POLO.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12425, 14 February 1901, Page 6

POLO.

VICTORIA V. CHRISTCHURCH. - THE VISITORS VICTORIOUS. The beautiful weather of yesterday afternoon attracted a large number of visitors to Hag-tty Park to witness the polo, contest between a Victorian team and one toicctcd . fre.-m the. CT.ristdiuwih Polo Club. If anything, the visitors played a steadier game, than the local team, although there' was but liUba to choose between them in the. general quality of the play, -a remarkably eveniy-contc.-ted game ending in a victory for the- Australians by live goals to Jour. Mr G.- Robertson played a. brilliant, game for the winning team, and Mr W. H. P. Woodruffs showed., to advantage for the homes-players.- The "Victorian ponies, many of which” contracted colds during the voyage from Australia, were a. fairly useful, ' wiry let on the whole and cue nr two of them were evidently at a,.former peri-c-d of their carat not unacquainted With a racecourse. aha majority of the local ponies were well-bred’, uowl-lc-c.king animals cf a. sturdier type than (hose ridden by the Victorians. Six ten-minute spells- were played, Messrs E. Manifold and Alisher Clark acting as umpires. The resp'ictive teams- were as follow :—Victoria (Kue and- silver)—R. A. H. Hood (captain). R. A. Afibck. Ccli-ii Robertson and George Robertson. Christchurch (red,, white and blue) —R. H. Rhcdrs, W. H. P, Wrccccffs, E. D. CVB-nrke and J. D. Hall. The first spell began with open play, and after a- few short exchanges, G. Robertson got- possession, and drove the ball between tho posts, scoring (he first -goal for the Victorians after less than three rainute-s play. Char-g rg ends, Woidroffe nvcb a. good drive which was stopped by Affleck, shortly after which a fine effort by G. Robertson was frustrated by WooiToffe. O’Rorke and Hood were prominent in some rapid exchangee, the bail gc.ing out of bounds. Capital play by C. Robertson, Hood and Hall took the ball to the centre of the ground, from which, point Woodreffo made an excellent, drive, and following

up fast, scared' a goal for Christchurch, thus equalising matters. Mixed 1 play followed, Rhodes being prominent, and alter C. Robertson had secured the ball he passed it on to his brother, G. Robertson, who quickly scored a second goal for the visitors. G’Rorke ■ rushed the ball right up the ground, but, unfortunately, missed just when a score appeared certain.. Affleck and Hood! exhibited rare skill in seme quick exchanges with O'Rorke and Rhodes, Hall also putting in some useful work. A faulty , stroke byHood gave O’Rorke tin opportunity,- of which he availed himself by scoring a. goal, the spell ending with the scores equal. Shortly after commencing the second spell Woodrotfe took charge of the ball when his opponents were dangerously near scoring and dribbling right across the top, finished up by driving the ball half-way down the ground. Affleck, Rhodes and Hall pub in some nice work, tlio first-named stopping a well-directed shot by . O’Rorke. Play ranged all over the ground, and from a mls-hlt near the goal-posts Hood contributed- another goal for the Victorians. No score resulted from the play in the third; spell, (hough Rhodes’ fine shot at goal only missed its mark by a- few feet. Affleck took the ball right down the ground shortly after the commencement ,;of the fourth spall. Hall .and. Rhodes' did good work as the ball was brought back. Hoed momentarily look charge, and'after some capital short exchanges, Wocdroffe drove (he ball between the- posts, the scoring again being equal. Hong drives signalised tlie opening strokes of the fifth spell, the ball repeatedly going out of play. Affleck made' a .splendid -drive a long way from the posts, just missing a. score by a few feet, and after the local team had almost scored again and again.- C. Robertson- secured another'goal, the result of a fine, long, drive, making the sccrr—Victoria 4, Christchurch 3. , Rhodes scored -fnr the.-local team ira-. mediately after the beginning .of the final spell, which' was marked, for its fast play, many faulty strokes being due to oyer-eag-erne-ss. Olßarkc’s attempt at goal was neatly stopped by Hood, and almost' at once 'Christchurch narrowly, missed scoring again. Better .lurk, however, awaited C. Robertson, who executed a-.difficult stroke and scored a pretty gcal for the visiters. The local men tried hard to equalise' the goals, and a very fine effort bv Rhodes deserved a f-ytter fate, that player missing the ball within a few- yards of tfc-s coveted gml. Time was called, with, the 'ball- in mid-field. the game ending in a victory for Victoria bv five points to four.