FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7636, 9 August 1886, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

Town v. Country'

A Irani ]>i.;ke.l from various town chilis vreiit to ISalclutha on Saturday to try eonclusiona with a team chosen from the ISalclutlm, Lawrence, ami tioro clubs. Two of tho town team— O'Ciorman anil Mmizies—failed to put in an iip-])t.-aranci',an(ltwohubstitutta hail lobe gotat Balolutliu. As is often the case the weather, though so had in Dune.iin us to put a slop to all outdoor games, at Jialclutlm was all that eoukl bu tlesireil for football. A good number of the youth and beauty, .the sportive and sedate of Ualclutha turned out to witness the game, and became at times quite enthusiastic over tho doings of their champions. Strong captained the Town (colours) and Cork the Country (reds), and tho latter kicked off. Watson returned the ball into the redsj twenty-fivo, and the colours' forwards hy good loose play, compelled their opponents to force down. After the kick-out Mackerras sprained his ankle and had to retire. L'lay was conlined for some time to the reds' twenty-five, and they wereagain forced down; but. the superior weight of their forwards gradually began to tell.aud the ball was shifted to the colours' ,]iiarters, Bett at last obtaining a doubtful try. Koscoe took the kick, but did not add to the score. The colours warmed up; Strong, M'Kurlaiie, and Shepard (forward), and Hunter and .Vi'lntyro (back) doing line work, and by .1 series of loose scrummages again got on to the reds' lines; but half-time was called without any alteration in the score, although the reds were twice or thrice forced down. After the kick off, Hunter was the first to shine, aud fending ;,he reds' backs, drew first, and as it turned out only blood for the colours. Watson, who took the try, made a good attempt, but not quite good enough. The ball was soon in play again, and hardly five minutes had elapsed ere the reds, by throwing out smartly to Strack, entbled that player to score a second try for chein. Kick at goal another failure. The reds, However, were hard pressed for some time after this, but Cork at last relieved his side by a very line run, certainly the run of the day. Fitzgerald took the leather back by a capital dribble, and then Roscoe, who was particularly active all day, got fairly away, and passing all the colours' backs, touched down between the posts. The reds' eaplain, by infringing the laws in bringing out the ball, lost the try at goal—rather hard lines certainly, but a lesson that won't be forgotten— and the colours kicked out. Strack soon afterwards got a mark, from which lie succeeded in placing a splendid goal, thus bringiig thu Country score up to 10 points, at which it remained when time was called. ,As a taam, the Country was much superior in weight (forward) and iv running power (back) to their opponents. In Roscoe, Porter, Strack, and Cork the Country possessed a quartette of sprinters which it would be hard to beat, and these four gave tho opposing backs a lot of1 trouble. Hindmarsh, VVullis, Bain, Hart, and Bett were about the best of the Country forwards, who—bar an unusual tendency to off-side—played a good hard Matthews deserves a word of prai.su for the way in which he stopped the rushes of tincolours' forwards. Hunter, M'lutyre, and Wat«m did good work behind the scrummage for the Town, the former especially excelling himself. In the loose scrummages the Town forwards showed a marked superiority over tinother side; Strong, M't'arlano, Shepard, am:: fiindle being particularly good. After th.match both teams had an excellent lunch at the local Coffee Palace, when success to the O.K.F.U. was drunk in bumpers of -the cup that cheer.s but not inebriates. Forward. (Pee United JPukss Association.) Auujclanu, August 7. The football representative team defeated a selected 18 by five points to nil. J. Warbrick kicked a goal from a try got by Vcivl. The ground was heavy and very slippery on account of the rain, and a gale was blowing. The representatives had the best of the play, whiel. was confined mainly to dribbling and rushes. There wore 110 brilliant runs. Ryan aud Polliind shone behind the scrummages. Newman played instead of Lindsay, who was indisposed. The team average 12st in weight, being well divided both forward and behind. The Auckland men are strong favourites for the inatck iißainst Wellington, the books offering 2 to 1 on them.

TIMARU v. OAMARU. (Fiioni Oue Own Cokrespondent.)

Timaru, August 8. The annual football match on Saturday between Oamaru and Timaru was won by th. visitors by 17 points (one goal aud six tries) t. nil. It is only fair to state that the Timaru fellows, in face of the severe weather, never expected the visitors to come, and were rathei astonished when they jumped off the train froii' the south. However, they got a scratch team together, and played on a ground covered with water and in heavy showers of rain. All the men at the conclusion of tho game looked as it they had been sousetl several times in a horst pond. They were in a pitiable state. The home team ascribe their easy defeat to the cause named.