FOOTBALL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 8756, 1 April 1889, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

For the Merivale Club’s game on Saturday about twenty-seven rolled up against tho Fifteen, but, notwithstanding tbe numbers against them, the Fifteen won by a goal and a try to a goal. Surman and Mountforb obtained tho tries for the winning side, and Kirk for the Club. The team to go to Dunedin next week will be selected on Saturday next. The Sydenham Club had a good muster at their practice on Saturday, when a picked Fifteen played the next Twenty. Improved form was shown by a good many, but the new rules were a stumbling block to successful play. The game resulted in favour of the Fifteen by two goals three tries to one goal two tries. M‘Lean and Watty negotiated goals from the field. Cochrane, Donnelly, H. Smith and O’Brien were in good form behind tho scrimmage, and of the forwards Moir, Bastion, Pender, Weekes and Dobbs were ever on the alert.

The Canterbury College Football Club opened the season on Saturday with a practice match between sides chosen by the Captain and ex-Captain. A somewhat in-and-out game resulted in a win for the Captain’s side by two goals and four tries to two tries. Good form was shown by Cookson, Clarkson, Cocks, and Pemberton, for the winners, and Bean, Beaglehole, and Kirk, for the losers.

The Linwood Football Club held their opening game on Saturday. There was a very large muster of members, about forty taking part in the game. The majority showed great lack of condition, though some very brilliant play was shown by a few of the players. The game was Club v. Colours, the former winning by one point, Messrs Arthur Price, Stapleton, Izett, and Dow, were amongst the most prominent. [Per Press Association.J WELLINGTON, March 31. At Newton Park this afternoon four of the senior Football Clubs were engaged in Club matches. The Ponnke and Melrose Clubs were pitted against one another, and a good game resulted in a draw, each side scoring a goal, the former from a mark, and the latter from a place-kick. Wellington and the Rivals tried conclusions, the former winning by four points (a potted goal and a try) to ml. The players have not yet mastered the new rules, consequently there were frequent appeals. The Wellington Rugby Union’s accounts show a credit balance of .£29. The report says that the coming season promises to be a busy one, and that visits are due to Christchurch, Otago, Nelson and Taranaki, la addition to these, return visits might be looked for from Auckland and Hawke’s Bay. A letter from the Canterbury Union, asking what steps had been taken regardihgthe movement to send a New Zealand team to England, was referred to the Committee.