FOOTBALL.

Evening Star, Issue 9776, 5 August 1895, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY. [By Rekeuee ] Till-: TRIAL VhViVH. There were not many spectators at the Caihbrook Ground on Saturday to witness the first trial match. Mr F. H. Campbell controlled the game, and Messrs A. Downes and J. Hutchison acted as touch-line judges. Esquilanb captained the B team and M’Farlane the A contingent. The latter started oil with a furious onslaught on the Blues’ line, and after play had been in progress for a little while they were credited with aforeedown. This success was repeated shortly afterwards, and its ell’ect appeared to be to waken the B's to a sense of their position. They threw capital energy into their efforts, and after some vacillating play near the centre they swooped down on the A’s line. Two marks were obtained in likely positions, but the kicks by Williamson and Priest had no serviceable result Still continuing to press, another mark was gained by the same team, and J. Torrance made a good shot at the posts, but the leather fell wide. After the Colors had made their way to the other end of the field, and had been forced back again, a scrum was formed within their twenty-five territory, and Cran, getting the ball nicely, passed to Sullivan, who made good use of his speed, and got over the line just in time. The kick was a failure. Some uninteresting play followed in the centre, and M’Farlane again showed his men the way to the. B’s lino, but the defence of the Colors was effective, and the ball was soon on its way to the opposite end. Near the line Mason picked it up in some loose play, and in a twinkling jumped over the line. No goal. Half-time was called with the score : B team 6 points, A team nil.

In the second spell J. Macdonald took Sullivan’s place at three-quarter. Both teams played their hardest to score, and eventually M’Farlane crossed the Blues' line, but M’Lareu’s attempt at goal was a failure. Both sides gave a creditable exhibition of the game, but the practice amongst the forwards of lifting the foot before the ball has been put into the scrum was a noticeable fault. The dribbling was of the highest order, while the tackling and kicking of the backs were safe.

Ross (A toam) played a good all-round game at full back. Mackenzie put in some useful work on the wing. Cunningham very seldom had the ball, while Stephenson kicked well.

Davis, who played up to the scrum, passed out smartly and accurately. M'Farlane, J. Torrance, Lowry, and Ballantyno were the pick of the forwards. King (B team) kicked with judgment. Armit was in good form. Cran (centre) was the best of the backs. He ran, kicked, and passed in commendable style. Macdonald is a fast, dodgy runner. Mason was in splendid nick, but was rather slow in passing. Thomson took the bail splendidly, and his passing was well timed.

Esquilaut, D. Torrance, Given, Priest, and King were the best in the forward division. Hobson whs unable to play owing to an injured foot, and his place was taken bv W. Wilkinson.

The team for next Saturday’s trial match has been slightly altered. Cran will play half-back, ami Macassey has received a well-deserved position in the Colors. Campbell and H. Wilkinson will fill vacancies in the forwards. The following is the team :

Bixes.— Full-back, Boss; three-quarters—Mac-kenzie, Cunningham, Stephenson; halves—Mason, Duncan. Cran ; forwards— Ballantyne, M’Farlane, J. Torrance, Given, Priest, Beadle, Lowry, 11. Wilkinson.

Conous. Full-back, King; three-quarters Macdonald, Macassey, Annit; halves—-Davis, Fordyco, Thomson ; forwards —D. Torrance, Ksquilant, W. Wilkinson, M'Laren, Hobson, 'foothill, Campbell, King, Martin; reserves— Harris, Kestioaux, Malcolm, Stewart.

Any of the above players who are unable to play are requested to notify their inability to the hon. secretary of the O.R.F.U. before Thursday. .

JUNIOR FI.AO. In the junior flag matches Green Island lead with ‘2O points, Warehousemen are next with 19, Taieri have dropped to third on the list with 18, and then come Univer l sity Second, Pirates Second, and Port Chalmers with 10 each. Melrose is seventh with 14, and the rest of the competitors are not in the double figures. Saturday’s results ; Green Island and Taieri drew, with no score; University Second beat High School by 14 points to 5 ; Melrose inflicted a crushing defeat on Dunedin Second—44 points to nil ; Pirates Second beat Pacific by a try to nil ; ZingariRiehmoiul Second defeated Caversham Second by 5 points (a goal) to 3 points (a try); Port Chalmers beat Alhambra by 6 points (a try and a goal from a free kick) to 3 points (a try); Kaikorai Second won from Union Second by II points to 3; and the Warehousemen won their match against Otakia by default, the latter failing to raise a team to come into town.

“Interested” writes:—“l observe by the position of the junior clubs (flag contest), as published last week, that the University Second are placed fourth with 14 points, being equal with the Port Chalmers and Pirates Second. 1 fail to see how the Flag Committee arrive at this. The record of the University Sgcond should be: Flag matches—Played 8, won 6, lost 2; flag points, 12. Instead of that, they have played 9 matches, won 7, lost 2 ; flag points, 14. They have no doubt reckoned their match with the Pacific, played on the 27th July, as a flag match, but on locking up the ‘ Annual ’ I find there was no such fixture arranged as Pacific v. University 11. The Pacific had to play the -West Taieri, and the University had no match. lam imformed that the Flag Committee consented to them taking up the High School fixture for that date, hut I fail to see how they could do this, as the School won from the Zingari-Kichmond 11. by default. In justice to the two junior clubs that are supposed to be equal with the University, the Flag Committee will, I trust, investigate this matter and put the University Second in tneir proper place—viz., sixth.”

OTHER MATCHES. Star defeated AA 7 arehousemen Second by 6 points to 3. The Rangers played the White Star, and defeated them by II points to 3.

The return match between United and Albion resulted iu a win for the United by 11 points to 4. Tries were obtained for the United by M. Driscoll (2) and J. M'Farlane. AV. Gibbs converted one. For the Albion Stewart kicked a goal from a mark.

The White Star visited Ravensbourne to meet the Ravensbourne Second, and suffered defeat by 11 points to (>. The Ramblers played a scratch match with the Bay View, which resulted in a win for the Ramblers by 8 points to 3. For the winners J. Morrison, S. Foster, J. M ‘Ewan, R. Isaacs, and R. Duncan played well, the two latter scoring a try each, while W. Currie kicked a goal. A Wellington telegram states that in the football match between Wellington College and St. Tatrick’s College the former won by 18 points to nil.

ASSOCIATION. [BV (.lOAblt Ml'.Pbii. ] The following table shows the position of the clubs at present;

Table showing number of poiuls scored in the charity banner matches, which commenced from the second round only ;

/ealandi i ... 3 2 b I 5 Northern ... 3 0 3,0 0 hhieen’s Park ... I U I 0 0 Thistle ... 2 0 2 0 0

A meeting of the O.F.A. Committee was lield on Thursday ; present —Messrs Findlay (chair), Moncriell, Churchill, Clcllaml, and Kemniiz. Tlie ijucstion of sending a team to Invercargill was deferred. It was decided that Otago cannot see their way clear to outer a team for the annual tournament to bo held at Auckland at the end of the present month. It was resolved that all appeals from clubs be submitted to the O.F.A. Committee for consideration. The following motion was carried “ That in the event of any club failing to keep its fixture with another club, such club defaulting to put in an appearance shall have the match awarded against it.” The Committee meet again next Thursday.

Rangers v. Roslyn.—On account of both teams having an unbeaten record for the •season this match created a deal of interest among “ Association footballers.” A large crowd of admirers of the good old game attended the exhibition Ground to see the struggle, and, judging by the enthusiasm shown, they must have been well satisfied. The play, from start to finish, was very fast and exciting, the teams doing their utmost to pilot the leather safely through the sticks, bat the stubborn defence of both teams and the safe play of their respective goalkeepers would notallowof anylhingbutadrawu game. Thus the contest ended with two goals each. The wet state of the ground was against the teams, and I venture to say that if the match had been played on a dry ground the scores would have been slightly altered. The play of both teams was the best that has been seen this season, and if all the other clubs connected with Association football in and around Dunedin would only take from it a lesson in the art of passing the Association game would soon attract not only hundreds, as at present, but thousands, and perhaps more. All I can say is that when the final tie takes place for the charity banner, a suitable ground, such as the Caledonian, should be arranged for, and if the clubs engaged in the contest will only give as good an exhibition of football on that date as was given to the onlookers at the Exhibition Ground on Saturday, the first charity banner final tie played in Dunedin will be a thorough financial success, and thus some of our charitable institutions will be helped by securing a good cheque from the O.F.A. The play of the Roslyn backs was exceptionally good, G. M’Millan proving himself to be in great form ; Dobson and Havward also showed up brilliantly. D. M’Millan, at centre half, played with great ’judgment, his shots at goal proving very dangerous to Kober. I must congratulate the Rangers upon the stand they made against the hill boys, as their play evidently showed signs of good coaching and training throughout the week. The play was a marked improvement upon anything I have seen this season. Kober, in goal, fisted out well. Of the backs Hilgendorf, North, and O’Connor played a hard and serviceable game, although the kicking of the latter w r as rather weak. Ashton was not at his best, the ground being against him. M’Laucblan played well, but was very closely watched. The forwards all through played a rattling game. Sligo fed his wings with good judgment, but in shooting at goal he is rather inclined to he slow. Peters has greatly improved, and, with Harrop, made things pretty lively. The refereeing was in the hands of Mr J. L. Salmond, who gave every satisfaction, although I hear it is the intention of the Roslyn Club to appeal to the Association for one of the goals given to the Rangers. Queen’s Park v. Mornington.—The first fixture between these two clubs was played on the Exhibition Ground, and resulted in a narrow win for the Mornington by three goals to two. The play throughout was not of a high order. This was no doubt due to the state of the ground, The play of the Mornington team was not up to the usual standard, although Thomas, Sparrow, Kingston, Garside, and Holgate showed up at times. The Queen’s Park team seem to be lacking in nianagement. Every Saturday substitutes have to bo picked up on the ground. This is certainly not the way for a

team to get on. Haynes, Hamilton, And fticholsori played well among the forwards. Robertson and Rodger, of the backs, were the pick, Mr Little acted as referee. The match Zealandia v, Thistle was not played. The captain of the Roslyn Club writes asking me to publish rule 2 of the game, showing that the referee in the RoslyuRangers’ match on Saturday was in error in making the Roslyn forwards stand ten yards from the ball, at the same time asserting that the forwards of the side whose privilege it is to kick off may stand wherever they choose, provided they keep behind the ball. The rule reads as follows;—“Thewinners of the toss shall have the option of kick off or choice of goals. The games - shall be commenced by a place-kick from the centre of the ground in the direction of the opposite goal-line. The other side shall not approach within ten yards of the ball until it is kicked oil'; nor shall any, player of either side pass the centre of the ground in the direction of his opponent s goal until the ball is kicked off.”

In the charity match at Glasgow on the 18th May the Rangers beat the Third Lanark by four goals to nil. In the League competition in Scotland on May 4 Celtic beat Dundee by two goals to one goal; Third Lanark beat St. Mirven by four goals ,to nil; and the Rangers beat Leith Athletic by three goals to nil. A Hint to Footballers.—The following article 1 take from the ‘ Scottish American,’ and it commends itself to all footballers : “Football players are seriously admonished by a medical journal against wearing jerseys day after day without their being washed from the beginning to the end of the season. Considering the compost of mud, blood, and sweat which must accumulate within the textures of these garments during a match, it is not too much, the journal observes, to demand that all jerseys that are used daily should be washed twice a week. A skin disease which has lately become common among schoolboys who play football is supposed to be directly traceable to the wearing of dirty jerseys.”

('■Ink Il S - ' s £ i 1 5,o |j JiV-Oyn 8 7 0 I 50 10 IhlUKel'S S 7 0 I 30 7 5Iurnin;jtou Zeulnmlia !' s (i 3 i! .'{ 1 •20 10 21 10 Northern s 1 7 0 15 i:i (.keen's 1’ark 8 1) 7 1 il •10 thistle r. h 5 n i) 20

Matches placet. Won. Lost. Prawn. I’ts Morninijtoii ... i :! II 1 7 Ku-lyii ... :i II 1 5 Hangers ... 'J ii 1 5