FOOTBALL.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 314, 21 July 1888, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

UNION F.C. v. NELSON TOWN F.C

By oi’it Foox3ali/ Reportee. ( The above mat oh ca. ie off on the - Cricket Ground yesterday afternoon. The visitors arrived by couch about noon yesterday, and wont in for a bit of kicking on Seymour Square previous to the match. Thero was a moderate numbe M assembled in the vicinity of the Cricket Ground - the greater number viewing the match from outsido the fence. The weather was glorious.

A start was made with tho game about three o’clock. The teams were as follows: Nelson Town (Blues) —Sadd, full hack ; Harper, Glasgow and L pscombe, three-quarters; Duncan, (Jotterill and Ledger, half hacks ; Cresswell, H. and R. Clouston, Trolovo, Gorrio, Catlev, Oldham and Bolton, forwards. Tne Unions (Reds) were composed of Ballantine, full back; M'lvcr, Nesbitt and IF. Redwood, three-quartors; W. and G. Redwood, half backs; Mewat, Shaw, Fulton, Gregg, Missen, Thompson, Shepherd, Seifert and Sbn.nonds, forwards. On lining out, tho Unions received their opponents with three hearty cheers, und the visitors returned the complimorit,

giving the Maori cry as a “ grand finale.” Glasgow cap tamed the visitors, and , MHver acted as skipper of tho homo - team. Befo-e the kick-off, tho two teams were eagerly scanned by their respective friends. Tho visitors were s*en to be by fur the lighter team, but it was genera by expected that their smartness would rnuko up for this Throughout tho game, howevor, tho Unions were not to be denied. They proved to ho more than a match for their opponents in every department of tho game with the exception of passing. Tho visitors’ passing was very pretty, but that of tho home team was a failure. Nearly every time they passed they lost ground. They used very little judgment in th’s department; wliilo on the other hand, the visitors passed to peifection. They did not gam much by it, however, their hacks being smothered by tho Union forwards. During the second spell, when within the Union twenty-five, the visitors indulged in one of the prettiest pieces of passing that has been seen on our local ground, We refer to Glasgow’s passing, who fed his fellow three-quarter back, Harper, in splendid style. lire Unions kept tho play pretty loose, which was greatly to their advantage. Several of the visitors aro very good kicks, and also collar very well. They were no doubt sufferiug from tho effects of their long journey, and we shall not be surprised to soo them turn the tables on tho Marlborough voteraus to-day. They w " tlion taro had the dost of their Jong jouiuoy thrown off, and w’ll consequently bo in much better form. Still, the Unions are to be congratulated on their well-earned vieto’y. Leaving out tho item of passing, they played a splendid game throughout. Their forwards played a dashing game,while their backs wero in first-class form. Tho visitors did not fioem to bo in form, but this can scarcely ho wondered at, considering their long journey. Their forwards were not up to the standard of the local ours, but they possess a fiuo lot of backs. Haiper plays a dashing game, and bad tho players in front of this man fed him a little more frequently, ho might lmvo put the Unions in a dangerous position. M‘lver won tho toss, aud elected to defend the northern goal, with the sun at his back. Clouston kicked off for the visitors, and Ballantinc, mak'ug a slioit retiii j, caused tho play to centre for a time in Ids own twenty-five. The visitors here gave the Union men a taste of their passing powers. One of the forwards passed to Haiper, but Missen was on the look-out, and brought him to earth. The Reds, head d by the redoublablo 'Thompson, went in for a tremendous rush, but were stopped by Harper in the Blues’ twenty-five. Sim moods nude a serviceable dribble, aud wps oi’f v stopped near the goal h e, Tbo Blurs managed to gam a levy yards on their opponents, aud m doing so shifted tbo play in front of them own goal. C'otteri 11 made a good attempt to get away, but Missen prevented his doing so. Oklbam made a short run, but MTver returned the leather. The p’ay had by this f ine b en forced fo tho other side of tbo Blues’ twenty-five flag, where the ba’l was passed to Nobbht. Ibis player looked ’• kc scor’ng, and in’gbt have done so bad not Haiper brought l'irn ■ i ground in fino style. Shepherd now played a hard game among tbo forwards, CLtteriT also sbow'utr up in a similar manner for the other side. W . Redwood was aT but across the fino when he was collared by Ledger. A ier the scum tho forme player picked up the ba’l, and got in near the goal posis. At this stage the excitement among the Union supportei was intense. Nesbitt took the k-ck, a.id barely missed the go;-1. On the t.ek-ofT, \Y. Redwood made a long run, and was collared by Sadd near tho centre. Tho Union forwards, led on by Fulton, made a determined rush down the field, and the rush was only stopped by Har 'or near the line Lipscombe relieved nis side with a fine run, being collared by Thompson near the centre. The success was but short lived, as. Nesbitt and YV. Redwood soon had the ba’l on ihe 1 >c again, it was rushed across, and Glasgow forced down. On the kick off, Ledger was the first to distinguish himself with a run. He was collared by W. Redwood. if lie Unions, elated with their success, now played with wonderful energy, llieir forwards in particular. Mfssen and Gregg aga’n took the ball into the visitors’ territory. Harper had the ball passed to him, but before he could get away lie was completely smothered by the Union forwards. From this stage to the cud of the spell the game did not prove of very much interest, and as regards excitement it could not at all be compared with vhe game of ' a t Friday. The visitors were once more forced down, blit with that exception they managed to hold their own. l’lay continually hovered in or about the Blues twenty-five, and although Lipscombe, Glasgow and Haiper made desperate efforts to change the scene, they were prevented fi om doing so by the Reds’ forwards. Fulton gained a mark and placed the ba 11 for M‘lver, but no goal resulted. Oldham bonded a inch, and things began to look brighter fo: the Blues, but Fulton returned tbo bull to hr, old place. On one occasion Seifert made a long run, and was cofiavtd almost on the li m. Towavd.j the end of the spell Cressv.v’l and Clou., ton took the ball to tho centre of tho field, b.v a combined dribble, when F. Redwood passed to Nosb.it, who made a fino inn before he was co ared. Seine givm-und-i an pi"" then ensued for a row m antes in tne Bluer’ twenty-five, where ha’f„imo was called, ... vo rfn.nda-g UnUt’-'. 1 point : Nelson, nil r . .o Ur : ons kicked oand Glasgow returned the bad to neutral terr.tory. Shepherd imme: a 'y rushed it, and lbs career won not stopped mil he bad reached the twenty-five flag. Mrwat, who, bv the way, had been working very ia.-d ::v.ghont the game, goc the ha M from the line cut A seri's o* ser-vns ► then ensued, and from one of these the ba’l waxheo’cd out to W. Redwood, who suceeded in crossing the Muo. Redwood was loudly cheered for F is piece of play. Nesbitt placed a splendid _ go a 1 enddst great excitement. After this seoie the Unions started to “loaf,” and the visitors taking advantage of, soon ban tbo ball in the Reds’ twenty-five. Haiper played splendidly, and be was well sup-

ported bj tho oft or backs. W. Redwood re'ieved his side with a kick out of bounds near tho centre, and M‘lver increased the lead with a run. The Unions again warmed to their work, and went at it with a will. Nesbitt also inado a good run, being co’la>’ed by R. CJouston. The Blues’ now showed up very wel l , Boiton, OJdbarn and CresawoU in pari/.ciPar. The ball was passed to Hamper and he punted into touch near tho cent’/e. Ledger attempted to get away but he was grassed by Mia3en. The Reds’ fo-wards then went off at a combined rush, but Sr.dd neatly punted a retire. Shaw then made another rush, which Cottcrill suceeded in stopping’. At last the ball was passed to Ledger, who mado a splendid run, and in company with Harper took the ball into the Reds’ twenty-hvo. It was at this stage that Glasgow and Harper went :’n for somo very pretty passing. The former fed the latter continually, with tho result that a score was nearly recorded. Simmonds and others eventually relieved their side, and play was again centred in the Blues’ twenty-five. Missen obtained the hall, passed tho half backs, and also Glasgow and Sadd, and crossed tho line mid tremendous cheering. Pulton placed a splencbd goal. Play was for a short time confined to the Blues’ territory, but they cleared their lines and took the ball to the centre of the field, where timo was called. Tho game thus resulted in a win for tho Unions by two goals and throe tries (seven points) to nil. There is no doubt about it that the Unions had by far the best of lhe game. They were more than a match for their opponents in every department of the game —excepting passing. The umpires were Messrs Fisher (Unions) and F. Dodson (Nelson). Mr J. M'Callum gave general satisfaction as referee. The game was played in a very friendly spirit throughout, and although the visitors were beaten, they have nothing to he ashamed of. Far from it It must be remembered that they bad a rough and fearfully long journey, and could scarcely be expected to be in form. Wo cannot finish this report without referr'eg to Glasgow, captain of the visiters. The mannor in which ho handled his men was the theme of admiration both among tho spectators aud players. Glasgow proved himself a perfect gentleman oil the football field, aud it is to he hoped tho local players wiU take a lesson from him. He is undoubtedly the best captain that has ever played on local ground. Wo hope, with all duo respect to the Marlborough F.C., that the visitors will have better luck in to-day’s match