The Football Match.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 11, 5 July 1887, Page 2

The Football Match.

GISBORNE TEAM V. NAPIERNAPIER VICTORIOUS. The annual football match between Gisborne and Napier took place at Napier on Saturday, the latter team being the victors. Knowing the splendid team which Napier had to meet our men, only the very sanguine expected Gisborne could secure a victory. But they played a good game, and showed the outsiders they could not afford to treat them lightly. Our team had a good trip, and express themselves highly pleased with the way they were treated by the Napier footballers, lhe following very fair report is taken from a Napier paper : —

THE TEASIS. The following are the names of the players on both sides: — Oisberne.—Staite, Rees, Smart, Wade Gillespie, Dunlop, Burke, Bull, Riki, Allen, Weston, A. Rees, Leslie, and Colbourne. Hawkes’ Bay.— G. Walker, Warbrick, M’Causland. Gibbons, Tairoa, Jamieson, Robson, Stuart, Hawkens, Trotter, Kells, Sanders, Howe, Moirison, and Mcßae. THE GROUND. Was roped off in order to keep the public from interfering with the game. It was fearfully muddy, particularly in the middle, but not quite so bad as when the Pirates and Harriers match was played on it the other Saturday. THE ATTENDANCE. Was only fair, but after the game commenced the people began to roll up, The fair sex mustered well. The game was not startea till auout 3 o’clock.

PLAY. was commenced by Bull, of Gisborne, kicking off. There was scarcely any wina blowing. The ball was not returned by Napier. A scrimmage ensued. Smart (Gisborne) obtained the ball and made a run, but was soon urought down. Taiaroa here get hold of the leather once or twice but was forced out of bounds. The leather was got down the field by the Napier, and Lincoln Rees, (captain of the visitors) made a capital run up the field, and when about to be collared kicked it up. The black and whites, however, forced it down to near the Gisborne goal, when Smart saved his side from dan-

ger by making a smart run Hawken, Gibbons, and Kells, were here conspicuous by their good play for Napier, The ball now wandered about within the Gisborne’s twenty-five for some time, M’Rae (Napier) made a flying shot at the poles, but only sent'the leather across the field. A. Rees and T. Leslie, of the black and blues, did good services for their side several times. The game now became very fast, and the Napier men forced the ball down to within a yard of the Gisborne line. Taiaroa and Mciiae attempted to score, but were speedily brought to grass. Staite saved ’his side by kicking the ball up the field where it remained for a short time. The visitors, by a determined rush, got the leather up to the Napier end, but it was soon returned by the Napier forwards. When in the Gisborne’s twenty-five, Hawken got the bail and passed to Warbrick, who made a good run, but was brought down before he got very far. Shortly after Gisborne was forced down. Mcßae in kicking off sent the ball down the field out of bounds, and a fresh start was necessary. Mcßae shoitly after got a mark, but did not succeed in scoring. When the leather was again put in motion T. Morrison made a good run, and no one seemed to tackle him spiritedly and he rushed over the line and secured the first touch down, behind the gaol. Gibbons took the kick aau succeeded in sending the ball over the bar amidst the cheering of the spectators. The score was now, Napier 3, Visitors Nil.

The ball, when kicked off again, was kept in the vicinity of the Gisborne gaol, and a touch in gaol resulted. Tairoa, Jamieson, Warbrick, and Howe were here very conspicous and did good service for their side. When half time was called, the ball was in the Gisborne twenty five. Second Spell. Napier kicked off and some good play ensued, Gisborne defending their gaol well. Jamieson, one of the Napier men, kicked the ball over the Gisborne line, but L. Rees prevented him from getting a touch. Taiaroa made a grand run shortly afterwards, and touched down, but his tracks in the mud proved that he had run out of bounds on his journey, and the touch was not allowed. Two or three times the Gisborne men were forced down—• in fact, the play was in close proximity to their line all through, except when their forwards made a determined rally. Bull, Staite, Smart, and the brothers Rees distinguished themselves several times by some good play. The game resulted—Napier, 14; Gisborne, o.