FOOTBALL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXIV, Issue 95, 30 April 1888, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

: . " : "* ~ .. ■ &IABLBOROUGH P. C. V. UNION F. O. (By Omega.) j The senior teams of the two local rival clubs met on Saturday afternoon, to contest, for supremacy. The match was played m two spells, each of 45 minutes ""■ : duration, and resulted m a win for the Marlborough Club by a try to nil, after a ■■'■■ most exciting and hard-fought struggle. Mclvor captained the Unions (red), and Buick the Marlboroughs(blue). The reds won the tbss, and elected to defend the eastern goal, with the sun shining m their faces. At 3.25 the blues kicked off, and ■ the Union forwards carried the ball to mid field. Gaukrodger made a splendid run, and a red, securing the ball, kicked to Marlboroughs' 25. Pasley alleviated his ' side by a drop kick. W. Redwood ran to the blues 25, where Gaukrodger made a defective pass, and the Marlboroughs were hard pressed. Through a kick from Watson and a. run by Poole the scene of play was . reversed.. Poole : passed the leather to Clinch, who ran m. amid great : applause from both spectators and com. ■ batants; Watson failed to convert the . try. Mclvor kicked out, and Poole careered up the field to reds' 25, where Watson obtained a mark off McCallum. The Unions again endangered the blues' goal line, and Clinch kicked to neutral territory. Williams had an ineffectual kick.- Gaukrodger made two grand runs m succession; and half time was called. On the resumption of play the Union forwards forced the blues' 25 peg, and were within an ace of scoring. A succession of scrummages --ensued, after .which Thompson gained possession of the oval, passed to Ballantyne, but before the latter player could regain himself sufficiently, to pot at gaol • he was collared by Watson. A mark by Mclvor gave the reds a hope of scoring, but owing to the awkward angle Thompson was unable to better their position. A Marlborough rush, headed by Gillespie, took the ball to centre-field, where Watson : secured another mark. The blues then menaced their opponents' line. After some admirable play by the Union forwards, and a splendid kick from W. Redwood, the blues' were again forced down. Pasley kicked out, and the reds, dashing forward, once more compelled Marlborough to force down m defence. The ball was soon m motion, and Mclvor, by an excellent run, succeeded m reaching the blues' 25, and afterwards was on the point of scoring, when Poole overturned him. The oval spherefluctuatedinthe Marlboroughs' territory for some time, Ballantyne getting a mark m a direct line with the blues' goal line, but no score resulted. The Unions here displayed some splendid forward play, and on many occasions appeared likely to score, but their efforts were always frustrated' by the alert Marlborough backs. The Unions then made their final attempt, but all was to no purpose, and time was called. Mr Fisher umpired for the Marlborough, Mr Gentry for the Union', and Mr Lyons acted as referee.