FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1682, 25 May 1904, Page 55

FOOTBALL.

-RUGBY. SATURDAY’S! SENIOR GAMES. There was bright, but -chilly, weather on Saturday afternoon, when the games in the. Wellington Rugbv Union’s senior championship contest were resumed. At the Athletic Park there was a fairly good attendance of the public to see the matches Wellington v. Poneke and Old Boys v. Athletic. The first-named game was fast, and characterised by stome good play on occasion. Poneke eventually Avon by 20 points to 3. The Old Boys quickly rattled on thirteen points, but thereafter Athletic played soundly, if unscientifically, and the result was that Old Boys added only three more points to their score, Avhile Athletic notched six. At Petone, Oriental won from Melrose by 7 points to nil. Following are details of the games: PONEKE v. WELLINGTON.

The yellows (Wellington) were most aggressive at the start, and before there had been five minutes’ play Poneke was in serious difficulties. Brebner made a fine opening, and then gave a nice pass to S. Wilson’, who ran on and then transferred to Pascoe. That player gave Carey a pass in good position, and the result was a Wellingon try: 3—o. Play of an interesting nature followed, and leading eventually to Wellington ■ being closely pressed, as an end to Avbich Slater got a Poneke try: 3—3. The second spell began Avith the score still even, but Poneke bad a good deal the best of play in this half. Tries were gained for the reds by McKay, Mcßae, Taylor, Griffiths and Mann, but only one was converted. Mr Hempleman Avas the referee. ATHLETIC v. OLD BOYS.

Old Boys were five points to the good a few minutes after play began, a try gained by Dawson' being converted by Cleland. There was a litle loose scramblihgi and then, (belaud cot over the Ath-

letic line. He took the kick himself, and again notched the major points: 10—0. The Athletics slowly rallied, and by hard play they relieved pressure, and. had Old Boys in trouble when half-time was called. Old Boys signalised the start of the second spell as they did the beginning of the first half. Neilsen gaining a try that was not bettered. A litle loose play in safe quarters followed, and then came a loose dash of the blue pack that seemed to nonplus the Old Boys. There was a series of loose scrums m front of the Old Boys'. "oal, and then Coady dashed smartly round the scrum and scored a try close to Old Boys’ goal. The crossbar was not wide enough : S—l 3. Old Boys answered with an immediate dash to Athletic’s ’fives; Gardner a try, but no goal: 16—3. As the game neared its close a free kick to Athletic was taken by E. Hales, about forty yards from the goal-line. The ball sailed fairly over the bar: 6 —16. From this point to call of time Athletic had just a trifle the best of the game. Mr D. D. Weir was the referee. MELROSE v. ORIENTAL.

The supporters of the Melrose team received a rude shock on Saturday, when they saw their club defeated by Oriental to the tune of seven points to nil. _ The match wag played on the Recreation Ground, Petone. Melrose lined out with a back division that was almost worse than useless, this remark excluding George S'pencer. A junior forward was called upon to play centre three-quarter, and the places of other absentees had to be filled up with equally raw material. Oriental won the toss, and thus secured the advantage of a stiff wind blowing down the field. Time and again they had their opponents pinned on their line, only to be driven back to mid distance. A. good deal of scrumming and loose footwork was carried on in front of the goal, when C. Busli got possession from a scramble, and potted a pretty goal from a point in direct line with the wind: 4 —o. A pretty ])iece of passing between Fred Roberts, Bush and Anderson ended in the latter scoring aboxit ten minutes afterwards. The attempt at goal was a failure: 7—o. Right up to half-time Melrose were kept fighting in their own twenty-five. Contrary to expectations. the reds, in the second half, failed to do much better than they had in the earlier part of the game. The Oriental rearguard frequently attacked, and Bush narrowly missed placing a. goal from a penalty shot. Spencer invariably was called npon to get his side out of trouble by one of his long, powerful kicks, but his efforts to equalise matters were _ nullified by the weakness of his associates in the rear. Up to the call of time there was no alteration in the score. .Mr A. C. Norris, who held the whistle, had occasion to quietly remind one player that there was no necessity to use undue violence when attacking.

JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

The matches for the Junior Championship were continued on Saturday. Melrose again defaulted, this time to Southern. This club is evidently very weak this season. It has twice defaulted in the junior matches, besides withdrawing its fourth and fifth class teams from, their respective competitions. The two games that proved of most,interest were the close struggles between Wellington and Old Boys and Poneke and Victoria Col-\ lege. In the fourth class game Selwyn v. Southern, George Moran, playing for the former team, hail one of his legs broken below the knee. He was immediately taken to the hospital, and play was continued.

Wellington defeated Old Boys by eight to four. Play centred in Wellington quarters for most part of the .first spell, but good work by the Wellington backs saved tries being registered. A splendid goal by Thompson from a mark was Old Boys'* only score. Just before half-time Wellington got the ball into Old Boys’ territory* and before the Avhistle bleAv, Hill got hold of the oval, and streaking for the line, obtained a Avell-deserved try. In the second spell, it looked as if no further score Avould be registered, but shortly before “ho side” Avas sounded, Simpson obtained a try for Wellington, Avbich he converted: B—4. Play Avas not too gentle. The umpire told a player who had lost the major portion of his trousers that he . xvould have fo get another pair or leave the ground. He left. Victoria College scored a Avin from Poneke by 3 to nil. It Avas a Avell-con-tested match throughout. The score Avas the result of a penalty kick by Hunter, The splendid defence of both sides prevented tries being registered. Petone defeated St. James’s by 8 to 3 on the suburban ground. Ida Ora won from Oriental by 8 to 3. The match Avas played at LoAver Hutt. Athletic had a runaAvay victory over Johnsonville on the latter’s ground, the score being 18 to nil. . Southern Avon from Melrose by default. ASSOCIATION, SENIOR . There was a large number of spectators on the grounds at Miramar on Saturday to Avatch the games, and, judging from the state of excitement the majority of them envinced. they Avere mvarded for their journey and back to the city. DIAMOND v. (ST. JOHN’S. Diamonds officially Avon by 2 goals to nil. As a matter of fact they Avon by only one goal to nil—the last goal just before the game ended was merely an alleged goal. HathaAvay kicked the hall high, and although it Avent over the top of the cross-bar by something more than half a foot, the referee allowed the goal. 'The game was, perhaps, the best played this season; it Avas even, and fast, and produced constant neiwe-tliriliing and cheerful incidents. There Avas no score in the first spell, although St. John’s pressed \ r igorously. But for the splendid work of Diamonds’ goal-keeper the yelloAV team Avould almost certainly have scored several .times. In the second spell Diamonds quite excelled themselves, and from a free-kick, taken by P. Roberts, Reddy scored a goal amid great excitement. St. John’s made desperate efforts to square or beat the score, but

failed, and, at the last,, insult was- ad- • ded to injury by their opponents being credited with the goal that Hathaway didn’t kick. PEARLS- v. ROVERS. Drawn game—one goal each. It was an interesting contest, and there was some very good play. In the first spell Pearls were leading, Bidmead having kicked a goal from a scramble in goal. Godber kicked the Rovers’ goal in the second spell, and so the score stood; at the “no side” whistle. QUEEN’S PARK v. Y.M.C.A. Queen’s Park won by 3 goals to nil. This was a listless sort of match, the Y.M.C.A. being particularly tired so tired that they seemed afraid to kick the bail hard for fear of having, to travel down the held after it. For the winners Sharkey kicked two goals and Harning kicked one. The goal-keepers on both sides gave the best exhibition of play on the ground. SWIFTS v. PETONE. The Swifts team descended upon Petonc and defeated the local team by two goals to nil. THE AUSTRALIAN GAME. The initial match of the newly formed Australian .Football Association was play- | e<l on Saturday afternoon at Kelburne Park. There were about two hundred onlookers, many of whom were evidently attracted mainly- by curiosity. Two scratch teams of the regulation eighteen men a side were captained by J. Hayes, representing New South Wales, and* P. Noonan, representing- Victoria. Saturday's exposition was but a mediocre display of the game as- played by me senior or junior teams of Australia, but tnis may be accounted for by want of practice and lack of combination, two factors indispensable in the requirements of any style of football. A strong-cross wind and slushy, slippery field also militated considerably against the success of me match from a scientific pome of.' view. The game resulted in a victory for tile Victorian team by 4 goa-l-s 6 behinds to-tlieir opponents 1 goal 7 behinds. The selection committee watched the players with a view to singling out two evenly matched teams to form the nucleus of iu© new association. • A third team, occupied me afternoon, in practice work with the ball. In tins style of play ‘‘collaring'’ is- not allowed, although “body work” is. said to be made quite as effective. The ball must be bounced every five yards, when held by a running player, and no “touch downs” are permitted, goal kicking being the only means of scoring excepting when the ball is kicked behind. A goal is equal to six points, and a behind counts’ one point. The teams shuttle up together, such an offence as off-side being unknown 'to nie rules. A systematic manner of setting a player of each, side to shadow the other, is adopted. “Marking, .' whether from an opponent or a player of the same team, is one of the principal features of the game. An oval field is played on in contrast to the oblong field of tne Rugby game. The Australian game is quite de--1 void of any intricate lanes, and is quickly mastered by the novice. The advocates of the Australian game claim that in it science takes-the place of brute force, and although not absolutely devoid of the risks incidental to a manly game .' the rougher element inseparable from other football games is entirely eliminated. A meeting was helct in Kaitangata. on' May 14th to form a football club under Australian rules. The meeting .was-well attended, most of those present being Victorians. Mr M. Carney was voted to the chair. A committee was then elected and officers appointed. After a number of proposals had been discussed it was decided to name the club the Kaitangata Wanderers’ Football Club, the colours to he black and white. The secretary (Mr H. Bennett) was instructed to write to the Australian Pioneer Football Club, Dunedin, asking that arrangements should be made for sending a team to Kaitangata. The teams In Auckland played practice matches on May 14th. It is expected that the championship in that city, will be started soon. A practice game w r as played at - Kelburne Park on Saturday last. Tiler© was a full field of players and a. fair crowd of spectators. The ground was too .small, and the game did not look so- -well as it would had the ground been larger. An exciting feature of the game was the ball chasing down the gully in the park. The next game will probably be held at Miramar under more favourable conditions, and if it is, it is safe to predict a good game, for fair form was shown by a large number in the match on Saturday last.