FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1247, 2 October 1911, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

WELLINGTON MEETS OTAQO. A DRAW. A TOUGH. EVEN GAME. IBs TclceraDh.—Press Association.) Dunedin, October^. Otago and Wellington met to-dny on the Caledonian Giround in the prcseure. of about 6000 persons. Tho ground was in perfect order, and the weather was glorious. Contrary to general expectations, the game ended in-a draw; each fide scored nine points. The game was easily the best.and tho most exciting of the iiitorprovincial fixtures played here this season, and Otago's play was throughout chuiraotew'sed. by rure dash aud determination. Wellington opened the proceedings sensationally by scoring two easy tnes in about, five minutes. Thereafter, Otago asserted itself, and time and apuin iirovo home punishing attacks which kept Wellington defending practically tire whole of tho remainder ot the first spell. The home team scored a try which was converted, and Scott (Otago s full-back), who played' a magnificent game throughout, brought off a sensational potted goal from the •touch-lino and well outside Wellington's twenty-five. Tho first spell, save for the opening five minutes, was Otago's. The second spell brought a change in the run of the play. The Wellington forwards played with exceptional dash, and, with the assistance of fine linekicking and well-judged running by its backs, beat Otago back to its twentv-five, and for the greater part of the spell (except for ■intermittent clearing bursts) h«ld them there. The visitors added another try .and brought the scores even, aud a trying game ended without further enlargement of the totals, although Otago had some very anxious periods in the dosing stages. Tho scoring about represents the relative merits of tho teams on the day's play. The game was controlled by Mr. J. Miller.

The Battle Detailed. Wellington won the toss and played with a strong sun at their backs. F. Roberts cot the hall from the first «mm and set his backs going aoross the . field. Otago made littlo attempt to stop tho rush. Tho ball went to Ryan, who raced to Otago's twenty-five, and , was there pushed, into touch. . Off-side play gave Otago a clearing kick. Wellington centred, and Otago swarmed down, only to be driven back. • F. Roberts led an attack to the front of Otago's 1 goal, where M'Donald made a poor attempt to mart, and the ball went to M'Kenzie, who snatched the easiest of tries. Ryan.made a good attempt at goal, but failed. ■ Wellington — 3 Otago , 0 Wellington' backs were in motion from ■ tho drop-out. . Mitchinson nearly broke through the defence, and then F. Roberts started the backs going on the left-wing, and ■ Ryan scored an easy, try. Scott's tackle,met him too close to Otago's line to' be of any avail.. The kick at goail fail--6(1 ' Wellington 6 Otago 0 A high pnnt by F. Williams, and fast following-up'by. M'Donald, let Otago down to Wellington's twenty-five. A' sihot at goal from a penalty kick availed- Otago nothing. . , - Otago's Awakening. The quick spoiling, methods of -.the Otago forwards gave the visiting backs small chance to get going. Following upon a brief passing bout among the Blue backs, the home forwards swept down on line. Scott fielded a return kick and made a fine run to the line, passed to M'Donald. and the ball went into touch. From tlio throw-in there was a short riish. a'nd Syraonds dropped over. Ncorie converted. Wellington 6 Otago 5 - Wellington attacked from the resump-' Hon, but a free-kick checked them.' The check was only, for a moment, however, for the visiting backs 9wung into attack and the movement ended in it Hne buirst for' the; 1 lino;, by Grace.' Patterson beat him just before he reached tho line, and-tacklcd him soundly, and Otagy recovered from -an awkward position. ;Symonds, and then M'Donald, -brought about a complete change of venue. Otago pressed vigorously, and rlay surged round Wellington's -goal-posts. Wellington aleared suddenly, and Scott fiolded near the touch-line, a few yanrds on the visitors' aide of half-way. He potted at goal, and with' a magnificent sihot the ball struck the post and bounded between, the .uprights. Ota.go 9 Wellington 6 Wellington forwards fought determinedly in response, and reached Otago's twenty-five.' P. Williams marked,. and found touch in tho visitors' territory. The Blacks fought Otago back to the half-distance, and a mark enabled them to reach the twenty-five. Scott drove them back, but Wellington marked, and F. Roberts had a long shot at goal. The ball dropped under tho bar. Patterson and M'Kellar figured in a sterling rush'to past half-way, but a penaltv-ki-ck stayed their progress, and brought the Blacks to the local twenty-five. The homo forwards worked their way to the Blacks' twenty-five again, but another infringement was,made, and Otago were driven hick. Once again they made a fine attack, and a long kick by Watson saw a race for the ball between M'Donald and the Wellington full-back. M'Donald failed to gather in the leath'e'r, and it went into touch. ' Fast Rushes. It was only Wellington's quick, responsive kicks that kept the Otago forwards at bay. Otago's fast, smothering rushes were troubling the Blacks seriously, aad each succeeding clearing-kick was returned by Scott with interest. A long drive by F. Roberts' found* the touch-line at Otago's twenty-five, where Wellington opened a promising forward attack, but F. Williams stemmed it with a nice kick down the line to half-way. Offside play by M'Donald lost a good chance to Otago, but the forwards redeemed the position with a sweeping rush to tho Blacks' twouty-five. E. Roberts marked gamely in the face of the attack, but a minute later Watson fooled the opposition, and the Otago backs were racing for Wellington's line. M'Donald; tho last man in the chain of attack, lost the ball, and -it wont to touch. Wellington had a very c.'xhc call. Otago were doing.all tho attacking, and it wsvs oiily Wellington's quick spoiling methods that kept them out. Wellington had a ohatico within a minute of the close of the spell, when Wilson and company swept the ball right to Otago's line. Play waxed hot for a few seconds. Wellington got the ball from the ruck, and had a splendid chance in front of them, but the ball-went astray. Scott cleared, and' tho spell closed with the score: . Otago ', 9 Wellington » 6 ' In the second half a nice run and kick by F. Williams put on the defensive, but tho visitors quickly shifted play to Otago's territory; After a period of uninteresting play, Wellington broke away in a passing-rush. Bad tackling by Otngo let them right to the lino, and from a scrum Grace scored at the corner. Kinvig failed to convert. Otago 9 Wellington .9 After a brief attack by Otago, Wellington rushed the .ball to Otago's lino, but off-side play. checked them. • M'Kcnssi/i I parked ?i'o |n fht" ("-idling iic-;-kick, mi'd | obtt"<i, but. the"ball teii wider the bar. j 'Honours Ri'isuiin C'/on. : j fino" iiiif-kfckins by Vvellinglnn kept j , (I mill wiilualiy ti,; ; m, fonwmljj .'wnrmrrl dwe' on i,l. 'in'.'. The hniiif tear.; ,--rf jxwlisr-.: -.:i half way a iit- , -, and Ki'ivig potted without sucj].-■ vi-itt'i" lwpt up the pressure, i ;..:--ins-!)Out cruird in Ryan being at 'he corner. After exciting - i'i tr.it of Otag'i's goal, P. Williams Die home team nishwi the ... flu- Wellington end, but stubborn ,-davcl off the dangnr. Wolling"immediately attacked strongly, but ut igo transferred the sceno of operations -, Hipir opponents' twenty-five. Strenuous play folliwed near Wellington's line, but the visitors cleared, chiefly owing to Ota"o's slowiess in following up a kick. After gome'last,-open play, -Wellington cot "a froo-kici near naif-way 1 , and Roberts Sent tho ball out near Otago's goal-line. ToucMu-sH was tluo only result. Im-

• raeaiarety-arccrwarnstno. Wellington "nacKs indulged in a nice passing-bout, but Ryan was collared at the corner, and tho referee awarded touch-in-goal. Wellington still attacked, but Norrio cleared vory cleverly, and tho home team shifted play to Wellington's twenty-five, but Wellington were boon on Otago's siflo of tho half-way line again. A warm Wellington attack was checked by a free-kick for Qtago. Piny in tho lost few .minutes was very interesting,, but there was no further score, and tho game ended: Wellington a Otago 9 INTER-ISLAND MATCH. . THE SOUTH TEAM. Following is the final selection of the team to represent tho South Island in the North' v. South match next Saturday:— Full-back: Scott (Otago). . Three-quarters: Guthrio 1 (Canterbury), Lynch (South Canterbury), Bums (Canterbury). Five-eighths: Irving (West Coast), Gray (Canterbury). Half-back: Green (Buller). Wing-forward: Murray (Canterbury). Forwards: Biggar (Southland), Hassell (Canterbury), J. M'Donald' (Marlborough), Paterson (Otago), G. Forbes (Marlborough), Dalton (South Canterbury), Best (Nelson). TECHNICAL SCHOOLS, WANGANUI BEAT WELLINGTON. At, Athletic Park on Saturday morning Wanganui Teohnical School boat Wellington Technical School .by 11 to 3. Goldfinch scored two tries and Baddelcy one try for the winners, and 'one of the tries was converted. Anderson scored Wellington's try. The teams were afterwards entertained at luncheon. A team from the "Evening Post" defeated the "New Zealand Times" on Saturday by 8 to 6. AUCKLAND'S CHAMPIONSHIP.. CITY WINS FROM JURIST BROTHERS. (By TeleEraob.—Press Association.) Auckland, September 30. The Auckland Rugby Union's season was brought to a close to»day . when tho cup final, between Citv and Manst Bros. Old Boys', was played." City won by 0 points to 3.. R. Magee kicked a goal and Olsen scored a try for City. is. O-Brien kicked a penalty-goal for Manst Bros. Tho game was very strenuous, ANNUAL ■ WAREHOUSE MATCH. . The annual- warehouse football match, Sargood, Son, and Ewen v. Ross aiid dimrig, was played at the Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon, and witnesed by a Large number of spectators. Tho teams were evenly matched, the frame was keenly contested, and. good..foxm shown by members on each side. In the first spell, Green, for Sargood's, scored a good try from a 'crpss kick. There was no further' score in'tTie spell. After the resumption ocf' hostilities, with the sun and \dnd' behind fheni, Ross and Glcndining puit on eijfht points —a splendid try. % Moore, which Atkinson converted, and a further try-by the latter player. The game ended 8 points to 3, in favour ot Ross and Glendining. Mr. A. C. Ivitto acted as referee. ■