FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 105, 13 May 1901, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

KAITI V. WEST-END. ° ' • si [By “ The Whistle.”] 0 i The success of the district scheiuc was c( proved beyond all possibility of dispute on 1c Saturday afternoon last, when there was si another large attendance to witness the I contest for the Senior Banner between J Kaiti and West End. The residents of - both districts attended on masse, and evinced keen interest in the play through- ( out the contest. The partisans of both districts were particularly demonstrative in the encouragement meted out to thenrespective champioits.-; The. Haiti players wore Oxford blue and black jerseys,.and the West End players looked well in tin all-black costume. Mr R. W. Colo acted as referee, and exercised his privilege of appointing the touch-judges, securing the services of two such capable men as A. W. > Rees and T. Watkins-Baker to assist him on the lines. The play was again late in starting, and it was not until twenty minutes after the advertised time of commencement that the teams took the field. T. E. Kirk captained the Kaiti fifteen, while the players from the aristocratic quarter were led by C. Taylor. Kirk won the toss, and elected to play with a serviceable breeze behind his men from the town end. THE PLAY. At 8.20 Wopiha started the game from the seaward end, and the West End forwards, following up quickly prevented a return, and swept the ball with a fine rush right on to the Kaiti line, whore some exciting play took place. Eventually the danger was averted by Halbert passing out to Ngatai, who sent the ball out well past the centre play with a great punt. From the throw-in the Kaiti vanguard shifted play down to the black’s lino, where Porter had a fruitless pot at goal. After the kick out, some stubborn fighting took place in the front ranks. The forwards on both sides were honest workers, . but the West End men had by far the better combination, and shot the ball out to their half frequently at this stage of the play. They showed a lamentable lack of judgment, however, in heeling out right on their own line, and committed this error repeatedly. From some loose work on the West End line, Hepburn, at full-back, attempted to clear his line with a weak kick, which Halbert, with sound judgment, marked within nice converting distance. . Ngatai took the kick, and placed the ball I fairly between the uprights, thus scoring first blood for his side, and calling forth the plaudits of the Kaiti supporters. .. Kaiti, 4 points ; West End, nil. Park L re-started play, and the game was fought out in mid-field for some considerable > time, and was both exciting and interesting. Vincent, at centre three-quarter, was working like an artist, and was conspicuous repeatedly on the West End side at this stage of the play for the cleanness of his work, and the soundness of his judgment. The West End forwards had the advantage in almost every instance in the scrum, but the backs did not make as much of their opportunities as they should have ’ • done. The halves on both sides were weak. They were both, in fact, junior players, r and played up to their standard ; but the play at this stage shows clearly how incumbent it is for a side to see that a Cleveland capable man is placed behind the scrum. The Kaiti backs were doing splendid service, and Halbert (five-eighth), and Ngatai, Porter, and Kirk all put in good work. Colebourne and Murphy, on the wings of the scrum, were also playing well, while the forwards, considering they had absolutely no combination, were doing S fine work. G. Roderick (five-eighths), d and Vincent and File, at three-quarter, showed up repeatedly, while the forwards demonstrated the advantages of halltraining. After a long spell of oven play about the centre, the Kaiti backs secured possession, and Halbert sent the ball cleverly out to Ngatai, who made a strong dash and passed beautifully to Kirk, and the latter, taking the ball well, outpaced the opposing backs and shot over at the corner. This try was the outcome of a pretty piece of passing, and called forth well-deserved applause. Ngatai failed with the kick —Kaiti 7, West End nil. On kicking out, the blacks livened tSngsq up, and took the ball w£§l into Kaiti ■Mlory, 5 the brothers Sllemff, Park, Wcpiha and Taylor being especially prominent. After some fast play on the lino, a hard kick lost the advantage, and Kaiti forced. After le-starting, the West Enders again returned to the attack, and from a scrum Watonc sent the ball out to Vincent, who had a drop at goal, which resulted in another force. Shortly after the kick out the piece de resistance of the day was put on. From loose play near the centre Ngatai secured possession and transferred to Halbert, who, taking the ball well and running straight as an arrow, made off down the field at a great pace, well backed up on. II the open side by Porter. Holding the ball i- in both hands, Halbert beat man after man who came at him by feinting to pass to Porter, and the ruso succeeded in every instance. On reaching the full-back, Halbert passed beautifully to Porter, who raced over at the corner, and landed the ball right behind the posts unopposed. This bit of work was the poetry of football, and was worth going a long way to see. Ngatai had no difficulty in adding the major points. Kaiti, 12 ; West End, nil. After some give and take play near the centre, the whistle sounded “ halftime.”

McKellar opened the second spell, and a fine exchange of long kicks was indulged in by the backs on both sides, Watenc eventually sending the leather out at the half-way iiag. The spell had not been long opened, when the blacks showed they meant to make a great fight to recover the lost ground. Their forwards, with the Davitt and Sherrill in the van, rushed the ball on to the Kaiti line. From a line-out, Taylor took the ball splendidly, and slipped over, but failed with the kick at goal. . liaiti, 12 ; West End, 3. From this out, the play was fast and exciting. The Kaiti backs and West End forwards played hard and well, and the ball travelled up and down the field at a great pace. Viucent was conspicuous for grand defensive work, and Cr. Roderick proved that he is a young player with an old head on his shoulders. Clarke (West End) and Kirk were both incapacitated for a time, and caused a cessation of play while being taken out of the firing line. A feature of the play was the grand kicking of the backs, Porter, Ngatai, and Halbert putting in some, great punts, which gained a lot of ground for their side, while Vincent, File, and Watene returned them with interest. Vincent showed up with a fine run, hi which he fended grandly, leaving a number of prostrate opponents in his wake, "and ended up with passing to File, who kicked over the line, and an exciting chase ended in Murphy forcing for Kaiti. The blacks were soon back on the attack, and Wepiha, making an opening near the quartermark, sent the ball out to Roderick, who, after a nice run, transferred to File, and the latter, beating the Kaiti full-back, who made a feeble attempt to stop him, scored in a good position. Wepiha failed with the kick. Kaiti, 12; West End, 6. The game had not been long re-started when - - the Kaiti forwards got on a splendid rush, and Murphy was in the act of scoring between the posts from a dribble when an apparition arose (which proved to be the wounded Clarke, who had been leaning against the goal posts), and coolly kicked the ball clear. This was a great surprise for Kaiti. Kirk got possession near the centre, and passed to Ngatai, who made a magnificent Tun through the opposing side, and scored, M’Kcllar failing with the place. After the kick-out the blacks rushed the ball down the field at a great pace, and a serum was formed right under the posts. While the majority of the Kaiti players were childishly appealing for some imagined infringement, Watene slipped in and registered West End’s third try. Wepiha made a weak attempt to place the goal. From this out the light was so bad that it was impossible to distinguish individual players. However, no further score resulted, and Kaiti thus won by 15 points (a goal from a mark, a goal' from a try, and two triesl to 9 points (three tries).

JUNIOR MATCH. While the senior'match was in progress the juniors of the City and Huia clubs tried conclusions. The Huias placed a heavier and more experienced team than that of their rivals in the field, and won

with ease by 22 points to nil. Tries were scored by Tapu, Morris (2), H. Gibson, R. C. Murphy, and Ball. Two of the tries were converted by Sharp. Savgisson showed out head and shoulders above any of the other City players. The juniors complain that the grass is uncomfortably long, and that the boundary lures are not sufficiently well defined, and trust that the Union will give attenion to these matters. Mr Webb made an efficient referee.