FOOTBALL

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 9320, 15 June 1891, Page 4

FOOTBALL

THE CHAMPIONSHIP. Wellington v. Petone. Fully two thousand people assembled at Newtown Park on Saturday afternoon to witness the championship match between the Wellington and Petone first fifteens. Great interest was taken in the match, and an exciting game was expected, particularly after the tine form shown by the Petones in their previous matches. The match, however, proved a very hollow affair, the Wellingtons having it all their own way. The Wellingtons had evidently laid themselves out for this match, and they showed they meant business from the jump. The Wellington forwards showed their superiority from the start, and the Petonea were placed on the defensive at once. After about ten minutes play, Harley passed out beautifully to Collins, who took the ball grandly, and wound up a fine run by touching down near the corner flag, Collins’ success was very popular, and he was warmly applauded from all parts o! the field. Although at a difficult angle, Collins succeeded in sending the ball over tho bar. On resuming, the Yellows continued to have the best of it, but the Petones, in response to requests ‘ to wake up,’ rushed the ball up to the Wellington twenty-five.' Hagger was particu* larly prominent at this stage. The play did not remain long in the Wellington quarters, the Yellow forwards, by good rushes, carrying the ball back to the Petone twenty-five, and a free kick being awarded for offside play, Harley bad no difficulty in placing a goal. Pringle made a good run on resuming, and Speedy, Woods, and Parrant, by good passing carried the leather to tho Wellington twenty-five, but Barnett, by a good dodgy run, regained the lost ground. The play remained in the blacks’ territory, and Forsyth passed out to Speed, who although travelling at a great rate took the ball very cleanly, and dodging the full-back, scored under the posts. Harley made a very poor attempt at goal, the ball scarcely rising off the ground. The play for the remainder of the spell was all in favour of the yellows. At the beginning o! the second spell the Intones played up with more dash, and, encouraged by the spectators, they pressed the Yellows for some time, but they were unable to score, O’Connell obtained a mark inside the in front of the goal, but Jackson failed to improve on it. From the kick out the Wellingtons, mainly by the efforts of their forwards, took the hall up to the Petone line, and Cockroft getting possession of the leather from the line out, passed to Forsyth, who got in. Cockroft failed in the kick at goal. Before the ape’l ended, Speed gained another try, after a fine run, and Harley by one of his clever dashes scored tinder the posts. The latter try was converted by W. Pownall. The match thus ended in a victory for

the Wellingtons by three goals and three tries to nil. The winners played a brilliant game, and they have not been seen to better advantage this season. The forwards played with dash and combination all through, never

flagging for a moment, and the backs ran and passed in splendid style. Both Speed and Collins made some grand runs, and the former gained both of his tries by capital play. Harley played with his usual brilliancy.

Driver, at half-back, played belter than usual, and Barnett also rendered good service. The forwards to a man did their work splendidly. The play of the Petone team was of course very disappointing, but it is very doubtful if they would have won even had they played up to their previous form. They played fairly well in the early stages of the game, but after the Wellingtons scored they appeared quite demoralised. Of the backs Parrant, Wynyard, and Boss were the most prominent and Haggar, Woods, Milne and Welch were the best of the forwards. Mr A, D, Thomson acted as referee, and Messrs Duncan and Wilford as touch judges. Ponekb v. Athletic. This match was played on No. 2 ground at Newtown on Saturday, and resulted in a win for the Athletics by 2 points. The play for the greater part of the first spell was confined to £he Red and Black’s twenty-fives. The Poneke backs, who were playing a fine defensive game, prevented the Athletics from scoring. At length, however, Campbell received a pass from Hyland, and ran in close to the posts, Fraser made a very poor shot at goal. The Athletics had a good deal the best of tbe second spell, and the wonder is that they did not score more than they did. Fraser got over on one occasion and lost the ball. About half way through the spell Severre ran over the line but lost the ball, hut Symons, who was close at hand, fell on it. Hyland took the shot at goal, and failed. The Beds made strenuous efforts to score after this, Caradus and Ellison, in particular, working manfully. On one occasion Xee got clean past everything through a mistake of Galloway’s, and a score seemed certain, but Baker ran across the field and brought the big Poneke three-quarter down. Caradus, who had backed Dee up, got possession, but he failed to reach the line. Some exciting scrimmaging took place, and the ball coming out, Lee got possession, and made a fine quick shot at goal, the ball just going a few feet outside tbe posts. was the Ponekes’ last chance, the match ending shortly after. All the backs played well for the winners, Fraser, Baker, Smith and Galloway being the best of Them, Hyland, Johnston, Campbell and Malcolm were the pick of a splendid set of forwards. the losers’ side Ellison, Caradus, Sim and Dixon (backs), and Stuart, Beck, White and Moffitt (forwards) played best. Mr 0. Richardson acted as referee, and Messrs Davy and Reich aa touch judges.

JUNIOR CUP. St. Patrick’s College scored a win over Oriental at Island Bay by 5 points to 1. Hanning, Fay, and Jones scored tries for the College, Fay converting Hanning’s try. Bolt touched down for Oriental, but the attempt to increase the score was not successful. The pick of the winners were Hanning, Fay, Jones,.and Ward (backs), and Henley, Harper, Cooney, and Prendegast (forwards). The most prominent of the losers were Hood, Read, Gormley, and Driscoll (backs), and Bolt, Palmer, Page, and Rawson (forwards). Melrose had no difficulty with Athletic at the same locality, winning by 8 points to 3, Conder, Lingard, Biddle, and Twomey scored tries for Melrose, Laughton converting Biddle’s and Twomey’s tries. T. Cooper scored a try for Athletic, which he converted. Lingard, Grant, Twomey, and Boon (backs), and Biddle, Higgins, Laughton, and Kirkwood (forwards) played well for .the winners. The most prominent of the losers were Cooper, Seager, Smith, and Porter (backs),.and Moore, Lingley, Ellis, and Beck (forwards). Petone scored a narrow victory over Pioneer, at the Hutt, by three points to two. McNab (2) and Gould obtained touch downs for Petone. Bernasconi and Duncan scored tries for Pioneer, the latter player securing his try after a brilliant piece of play. For the winners McNab, Walsh, Keenan, and Jackson (backs), and Gould, Sherry, King, and Edwards (forwards) played well. Duncan, Bernasconi, White, and Jones (forwards), and Murray, Bourke, Page, and Martin (backs) worked hard for the losers. The Pioneers intend to enter a protest against the Petone Club, on the ground that McNab’s second try was obtained five minutes after the time when the game should have ended.

THIRD-CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP. Wellington College defeated Pioneer by nine points to one. Mackay (2), Bee, and Duthie scored tries for the winners, A. Duncan converting the latter player’s try. Bee also potted a goal. For the losers Waters touched down, the kick at goal, however, was not successful. Melrose defeated Selwyn after a wellcontested game by 6 points\to nil. Cox and A. Church scored tries for the victors, which were converted by Warner. This is the first match in which the Sclwyns have been beaten this season. Petone and Poneke won by default against Wellington and Pirate respectively, owing to the latter teams not turning up. EVANS* BALL. Thorndon was to have played Carlton second, but owing to the teams not having a ball, the match was postponed. Albion won by default against the College juniors, the latter fifteen failing to put in an appearance, PONEKE BALL. Newtown School defeated Te Aro by 4 points to 3. Swiney scored a try and Blow potted a goal for the winners. For the losers McKenzie potted a goal. OTHER MATCHES. Wellington College Juniors defeated Mount Oook School after a well contested game by four points to nil. Gray and Morrah crossed the school line for the winners, Gray converting Morrah’s try. The match Diamond v. Rival resulted in a draw, neither team scoring. Diamond second defeated Rival second by four points to two. The winners secured two tries, one of which L. Holdsworth converted. White touched down twice for the losers, the kicks at goal were not successful.

ASSOCIATION GAME. The trial game ©n the Melrose paddock reunited in a draw, each side securing a goal. Valentine scored for the A, and Leslie for the B team. The following team has been picked to play against Canterbury next Saturday Goal, L. Brown; full-backs, Johnston anl Day; halfbacks, Izard, Shields, and Henderson; forwards, Valentine, Stewart, Leslie, Cnthbert, and Eergusson. (BT TELEGRAPH. —OWN COBKEEPONDEKI.) Masteeton, June 14. In the Wairarapa Cup match, Masterton v. Stars, played this afternoon, Uasterton won by 1 point. (PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION,) Ddsedik, June 14. In the football matches on Saturday, the Alhambra beat the Union after a tight game by 1 point to nil. The Pirates beat University by 8 to nil, and Taieri beat Dunedin,