FOOTBALL.

Evening Star, Issue 9386, 7 May 1894, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY.

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The Richmond played a fine practice match on Saturday, and the form shown by their principal players lead their supporters to think that the club will prove very formidable in the coming season. Campbell, Garside, Treston, and Gardiner are improving in their style, and will no doubt be of great assistance. The Union’s match was completely spoiled, first by the non-attendance of some players, and then by ah accident which laid out Beck and Harris,. I am pleased to. hear that tbe»results of the accident are not likely to be serious. The Dunedin, Pirates, and other senior clubs also practised on their own grounds, and several of the junior clubs put in some good work in the same way. ” , The Star defeated the Southern by 24 points to nil, and the High .School First won against the Bavensbourne First by 17 poipts to 2, but the School Second were put down by 3 points to nil by the Bavensbourne Second.

Next Saturday the inter-club matches commence. The Fitzroy defeated the Rossal by 6 points to nil.

The St. Leonards Club defeated the Clydesdale by 29 points to 4. The Alhambra Club p’ayed a practice match at Opoho. Sides were captained by A. Esquilant and G. U ‘Lajen, and after a very fast, open game, victory rested with , the former team. Tries were obtained by Aitken(s), Fitchitc (3)j Johnston, Esquilant, M'Alister, M‘Kersey, Kennedy, ( and Pollock, while goals were kicked by Restieaux (2), M'Laren (2), Esquilant (2), and Aitken. From the pldy shown on Saturday the Match Committee will find that they have no easy task before them in picking a First Fifteen, especially in the forwards. A probable team will play a practice game against the Pirates’ probable team on Saturday, at Opoho. A meeting of the first twenty of the Alhambra Club was held in the Sussex Hotel on Saturday night for the purpose of electing a captain, deputy -captain, and match committee of three. The following were elected: Captain, J. Robertson ; deputy-captain, G. M'Laren; match committee—o. Crawfurd, A. Esquilant, and J. Robertson;

Mr R. Chisholm, president of the Otago Rugby Union, has decided to resign that position, and tho matter will come before the Committee at their meeting to-night. This step, I believe, is taken in consequence of the Committee’s action iu voting on the affiliation question on Saturday night. Mr Chisholm holds that the Committee are appointed to carry out. the wishes of the majority of the delegates of clubs, and he rightly contends that tee decision of Saturday night, owing to the members of the Committee voting, does not represent what is really the desire of the majority of footballers in Otago. An analysis of the voting at the Rugby Union meeting on Saturday shows the following:—

For affiliation: Commitee, 1. Delegates Seniois, T2 (exclusive of theTaieri second delegate, who was not present on this occasion)} Juniors, 10. Total, 23. Senior clubs represent 350 members, and junior clubs 390 members; total, 740. „ . Against affiliation: Committee, 7. t Semor clubs 7 delegates, junior ditto 10 delegates; total, 24. Senior clubs 275 members, junior ditto 380 members; total 065.

ASSOCIATION.

[By Goalkeeper.]

Tho full list of senior matches for 1894 has now been arranged. The junior matches are not quite complete, but wili be in a day or two. I hear that the Roslyn Second Eleven are very strong this season. With such men as Watson, Sunderland, and Mackie they will be bard nuts to crack.

Mr Moncrieff was refereeing for the Northern on Saturday. I am sure the club would be better pleased if ho were playing. At a meeting of the Christchurch Association Club, Mr P. L. Davis (an old international player) in the chair, it was decided to play in rod-and-whitc shirts. The club now have a membership of thirty-six. The secretary of the Otago Association informs me that all notices concerning Association football can be placed in the notice box at Berman’s after Wednesday next. Regarding next Saturday’s matches, I think the Northern should get a good' win from tho Zealand ia, and that in the Roslyn and Queen’s Park contest the former should just alwut win. A meeting of Association players was held at the Colonial Mutual Buildings (Mr De Lisle’s room) for the purpose of forming a social club, to meet once a week, for all interested in the Association game. It was decided to adjourn till next Saturday night; in the meantime the convener to wait on the secretaries of the Zealandia and Rangers Clubs asking their assistance.

Mr Broadway, vice-president of the Queen s Park Club, has" very kindly granted his club a room at the Imperial Hotel as a dressing room. No doubt this will be appreciated by members who live a distance from the Exhibition Ground.

At a meeting of the Queen’s Park Club held on Saturday Mr J. M‘Donald was elected captain, Mr A. Scott deputy-captain, and Mr J. Nicholson a member of committee. Why cannot Invercargill get an Association club now? With Munro, Walker, and the Carver brothers a good team could be formed. It is rumored that Oaraaru have now begun Association football. If so, I wish them every success. All the clubs played practice matches on Saturday. .