and succeeded in comniling ■ 19 points-,t-o t-lisir opponents' 3. Tho local for--ward^'wero heavy and know- how to work, both'in .the line-out and in tho, scrum. - Tha Nolson team showed superiority, in tho back division, but'the effect of 'this 'was marred by tJie slipnorinoss of the ball. Nelson had tii-a best chance of success by making "tho game open, and had they done this "more than thev did they would have obtained bet ter results. Now and again .players-;wore conspicuous in forward rushes. ' Tho forwards worlrjd well, and kont on tho track of tho ball continuously. ,Pln.v ended ■ with Wellington 19 points to Nelsonls 3/. The, final of this .tournament v.'ill be'nlayed to-day, : when the ;; AVellington;. -Coll"ge team will meet tha Christcliureli Boys' HHi School Old Boys. " A /match wa's\'played On Saturday aftkr-" noon at the polo grounds, Miramar, bo'tweeh • Selwyn and tho Hastings -Rovers. After a close gaine, the; former won by 10 points, to_S.- For Selwyn,' Burns-potted a goal,' and tries wore secured by Burns arid Lako. ; JUiNIOR MATCHES. , ■ A match v;as played between a third : class Pdhill s (Wellington) Club and ■ tlio Red Star Juniors ■ (Masterton)'on Saturday afternoon, ending in q draw, each sido scoring 7'points. For Polhill,' C. Perkins scored a try and potted-a goal, and for Masterton Sims scored similarly.' " ' ■ ' . ' WELLINGTON Y.M.C.A. t. HASTINGS. . (DV TELEGRAPH— SPECIAL CORKESFOKDEK'T.) . Hastings, April 18. The Association football match, T.M.O.A. (Wellington) v. Hastings, was played to-day; Rain fell at tho commencement and the ball . was "greasy.- Wellington -won itli.b -toss and playea with , tha wind. From the start'the visitors were pressed, conceding several corners. From one of . these Forbes headed into the net, drawing first blood. Hastings ra-' sponded vigorously,' hut Y.M.C.A. kept its goal intact until half-time, the score then being: Wellington 1, Hastings nil. Tho second spell (was evenly contested until' Iryma, ; from a corner, headed a clever goal. Hastings rallied, and eventually, succeeded in, penetrating Y.M.C.A.'s; defonco, scoring a well-earned'goal, making tho score Wellington 2 to 1. ■ Aftar a fow minutes Hastings was again successful, scoring from a mis-kick from one of the-opposing backs drawing the score level, amidst, cheering! Timo was drawing nigh, and both teams were eager, r but after a forward movement, in which practically all Y.M.C.A. took part, the ball finally passed to Forbes, who beat the Hastings custodian,' the gamo ending— Y.M.C.A. ... L ... 3Hastings '... • .... ... ... 2 ' SOUTHERN MATCHES. (l)T TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) • Christchurch, AprjMß. The following' are tlio results of, to-day's football matches Albion (19 points) beat Poiieke (3); Sydenham (12 points) beat Duncdin (0). MELROSE AND KAIEIIAU DRAW. (BV TELSCUAPU—tPECIAI. CORItESPOKDEKT: I Wanganui, April 18. Tho match between Melrose and Kaieran resulted in a draw, each side securing 3 points. Grant scored for Melrose. s DIAMONDS DEFEA'IVKAPONGA. (Bit TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Kaponpa, April IS. Playing in a deluge of rain, Diamonds (Wellington) .defeated an Association team, representing Kaponga, by 3 goals to 1. There, was a good attendance, and tho ganie th'ruughout was well contested. In the first spell, the Diamonds obtained their threo goals, the scorers being: C. Hathaway, J. Keddy, and A. Lowe. Tho local team's •score"was tlio result of a series of forward rushes, from which 11. Scholefioid was successful ill registering- a goal. Had the, daybeen lino a good exhibition would haTo resulted, as the combination, particularly of the Kaponga team, was excellent. A good deal of interest was excited by tho match, and tho Association game has apparently obtained a good footing in the district.

SAYIFTS v. NELSON. ' : (BV TKr.LCkAI'Ii. —SriiCIAI, COUHESPONDEOT.) Nelson, April 18. Wellington Swifts met and defeated Nelson Wanderers by 5 goals to nil. Swifts won the_ toss arid soon gained a penalty, which White converted into a goal. Heavy rain set in at this stage. Swifts had much the best of the play, and good combination led to Rodgers scoring: Nelson rallied, but Elson drove them back. Despite the greasy state of the ball; Swifts' forwards played well. White converted a penalty into a goal. Nelson attacked in the sccond half, and, nearly scored, but Jamieson 6aved. Sparrow scored tho fourth goal for Swifts, and just before time, Hnywarcl added a fifth. , On Monday the Swifts play Nelson District. ' . . ; REFEREES' ASSOCIATION. , (BY TBLEGRArn—MESS ; ASSOCIATION.) Auckland,' April 18. Tho Football Referees' Association adopted the lafs of the game outlined by the Australian Conference.. It was resolved that referees absent from homo acting at Union matches should receive ten shillings a day. Tho next Conference will bo held at' New Plymouth.