FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9179, 8 October 1888, Page 10

FOOTBALL.

ENGLAND V. AUCKLAND. The fourth match between the English and Auckland football teams took place on the 12th September, and resulted in a draw, each side scoring one try. Notwithstanding that there was no half holiday declared on the occasion of the return match between the English team and the local fifteen, fully 2000 persons assembled at the Tramway Company's ground to witness the game. The clay was very favourable for good play, though the ground was a trifle hard, and in the second spell a cold and shifty wind sprang up which somewhat interfered with the kicking. The spectators evinced great interest in the play, and loudly applauded good work on either side, but we regret that now and then some hooting was heard.

ENGLAND V. HAWKE'S BAY. Napier, September 15. The England v. Hawkc's Bay football match was played on the Recreation Ground to-day in the presence of several thousand spectators, who cheered the good play of both sides. The teams were :—England : Back, Speakmanit hree-quarters, Stoddart, Dr. Brooks, Anderton; halves, Nolan, Bumby, forwards, Dr. Smith, Stuart, EaglesKent, Paul, Thomas, Burnet, Laing, Will' Hams. Hawke's Bay : Back, McKay ; threequarters, Wi Hape, McKae, Taku ; halves, Taiaroa, Dempsey ; wings, Swan, Morrison ; forwards, Childs, Hawkins, Moore, Fleming, Symonds. The ground and the weather were splendid. The match ended in a win for England by three points to two, after an extremely fast and exciting game.

ENGLAND V. WAIRARAPA. Mastertox, September 17. In the match between the English and Wairarapa teams the players were :—England : Back, Haslam ; three-quarters, Anderton, Speakman, Brooks ; halves, Bum by, Nolan; forwards, Laing, Eagles, Kent, Williams, Thomas, Smith, Penketh, Burnett, and Paul. Wairarapa : Back, Darcy ; three-quarters, Smith, Pain, Udy ; halves, Perry, Baumber; wings, Polling, Bryce ; forwards, G. Welch.' W. Welch, Day, Thomas, Bannister, Mitchell, Reid. The game ended with the score England five points to one. There was a large attendance, fully 2500 being present.

TAURANGA V. AUCKLAND. Tauramja, September 15. The long-talked-of football match between our local players and an Auckland team came off to-day. The weather was perfect. Our visitors had a beautiful run down from Auckland in the Clansman, and were cordially received by representatives of the local club. After breakfast the Auckland players were taken for a drive round the suburbs, which they appeared to enjoy immensely. About half-past two o'clock the public and the players congregated at the Domain Reserve. The teams were composed of the following players :—Tailranga : W. Robinson (fullback), J. C. Webster (captain), Henry Tanner, and YV. Manseli (threequarterbacks), Joe and Sam Tanner and George Morris (halfbacks), and Andy and Jem Haua, a. Turner, R. W. Turner and H. Dowell, Fossy Maxwell, Joe Jordan, Manseli (forwards) ; umpire, Mr. Moss. Auckland : Fullback, H. Kissling ; threequarterbacks, T. Ryan, R. Masetield; J. Arneil; halfbacks, J. Conway, A. Tanheld ;* forwards, R. Crowe (captain), YV. Hobson, R. McKenzie, F. Edwards, J. Baxter, J. Johnson, E. Binney, P. Could, .and Gough ; umpire, K. Whiteside ; referee, L. D. Easton. A hard fought game took place, and when time was called the score stood : Auckland, 6 points ; Tauranga, 1 point.

ENGLAND V. CANTERBURY. The football match between the Englishmen and Canterbury was played on Septe m ber '20 at Lancaster Park, in the presence of about 10,000 persons. The game ended in a win for the English team by 8 points to nil.

THE EXGLTSH-OTAGO MATCH A DRAWN GAME. The match between the English footballers and the. Otago representatives was played on Saturday, the 22nd of September, on the Caledonian Ground, Dunedin, about .'SOOO being present. The weather was rather boisterous, a strong wind from the north-west blowing all the time, at an angle of the ground, from corner flag to corner flag. The game ended in a draw, neither side scoring, and singularly enough the Englishman had rather the best of the play in the first spell, playing against the wind, while Otago had the best of the second under similar circumstances.

TAURANGA V. KATIKATI. The football match on Sept. 22 between Tauranga and Katikati was won by the former by 3 goals to 1, although the latter had the help of a powerful contingent of Auckland players, including T. O'Connor, O. Wells, G.Carter, and Hobson (?). In the first spell Tauranga got a goal, kicked by Henry Tanner from a try secured by himself.

ENGLAND V. SOUTH ISLAND. Dunedin, September 26. The first match between the English footballers and the South Island team was played on the Caledonian ground to-day. The attendance was large, probably about 4000 being present, the weather being fine and cool, with a breeze blowing fair up the ground. The teams were as follows :— England : Fullback, W. Burnett ; threequarters, Haslam, Stoddart, Dr. Brooks; halfbacks, Speakman, Bumby; forwards, Eagles, Mathers, Paul, Thomas, Penketh, Laing, R. Burnett, Stuart, Dr. Smith. South Island : Fullback, Thomas (Oamaru); threequarters, Lynch (Clinton), J. B. Thomson (Dunedin), Harper (Nelson) ; halfbacks, Croxford (Dunedin), Donnelly (Christchurch ) ; forwards, Anderson Taeiri) ; Hunter (Dunedin) ; Morrison (Dunedin), Tresder (Invercargill) Bean), (Christchurch), Ekensteen (Invcrcargill), Stephenson (Dunedin), Evans (Christchurch), Sontag (Dunedin). Mr. Banks umpired for the tricolors (England), and Mr. Chapman for the blues (South Island), Mr. Marchbanks being the referee. At the close of the match the score was : England, 5 points; South Island, 3 points.

Return Match.

Christchurch, September 29. Beautiful weather favoured the match, between the Englishmen and a South Island team, which was played this afternoon at Lancaster Park, in the presence of between 3000 and 4000 spectators. The combined team was not so strong as was expected, owing to three of the selected Otago players not being able to be present, while the heat told on the forwards, who played with very little combination! The game ended with the Englishmen winners by 2 goals (6 points) to nil.

ENGLISHMEN BEAT TARANAKI. Hawera, October 2. There was fine weather for the return match between the English and Taranaki football teams to-day, and a large attendance witnessed the match, special trains from New Plymouth and Wanganui bring.

ing several hundreds of people. Nolan, one of the English team, having injured his ankle linking on the previous evening, did not play. Taranaki's team was composed of many of the same men as those who played in the New Plymouth match, but a few changes which had been made were con.-id ered to have strengthened the team. The game resulted in a win for the Englishmen by seven points to one.

ENGLAND V. WANGANUI. Waxcamji, October 3. The England v. Wanganui football match was played off to-day in the presence 0 over two thousand.j'spectators. The gam, resulted in a draw,jfeach side scoring a trv