FOOTBALL.

Evening Star, Issue 8614, 7 September 1891, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

The match between Auckland and Thames representatives resulted in a victory for Auckland by 11 points to nil. J. M'Gregor, one of the Thames players, received injuries in consequence of which he had to leave the field. Waikouaiti v. Moeraki was played at Waikonaiti on Saturday, and resulted in a win for Waikouaiti by one goal and three tries (6 points) to one try. Tries for Waikouaiti were obtained by Scott (2) and Bell, Lloyd, by a pretty screw kiok, potted a goal. Culling scored for the visitors, but the kick at goal proved fruitless. The game ended rather unsatisfactorily, for just at the call of time a dispute took place, and the Moeraki skipper (Tubman) deemed it advisable to take his men off the ground, although no satisfactory explanation was forthcoming for bo doing. Mr R. Templeton was referee, and Messrs Orbell and M'Nab officiated as line umpires. ASSOCIATION. A rather weak team from the Northern Club played the Burnside Club on the latter's ground, and the result of the game was in favor of the home team by one goal to nil. This is the first defeat that the Northern Club have received this season from any of the town clubs. The Burnside had slightly the better of the first spell when playing down hill, but in the second the ball was kept pretty well in the middle of the field. From an onlooker's point of view, there was nothing Btartling throughout the game, as the kicking on both Bides was too wild. The kick of Moreland, which secured the goal, was rather a lucky one, as ho was about fifty yards from the goal, and after the ball striking tho cross-bar it bounded through. Alexander M'Donald, of the Northern, played the most useful game on the ground. THE CANTERBURY MATCH. The Matsh Committee have decided to make no alterations in the team that played on Saturday. In order to prevent any misunderstanding, it is desired that the players will at once communicate with Mr Home as to their willingness or inability to go, [Sfecial to the Stab.] CURISTCHURCH, September. 7. Saturday's trial match between the Probables and Possibles ended in favor of the latter by 20 points to 12 points. Excepting the full-back, Wilson, for whom Pearce was substituted for the afternoon, the team were the same as played against Wellington. Generally speaking the Probables had the best of the game, securing eight trieß to seven, and of these seven some were palpably the result of careless or indifferent play. Pearce, who besides evidencing little interest in the game, let the Possibles gain ground when he could easily have prevented them. Forbes and Thaoker, the two new men of the representative team, played a good game for the Colors. The former showed good defence, and the latter was smart on the lineout. Our men are not very sanguine about their success on Saturday next, and recognise that they must show improvement on last Saturday's form if they expect to win. The six backs average a little over 12st 31b, and the nine forwards a little over 12st 21b. The public are already interested in the coming struggle, and some outside betting, which started after the result of the Wellington match, is slightly in favor of Otago.

Saturday's match must have proved very conclusively to the most prejudiced South* lander that this year, at any rate, the Blues all round oan play a far superior game to his champions, After all the " blow " indulged in by the very knowing correspondents of some well known weeklies aorosa the border, one began to fear that Otago really did not know muoh about football, and that a repetition of last year's game was to be given the Otago team at Carisbrook. It is quite oertain that the Maroons were very oonfident of victory, and were fully bent on leaving no stone unturned to enable them to have their banner inscribed with the magic symbol " 0 1891." In faot, it was rumored in several of those places where people most do oongregate about 11 a.m. on Saturday that, so Bure were the visitors of success, that they had been quietly inquiring as to the cost of getting the said symbol worked in Dunedin!

Among good judges of the game here the opinion was pretty generally expressed that, provided our forwards could hold the sorum, Southland would never have a show; and so the sequel proved. Strange to tell, the Blues for once went at their work from the kick-off, and there was none of that looseness of play and indefiniteness of purpose in the first ten minutes for which Otago teams are proverbial. Laurention'B first try was got within nine minutes after the game began; the bit of fast play which preceded it was ohoice of its kind, and Crawfurd, Downes, and Laurenson—the trio mainly responsible for the soore were deservedly applauded, Fast open play succeeded for a time, the Blues playing up in rare style, and keeping the ball well within the Southland quarters; but the scrummagers of Treseder's nine at last carried the war into the Otago twentyfive. Grenfell stopped some ugly rushes in good style, and finally Cran and Isaacs got away to the other end of the ground. Crawfurd gave another taste of his quality, and passing out smartly to Cran—would that the latter would profit by the example —the Pirate half-back was over the line in a twinkling. Then the Maroons went at it in true Southland fashion, their forwards in particular being very decidedly aggressive, and the Blues had a warm quarter of an hour. The defence, however, was quite equal to the attack, and at times was simply wonderful. The onset of the Maroons, too brisk to be kept up, gradually slackened off, and the Blueß in turn assumed the upper hand, whioh they maintained till the finish of the game, as from this out the final result was never in question. The Maroons had very hard luck during their attack in not scoring, but they must asoribe this to the eplendid defence of the home team and to the leech like way in which Cuff, in particular, and Tapper, in a minor degree, stuck to the ball, Time after time Cuft would wriggle a dozen yards or so through the opposing forwards, but only to be invariably grassed in the end. Tapper, though not so great a sinner in this respect, threw away lots of chances. It was positively astonishing, when the Maroon forwards were doing so well, to see the way in which the halves neglected the threequarters. As a good many spectators remarked, the visitors' halves are five or six years behind the time. It was very evident that Bain and his nates were weak in defence, but it by no means follows that they would not have done some damage had the ball been decently passed out to them. What's the good of a fast man like Bain—the " Carbine " of the team, as the visitors say—if the halves do all the work themselves ?

Thomas, though by no means as brilliant as of yore, played a good game, and stopped macy a rush in his traditional Btyle. " Evil communications corrupt good manners," said the Apoßtle, and I am afraid that evil example, in the shape of country teams, is chiefly responsible for the lying on the ball which Thomas tried on when Downes nailed him.

In defence the visitors' three-quarters, one and all, were simply nowhere. If De Joux, Bain, and Donaldson were not completely off-color, then one must conclude that the rationale of three quarter-back play is not understood in Southland. So .poor an exhibition as these three gave has rarely been seen in an interprovinoial match in Dunedin. Playing against the sun, they over and over again dropped the ball, which, under the circumstances, might have been excused; but the fumbling in the second spell was even worse, and cost many a hard-fought eorummage. The forwards of the visiting team deserve the highest praise for their scrummage work, line play, and smart tackling. They showed themselves genuine workers and smart dribbler l ), but were deficient in backing up and in a passing rush. Ekensteen, M'Robie, Jenkins, and Hughes would do credit to any team. Hanna was very noticeable on the line out, but otherwise appeared a trifle slow. Treseder is not the warrior of two years ago, and is now altogether too fond of the wing. I fancy that his side loßt more than they gained by his endeavors to check Crawford's passing, for, considering the weight against them, Southland wanted every available pound in the ecrum. The three-quarters of the home team gave universal satisfaction, and it was the general opinion of those on the ground that, as a division, Lang, Downeß, and Laurenson cannot be bettered in Otago this year. I have only one fault to find with Lang's play, and that is that he evidenced a tendency to speculate. Bad tactics, Lang ! and sure to get you into trouble. Of Downes and Laurenson one can only say that they never played better, Crawfurd must have opened the eyes of the visitors a trifle, as I doubt if he has done better in any match this season. Some of his feinting was quite equal to anything Keogh ever showed us, and that is saying a good deal. Cran, though not quite as brilliant es against Wellington, put in a vaßt amount of serviceable work, more particularly in the second twenty minutes of the first spell, when his defensive powers were tested properly. Grenfell did not have a very great deal to do. He taokled well, and, as I have said before, stopped some rushes in good style; but I am afraid his weakness in kicking more than counterbalances these advantages. The home forwards, one and all, played capitally, and I think that at least half a dozen could be named, who, at one period or other of the game, were in the van. If a vote were taken as to the best man, Isaacs would probably carry the day, but a good many more would be very close np. The onlookers were very much disappointed as to the one-sidedness of the play, and a large number left the ground before the second spell was half through.

Torrance has played a good many interprovincial matches, but I believe he got his first try in Saturday's game. It takes a good man to get past Thomas, but Torrance carried too many guns for bim, and, charging down, sent him flying. I wonder what Thomas thought when Crawfurd fooled him so completely in the second spell ? His face was a perfect picture of misgiving, and he hardly seemed to know whether to go for the ball, for Crawfurd, or for Johnson.

I was glad to notice that the Blue forwards did not pass forward to anything like the same extent as in the Wellington match, when many a dangerous move was spoilt by this objeotionable practice. The line umpire for Southland so far forgot his duties as to walk into the field of play and advise his side. In spite of vigorous protest from the spectators, he was deaf to all persuasion to come baok to the line, but at last the displeasure of the crowd had the desired effect. It is satisfactory to know tbat the Maroons acknowledge themselves beaten on their merits, and have no excuse to offer for their defeat, beyond that their opponents were much too good for them. It is to be hoped that our very best team will be able to get away to do battle against Canterbury next Saturday. If so, Lancaster Park ought to be the scene of the most interesting contest that has taken place there for some years. Oh, what would I not give to be there? Rumor says that there will be some difficulty in getting Cran, Downes, and Beadle away. I trust that Rumor in this Instance will prove the jade that she is proverbially reported to be, Referee,