FOOTBALL.

Evening Star, Issue 12866, 16 July 1906, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY. —Results of Matches.— Alhambra 6 v. Kaikonu 3. University $ v. Southern niL Dunedin o v. Zingari-Hicbmond 5. Pirates 9 v. Port Chalmers 6. The following is a description of Saturday’s gan.es: —Alhambra v. Kaikorai.— As at their first meeting, the Alhambra and Kaikorai teams provided brilliant football on Saturday, and once more Alhambra won. In using the word “ brilliant," weather conditions must be taken into account. The general opinion was that the westerly wind which swept down the Caledonian Ground toward the harbor end would spoil the game. It did not. Both teams adopted much the same tactics when playing against it—viz., dribbling rushes by the forwards —while the team with the wind behind them used long centring kicks with occasional bouts of passing by the backs when within striking distance. Consequently there was not much kicking into touch. It was an open game, plaved at a furious pace. The marvel was that on such a wet ground the heavy forwards lasted it through as they did. It was not the pace alone, but the thoroughness of the tackling, that shook the men up, and they got fewer breathing spells than usual waiting for the ball on the touch-line. Alhambra started off with the wind, but for a time Kaikorai held them. Gradually the hill team were forced back, and Alhambra threatened with passing rushes. It was clever passing with such a wet ball, bnt generally it broke down when it got to the wings. Then King marked, but Harridge’s shot missed Kaikorai s goal. Already the spectators saw it was to be a strenuous game, with no quarter given or asked for. But there were no-glaring infringements or any unduly rough play. Kaikorai got temporary relief from a free kick, but were immediately forced down for the second time, M’Donald falling on the ball just in time. Dobson’s kick-off—a failure—instituted a regular comedy of errors. The ball was as rlusive as an eel, and refused to stay still to bo kicked. Kaikorai pushed their way into Alhambra’s ground, and the climax of the comedy was reached when Booth broke away and passed to’ Dobson, who had a clear run in. Unfortunately for Kaikorai. the referee’s whistle had gone long before They kept Alhambra on the defence a while longer. A shot from a mark by Coulter could not force a passage against the wind ; then some splendid dribbling by M‘Ken/.ie shifted play to Kaikorai’s twenty-five. Play went over_Kaikorai’s line, and in an effort to score Knowles made a dive at the flying ball, but missed. Still Alhambra threatened. King was very prominent at five-eighth. He set up another attack, centring cleverly. Getting to the defending Kaikorai back like a greyhound, King tackled him and smothered* the return Bennet passed out, but Slattery knocked on when a try looked a certainty. Again King smothered a Kaikorai return, and went through the posts over Kai korai’s line. Dobson tried to turn the ball into a_ safer position with his feet instead of (ailing on it and forcing straight away, but Bennet dashed up, using his feet as cleverly as the ex-Association player, and scored. He took the kick himself, and easily added the major points. Before halftime Given broke away finely, and once more there was hot play in Kaikorai’s ground. Again King put Kaikorai in trouble by charging down a kick in their -wentv-five. He darted in for the try, but i Kaikorai kick during exciting play in iOuch-in-goal sent the ball living into iafety. After half-time there was rain, but the wind continued, and it looked certain that Alhambra’s lead of 6 points would prove » r 11 wor king credit to balance. A Kaikorai rush took the ball to their posts, and Dobson skidded half wav up the cycle track in an effort to frustrate an Alhambra force-down. Kaikorai kept on mak ing things merry, and started passing among their backs for the first time. But the slippery ball and the strong wind tangled it up, and Alhambra responded with dribbling rushes. Incident crowded on incident at a tremendous pace. There was hardly a break in the excitement. Kaikorni were fighting like demons, and Alhambra were unable to avoid forcing. .VUDonald and Porteons attacked, bnt the ball went out. More Kaikorai passing gave King an opportunity to show some splendid tackling, but/ Kaikorai still swarmed over the Red-and-Blacks. M‘Donald dashed for the line, but a crowd of players overhauled him at the corner-post—a forcedown only. Play surged to the other corner, and Alhambra were again forced. It was very exciting, as the margin between a score and a force-down was never more than a fraction. Booth sent the ball on from the scrum with a beautiful long pass to his centre three-quarter, but the wing failed to take it from the latter. A scrum was formed, and the upshot was some close passing by Kaikorai and a melee near the corner, from which Smith got over for Kaikorai. Morrison failed to convert from i big angle. Kaikorai now looked like winning, for there was plenty of time left, md the wind kept, blowing nearly as strong ;is ever. Alhambra were given a free kick in their twenty-five. Booth stopped it and potted, but the shot was low and lacked direction. Alhambra were having a warm time, and bad to force once more. Ihey pulled themselves together marvellously. That great pair, King and Bennet, showed some splendid dribbling, and in a 'r-ce Alhambra were on the attack against im> wind. _ Mackenzie was prominent time and again in Alhambra’s forward rushes. There was an interchange of long kicking, followed by a spell of superb play—up and down the centre of the ground dribbling rush answered by dribbling rush. At 4.30 heavy rain came on, but it was still a great game to look at. King stopped another of Kaikorai’s rushes, which was the last for a time. Alhambra turned tie tables on their opponents, and a score to them looked likely at any time from their forward rushes. Then after a time Kaikorai made another effort, and Adamson nearly scored, after it looked an easy forcedown for Alhambra. Dobson put in a short dodgy run, and Alhambra once more had to save by forcing. Given led their irresistible _ forwards to the attack again, but a.ll their attacking work was generally nullified by a long return kick, Strang getting in some good work in this department. The game ended with the bull in neutral ground, but_ in the meantime Alhambra Dad given Kaikorai a warm time in their twenty-five, Kaikorai having to force once In defence. Alhambra thus won by 5 points to 5 after a splendid game, in which It was hard to say who had the best of it. Perhaps on the whole Alhambra deserved to win on account of the way in which they pulled themselves out of their trouble in the middle of the second spell. Air W. J. Wilson could not have been improved on as referee. He gave satisfaction to the placers and to a crowd of several thousands. —University v. Southern.— This game was a mud scramble—the abominable Cajisbrook, et praeterea nihil. A freezing wind, favoring neither side, kept five-sixths of the play on the eastern touch-line. The Blues put a goal to their credit in the first five minutes, Wi Repa placing for Harrison somewhere about the twenty-five line. s—o. Southern then propounded the forward argument very solidly, and, led by M. Casey and Russell, gave Alma Mater plenty to think about. Sometimes it seemed as if the Southern van, showing fine, close footwork, would bear down everything, and achieve, not one try, but many. The result, however, was always the same. Twenty times or more the Colors swept up to the ’Varsity line, but as soon as they tried to handle the ball they lost the length of the ground. In these exchanges various ’Varsity forwards led the address-m-reply, but three times out of * our , it was Arthur Thomson; The spell closed with ’Varsity still sitting tight on the lead they had won. The bridegroom Opportunity came to Southern m the opening minutes of the second spell, and found them with their lamps untnrnmed. With a determined rush Sheehan mopped up half the paddock, and among soveral who were •topped as they reached the goal-line, the übiquitous Echkold got closest to a trv_ At this stage the ’Varsity defence

was so open that a horse and cart might ’ 1 have been backed into it. Both sides - then bent all their energies to the for- ; ward gained and there was little to choose : between the teams. After half an hour of battle' the ball was swept up to the : Southern line, and went into tonch within a foot of the corner flag. The throw-in ' seemed a likely position for the Col- i legians, and so it proved. After a minute | of rough-and-tumble Wi Repa passed out to Adams. When the 'Varsity captain | received the ball he was on the twenty- j five mark and in front of the posts. The ; drift of the play was flowing towards the ; tennis court corner, and the rush looked like ending in failure, when Adams “ cut! in ” on the defence., and, running strongly, was not arrested until he was on the lino or over it. He threw ont to Thom- j son—a yard forward—and the latter was adjudged to have scored. 6—o. Stung by this, and stimulated by the call of 500 “ barrackers,!’ who lined the terrace. Southern attacked. Barely distinguishable among the sheets of falling rain they battled through the ’Varsity van' and worried the three-quarter men with rushes which were hard to stop. At last they got across, and Echkold, reaching out between two opponents, put his hand on the ball and touched down, but failed to catch the eye of the referee. And so the game ended. ’Varsity had scored 3 and been awarded 6 ; Southern had also scored 3 and been given 0. —Dunedin v. Zingari-Richmond.— No. 1 ground at Tahuna Park, opposite the grand stand, provided excellent foothold for the Dnnedin-Zingari match, and to secure this great advantage on a wet day the players were no doubt content to bo exppsed to the strong wind. Dunedin 1 had rather the worst of this handicap, for j in the first spell they were playing against j half a gala. At the interval rain fell, and I after that the wind was not so strong, i though Zingari found it quite strong enough. At the opening of the game a good line-kick took the play to the Zin- ’ gari twenty-five, and Stewart’s kick being returneo’ by Kelly, followed by a good run on Teesdale’s part, Dunedin held a decided advantage till Abbott marked and dro'-e the sides past the halfway flag. Barr spoilt Dunedin’s attempt to dribble., and Almott followed suit when another dribble was started by the Bines, this being followe.d by a game arrest by Beddington of what looked like a scoring rush. Then came a turn of racing across the field, the wind preventing Dunedin from gaining ground; indeed, but for Kelly and Teesdale they 1 would have been pressed back. Zingari \ were awarded a free kick for obstruction, ; but Alfred Low miped a good chance with the kick. After this Dunedin were penned in the N.E. corner, till the forwards, headed by J. Williams, made a fine rush almost up to the Zingari twentv-five. Zingari got relief bv a penalty kick for not ! putting in the ball properly, and play went 1 back to the N.E. corner," where Dunedin 1 were penalised for off-side, and Alfred Low I scored a goal after 25min play. The play i now became open and fast, Zingari trying hard for a further score amd being foiled every time by the Blue combination, and the spell ended : Zingari 3, Dunedin nil. l pon resuming Watson went on at full- ' hack for Dunedin and Kelly played win* three-quarter. Ihe Blues made the game very willing, but were sticking 100 much | to the touch-line instead of employing the 1 wind as an ally. Kelly very nearly dodged ms opponents, and a few moments later Clarke started a pass that ended in Gollan getting a try, which Baton failed to con- ; vert. Score: 5 each, after 13min play. I Dunedin attacked hard till Rice marked and relieved Zingari. A loose rush by Dunedin looked dangerous till Abbott ' kicked out just in time. Clarke tried to i run m alone, but found that there 1 was no opening. Good runs by ! Thompson and Collie for the Hoops and MThail for the Blues preceded a fine com- I Lined effort by Zingari forwards, but a free - kick to Dunedin took the play to the N E : corner where after 52min of the spell Uarke feinted and dodged the five-eighth 1 the result being a try. Baton’s kick failed’ ' tor the remainder of the match Zingari ' attacked eagerly, Abbott, the two Lows, i OcUie and Reddington being conspicuous, ; but the defence of Clarke, Kelly, Williams, ! 1 aton, and others on their side was quite i sound, and the game ended ; Dunedin 6, 1 Zingari o. Mr Callaway controlled the ' game fairly and capably.

—Pirates v. Port.— Saturday s woather conditions were anything but agreeable for the players concerned in this match at Tahuna Park. Port in the first half Ivad the wind in their favor, and gave the Pirates a fairly live y time of it occasionally, though, taking everything mto consideration, the game was fairly even. With his usual onen>v Dochorty got to work as soon as might be and had a pot at goal from a free kick, but without result. Later on Ward had similar luck. A passing rush gave G Docherty possession of the ball, and : ho scored a try, which Cramond did not succeed m converting. A good deal of loose work ensued, and presently, from a free Kick, Cramond secured a goal for Port Here Port suffered the loss of one of their forwards (dark) who had to retire from the field through a slight injury. His place was, however, subsequently filled hy Mothers. Pirates changed the aspect of the game in the second half, and kept Port constantly on the defensive. Tho former team seemed to get their teeth shut, and kept their opponents on the qui vive. Wilkinson scored a try, but Fairbairn failed to convert. Wyinks next had a pot at L . , any appreciable result, i* airbairn 5 chance came again a little later on when he scored for Pirate's from a free kick. Give-and take play followed, and Jardme secur d the ball and got over, but Wyinks made an unsuccessful attempt to convert and the game closed : Pirates 9 points. Port 6 points. —Second Grade.— Alhambra defeated Zingaii-Richmond by 9 points to nil. defeated Ravensboumc by a try AT OTHER CENTRES, fn inter-union football matches on Saturday Auckland beat Thames at Auckland bv o points to 3. and 0 second Auckland ;e----presentjtova team defeated Waikuto at uambnag© by 3 paints to nil I'ootballers were favored with an idea! afternoon at Christchurch on Satuidav Nearly all interest in the senior comretition was centred in the final between Albion and Mcrivale, for if the former won o- even mado a drawn game of it thev vould win (he championship, but in the event of Merivale winning the teams would have been equal, and a play-off would have been necessary. The game wai most stubbornly contested throughout, and there was no score during the opening spell, but halfway through the second term Albion scored a goal from a mark, and, there being no further score, they won hv 3 points to nil. Christchurch boat Sydenham by 6 points to 3’ after an interring gome, and Linwood gained an easy victory over Canterbury College by 27 points to nil. These results make the points for the championship as follow: —Albion, S; Merivale, 7; Christchurch, 6; Linwood, 5; Sydenham, , Old Boys, 2j; College, Kaiapoi, £. AUCKLAND BEATS GLEBE. As a preliminary to the match New South Wales v. Queensland, the Auckland City Club’s team tried conclusions with the Glebe Club oh the Sydney Cricket Ground. A hotly-fought game resulted in the' visitors retrieving Wednesday's defeat by winning by 11 points to 8. I The weather was fine, but a strong wind blew across the ground. The attendance -was very large. M’Uhone, V. Little, and G. Nicholson stood out of the Auckland team. In the first half the play was oven. The visitors appeared to get the ball more often from the scrum, chiefly owing to their screwing the pack, but the Glebe were stronger in the scrum. The only score was secured towards the close of the spell. Glebe were awarded a iree kick, and Cotter, taking the shut just on the boundary, landed a great goal. For the visitors Plants and A. Little were prominent for their fine kicking. The first half ended : Glebe 3 points, Auckland nil. On the second half opening Riddell, for the Glebe, placed a goal from a try to their credit. The Auckland forwards then livened up, and W. Tyler got across, but his shot flew wide. THo visitors continued

to attack vigorously, and a spell of exciting play resulted. The Aucklanders were given a free kick, and Magee landed a nice goal. From this out the visitors kept their opponents strictly on the defensive, and though not so strong, their clever tactics and tine rushes proved effective. Some clever passing by Magee, Gladding, and Smith gave the visitors another chance, and a goal was scored. Just before the close of the game a nasty accident occurred. Little and Riddell both made a kick at the ball, but missed, and each sustained a broken leg. When the whistle went the scores were; Auckland ILL points, Glebe 8 points. Tho attendance ranged from 50,000 to 55,000. The accident to Little and Riddell happened in a peculiar manner. Riddell, who is an old New Zealand plaver, was Licking at the ball, and Little kicked to stop it. Both swung at the same time, ana each had hif» loft leg broken. The game, which was within a few minutes of closing, immediately terminated. SYDNEY. July 16, (Received July 16, at 9.18 a.m.) The Aucklanders meet a strong team—South Sydney— —on Wi-dnesday. NEW SOUTH WALES v QUEENSLAND. The above match, plaved at Svdnev, was won by the home team by 25 points fo 3 Wairarapa sends a team on tour this season. The fixtures are : August 1, Taranaki ; August 4, Wanganui; August 7, Manawatu. Each of the Otago members of the “All Black football team has received a quite unexpected gift from a Maori lady supporter, now in Sydney. The presentation consists of a silver cigarette case, gilt lined, and with an inscription stating the name of the recipient and the fact- that he was a member of the now famous team, and ending with the words “From Ngawini” On the upper portion of the ease the Royal {Standard is engraved, also a fern leaf, and the words “ Ake Ake Kia Kabo.” ASSOCIATION. —Senior.— Wakari beat Northern, 3 to 1. Momington beat Green Island, 6 to I. Southern beat Battalion, 6 to 2. Kaitangata beat Rcelyn, 1 to 0. Momington Ground was swept by the full force of a cutting southerly gaie Green 1 stand were not fully represented, nor can -it be truthfully said that they put the Momington team fo very much inconvenience. Thegamewas fairly one-sided, and of it is even denied the weary chronicler to relapse into the language of his novitiate and say that “each side made strenuous efforts to score.” Certainly at times “the ball travelled rarudlv up and down the field,” but for this the wind was mainly responsible. Momington goals were scored by D Bailey, Airey, and Middletnass. The successful performance of Airev was a conspicuous feature of the Momington forward work. He and Bai ley were suported in a conscientious manner by Haig, a recruit from the juniors, from whose ranks, it may be mentioned in passing, he was sadly missed. The Green Island goal was scored bv Marshall. Mr P. Braithvvnite blew a very cold whistle. Battalion gave Southern a very good ran for their victory at Montecillo The second spell, with wind and slope assisting the military, was very evenly oon tested; Occasional dashes, showing of fective concerted play, gave indication of the time when the soldiers will take a prominent place in the local competitions. To be beaten by Southern is no disgrace. The men from the Elat are a strong combination who are making a “ bold bid ” for premiership honors. And on Saturday they showed no signs of faltering. Mr Jess was referee. Roslyn travelled to Kaitangata with nine men completing their team en route by absorbing a boy and an ex-player Snow fell the whole time. The game was plaved with a heavy fall on a heavier ground. Such of the game as was not played on the ground was contested in the various pools of water which punctuated effectively any sustained bout of "lay. The first swell ended without any score, a free kick against Edwards for illegal tackling not being improved. The only goal was scored bv Jackson after fifteen minutes’ clay in the second half Robert;Gon., Oliver, and Taylor were conspicuous figures in the Kaitangata team. Penman and Brown gave the visiting forwards no end of trouble, which, considering that Pilling was absent from his usual place in goal was just as well for the Greens. For Rcslyn Booklaas and Gilmour showed prominently, the dashing nlav of the latter being an especially pleasant sunrise. Harlow and Edwards bone the brunt of the defence. There were woe and bitterness of spirit and rejoicing and mixed sentiment gene raJlv at the close of the match between Wakari and Northern on the North Ground. Tho place was a stodgy, mise-rable-bog, in which th© players floundered. Northern attacked often in the first, spell, and three times they drove the ball through the goal. Bnt twice the referee said “ Off side.’’ and the other time it was ruled th-ict the ball had gone out of bounds before th© shot was sent in --hence th© woo, ©tc., already referred fo. Wakari did the business in the second soell. Morrison scored early. Farquha.roan added another goal from a corner. Then there was talk-'of another goal, which some spectators said Northern had scored and the goal nmpire said they hadn't Armit and Usrhw made another opening later on. which Morrison used successfully. Then from a corner D. M'Millan shot what most people took to be a goal, but the ruling was otherwise. Northern’s ore coal wan prettily scored by Irwin. Mr Esnith was referee. —Second Grade.— Mornineton and Battalion drew, 1 ail. Maori Hill beat Roslv-n. 7 to 2. Ravensbourne beat Momington B, 1 to 0. —-Third Grade.— Maori Hill beat Momington C, 1 to 0. Raversbotxrne beat Southern. 7 to I. Momington D beat Roslvn, 1 to 0.