LOCAL FOOTBALL.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 181, 20 May 1896, Page 2

LOCAL FOOTBALL.

The First Match of the Season*. Tho football match that eventuated on the Pu'<eroa ground on Saturday last was the first of a series of five inter-club matches to be decided during this season. The winning team will be presented with 13 elegant football caps. The immediate district is divided into East and West, by an imaginary line drawn from South to North dovqi the centre of tho football ground, and will probably result in two very even teams being got together. On Saturday the Westernites were much the stronger chiefly owing to the absence of two or three good men from the Eastonders whom it is to be hoped will be available at the next match. Tho West forwards were greatly superior to the Easts on Saturday. Wera, Boord, Folry and Te Wirentu repeatedly heading soma splendid dribbling rushes, but their hacks division was uncommonly weak if we except Zealand Mitchell who is always firstclass. W. Monkley might improve into a fairly good man. The score was 17 to nil in favor of the West team, Mitchell registering the major score on two occasions, one with a splendid kick at o difficult angle. The East backs worked hard and played well, but tho lack of stayn? power amongst thc-ir forwards allowed their fitter adversaries, after tho first twenty minutes, to fairly run over them again and again.