FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLX, Issue 8169, 22 August 1887, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

The principal match played at Newtown Park, on Saturday was the Epuni-St. Patrick’s College heat of the junior cup. Aa both the previous matches between the two teams : had resulted in draws, considerable interest was taken in the game. It was expected that the hard condition of the ground would favor the country 'team, and the prediction proved correct in a most' marked manner. From start to finish the Epnnis, who played a fine fast game, had it all their own way, and eventually won by 14 points (three goals and five tries) to nil. About a quarter of an hour after starting, Tepeue, who was. playing a capital game, passed to Ano, who ran in and scored the first try. Tepene took the kick, but no goal Ano again got over the line a few minutes later, bat went into touch-in-goal. Before the spell ended he secured two more tries, from the first of which Allen kicked a goal. The second spell was almost a repetition of the first, the play being in the College twenty-fives nearly the whole time. From a pass by Kimble, Kirk made % dash through his opponents and secured another try for bis side. The kick at goal was a-failure. '.. Within the next.ten minutes Kirk distinguished himself by potting two goals, one of them being a particularly smart one; Ano, who proved himself a perfect terror, . crossed the line again after a dashing .run, and after a maul with Hackett and Roach, touched down, thus making the fourth try be had secured. No goal resulted from the kick. Shortly before time, Woods secured another try for Epuni, but no goal resulted from the kick by Tepene. The winners generally showed excellent form. Amongst the forwards Petane, Woods, Copeland, and Welsh played well, and Kirk, Allen, and Tepene were the best of the backs. For the losers Hackett, Sheedy, Mahoney, Roach, and Fitzsimmons were about the beat. A match was played at Newtown Park on Saturday between mixed teams representing the Poneko and Athletic Clubs. The game resulted in a draw, neither side being able to score. Storey, Astill, Nioholls, Bishop, and A. Merlet, and Luckie, Wales, Fraser, and J. Smith (Wellington Club) played well for their respective sides. A match between the Athletic third and Wellington fourth, played at .Newtown on Saturday, resulted in a draw. The match between the Melrose second and United first, played at Owen-street on Saturday, resu’ted in a win for Melrose by three points to nil. Brewer obtained a try, from which E. France kicked a goal. For the United Moßean, Chatwin, Kilner, Drummond ; and Brewer, E. France, Thoms, Reardon, and Doff for Melrose played well. The was a rumor current, when the Can-

terbury team were last here that Allardyce would probably remain in this city after the match with Wairarapa, but we understand that that player has definitely decided to return to Christchurch. WELLINGTON v. WAIRARAPA, (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Masterton, August 20. The return match between the Wellington and Wairarapa Football Unions took place this afternoon on the Recreation Reserve, Greytown, and resulted in an easy win for the Wairarapa by 5 points (one goal and two tries) to nil. The weather was splendid, and the ground in excellent condition. Barnett captained Wellington (Black), Whatman for Wairarapa (Green). The Greens kicked off, and the Blacks by a good rush carried the leather within ten yards of the Greens’ goal line. Scrimmages took place here, when B, Udy relieved his side by kicking to the centre. Perry got possession from a wild pass off Barnett. Cookrof t showed up with a good dribble. Fairbrother then passed to Bamber, who potted at goal, which was unsuccessful, but Whatman followed up and secured a try between the posts. E. Udy kicked a goal. Soon after the kick off, Bamber did some smart punting for the Greens. Gage saved his side lots of ground ky his kicking. Perry, Hounslow, and C. Beard did some fair passing, which brought the play into the Blacks’ twenty-fives. Polling then managed to rush over the line and secure a second try, Udy’s kick failed. Barnett and Sim made some good runs, but were stopped by the Greens’ backs. Halftime was soon after called. In the second spell Wellington played with the sun in their faces. Taiaroa made a run, finishing up in front of the Greens’ goal, where Sim marked twice, the kicks being failures. Heavy scrimmages followed. The Blacks’ line was in danger, but a neat pass by Bamber and Bethune saved them. The latter made a good pot shot, resulting in a poster. The play became very fast after this, the Blacks being repeatedly forced down. Udy got possession of the ball near the centre, and with a powerful rush passed through the opposing backs, and got the third try for the Greens. The kick was again a failure. From this to the end of the game the play throughout was in the Blacks’ twenty-fives. The play throughout was in favor of the winners, who were vastly superior in every branch of the game, the forwards playing well together, and the backs’ collaring, running, and passing being excellent. Among the Wellington forwards Cockcroft, Ellison, Taiaroa and Connal played a good game, Sims and Moorhouse being most noticeable among the backs. The Wairarapa wing men were too quick on the Wellington backs, who were completely smothered in their attempts. C. Perry will play in the team against Canterbury on Wednesday next in place of W. Tully. This will strengthen the backs. NAPIER v. CANTERBURY. ■ Napier, August 20. The representative football match, Canterbury against Hawkes Bay, was played to-day on the Recreation Ground. The day was beautifully fine, and a large attendance of the public witnessed the match. Roberts and Dow did not play, as the result of the Auckland match, and Roberts acted as umpire for his side. Hawkes Bay.—Back : Lequesne; three-quarters : War brick, Percy, and McCausland; halves : Gibbons and Taiaroa ; wings; Paterson and Morrison j forwards: Stewart, Robson, Jamieson, T. Kennedy, Verity, Saunders, and Trotter. Mr Logan acted as umpire for Hawkes Bay, Potts, an old Canterbury man, being referee. Warbrick captained the local team, Francis acting in a similar capacity for the. visitors, Canterbury, with the sun at their backs, kicked off, and it was seen from the start that both teams meant to force the fighting. Canterbury was very aggressive, but for the first ten minutes the game was'about equal, and consisted of little else than a series of keenly contested scrimmages. Warbrick got a mark, but the ball was smartly returned by Allardyce, after which Canterbury slowly but surely forced the play into the local quarters. Taiaroa relieved his side, but Beswick, by a good run across, pushed Hawkes Bay back, A rally brought the play into the centre of the ground, and some smart work was done by Allardyce, Francis and Mountfort for Canterbury, and Verity, Robson, Gibbons, Trotter, and Jameson for the home team. A series of hard-fought scrimmages resulted in the play being taken to Canterbury ; territory, and from a pass mulled by Francis and Alinrdyoe, Warbrick secured the ball, and did a splendid piece of dribbling, and this being well back up by, Taiaroa, Hawkes Bay gained considerable ground, Francis just saving his side. The scrimmages were now in Hawkes Bay’s favor, and from one of these Taiaroa got the ball and ran in, cleverly securing the first try. Warbrick took the hick, and landed a neat goal. Upon the ball being brought out Canterbury rallied, and carried the play into their opponents’ territory, smart work by Warbrick, Gibbons, Saunders, and Percy being counteracted by Wilson, Allardyce, Francis, Donnelly, and Mountfort. Some tight scrimmaging turned the balance in Hawkes Bay’s favor, and after some brilliant rushes, in which Robson, Trotter, Jameson and Verity were conspicuous, Canterbury was forced down twice within a few minutes. A dashing coup by Wilson relieved his side a bit, but a further rush by Hawkes Bay forwards took theball back to the Canterbury twenty-fives, and a mull by Richards nearly gave the local team another try, the danger being just averted by Francis as time was called, the playing being then close to Canterbury’s goal. On play being resumed, it was seen that each side determined to “ wake up,” aud a crowd of cheering spectators promised themselves a football treat; they were not mistaken, the second spell of the game being the hardest and fastest seen iu Hawkes Bay for a long time. The game was principally, confined to the forwards of both sides, all playing as for dear life with the backs hovering around waiting for and taking advantage of each chance. All played well, and to mention all who took part in the rashes and scrimmages would be to recapitulate the names of all the players. For a longtime the play was kept in the centre of the ground, a rally that gained a bit for one side being succeeded by an answering rush that recovered the lost ground. At last from a smart return by Wilson to Warbriok, Moirgot the ball and managed to secure a try. Francis essayed the kick, but no goal resulted. The ball was quickly in the centre of the ground again, and was there for a long time, the Hawkes Bay forwards being splendidly supported by their backs. After a severe tussle Canter, bury began to lose ground, and a run by Morrison resulted in one of the prettiest bits of passing ever seen on football ground, the spectators cheering quite on thusiastically. Morriaon’s run was in the face of quite a bevy of bis opponents, but he made about 30 yards, passed to Cameron, who gained a little more and passed to Paterson, who in turn passed to Taiaroa, the really brilliant piece of play being prevented from resulting in a try only by a determined dash by Beswick. The play at this stage was exceedingly fast, the Hawkes-Bay men having the best of it, and in spite of a most determined effort Canterbury was forced down. From this time out Hawkes Bay seemed to grow stronger, and to play with, more dash, the visitors having to fight bard on the defensive all the time, and at last, from a scrimmage, Morrison made a good ran and secured another try for Hawkes Bay. All the local forwards were now playing well together, Robson, Trotter, Jameson, and Saunders being moat conspicuous, aud from a scrimmage the first named got the ball and cleverly secured a try right behind the goal posts. Warbriok took the kick, an easy one, bat no goal resulted. Upon the ball being kicked off, Sutherland aud Blanchard made a desperate rush up the ground, and before the field seemed to know what was the matter, the 'ball was close to the Hawkes Bay goal, although at the corner of the ground, but it was of no avail. Hawkes Bay set to work to force the visitors back, and were alowly getting them toward

the centre of the ground when time was called, the score standing—Hawkes Bay, five points; Canterbury, one point. After the conclusion of the match the visitors were entertained at dinner at the Criterion Hotel by the Hawkes Bay Rugby Union, a most pleasant evening being spent. _ Mr Lambie, agent for the Union Steamship Company, kindly delayed the departure of the boat so as to allow time for the dinner to take place. OTAGO v. AUCKLAND. Auckland, August 20. The coming football match with Otago is a subject of considerable interest, and fears are expressed on some bands that the visiting team will prove too strong for the local men. It is anticipated that the contest will prove a very tough one, but the new method of scoring (which will again be adopted) in Wednesday’s match will not, it is contended, act at so heavy a discount as it did in the match with Canterbury, since the Otago men do not play so exclusively a kicking game as the Canterbury fifteen. The team which meets Otago differs onlyinone manfrom that which played Canterbury, Stone taking the place of Lindsay. The Auckland representativea had a practice match at Pottes’ paddock to-day, when a good deal of attention seemed to be given to the kicking and punting, and some excellent work,was done in this direction. Lusk potted a goal from the field in good style. Tha Otago team of footballers arrived at Mannkau this morning, per Hawea, from the South. The officers of the Auckland Rugby Union drove to Onehnnga, and the team were brought into town in a brake and driven to the Imperial Hotel, where they will reside during their stay in this city. The visitors inspected the defence works at Fort Cautley in the course of the day. They are in excellent spirits.