THE ENGLISH FOOTBALLERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1905, 25 May 1888, Page 26

THE ENGLISH FOOTBALLERS.

ENGLAND v. AUCKLAND. Auckland, "May 19. The football match England v. Auckland took plaue to-day at the Tramway Corapany'a ground Epsom, and resulted in a victory for the English team by 6 points to 3. The weather was unfavourable, and drizzling rain wa s falling during the greater part of the day, but notwithstanding this, the attendance, was large, about 6000 persons being present, including visitors from the Thames, Waikato, Helensville, and other country plaeea. The teams were as follows :— England.-FuII baok-A, Paul; three-quar-ter backs — Haslam, Speakman, Anderton ; halves — Nolan, Bumby; forwards — Seddon! Eagles, Kent, Stuart, Laing, Penketh, Burnett! Williams. Auckland.— Full hack— R. D. Lusk; threequarter backs— R. Whiteside (captain) .E. M'Causland, C. Madigan; half backs— J Conway, A. Braund, W. Elliott; forwards— T O'Connor, J. Lecky, M. Keefe, Hobson, Wells* • H. A. Twiname, C, Marshall, M'Kentie. Dr Smith acted as umpire for England, and J. Arneil for Auckland; whilst T. Maoky was irefevea. i, The players were driven to the ground at 2 p.m., and were accompanied by hundreds of people in brakes, 'busses, and other vehicles, whilst many were on foot, the procession being a most interesting one. The match throughout i was very close and fast andt toughly contested. During the early stage of the game the Auckland forwards seemed to be carrying ,all their own way, but as the visitors warmed up play became very keen. The rushes on both sides were well stopped, and the collaring was excellent. Notwithstanding the fact that tb.e ball was a wet one^ the visitors showed some good passing, for which they have earned such a name, and in one instance their tactics in, this respect proved so deceptive that they would have undoubtedly scored were it not that Lusk' ; cleverly proved faster than their last man whenhe was running in. The Auckland were considerably handicapped in being deprived of the services of Whiteside in the second spell, as he had to retire owing to sustaining a severe kick on the knee. . , , As" the teams took their positions they. were greeted with cheers, the Englishmen recognising the' ovation. At 2.55 p.m. the ball was kicked off, and from a scrum in the centre of the field Bumby passed to Bpeakmari,: whose ktek' was good; and a rush by the BngMshmen took it down to the twenty-five flag, where- k. serws of "scrums followed, the Auckland forwards working splendidly. After 'some hunting" play ' a goodrvwh was got in by the local players,' but j their advance was stopped by a'clevw'sctew kick* by Anderton. Haslam came <» the rescue, when, a similar rush was again immediately attempted,, and several tight scrums ensued, the ball being; carried down into the Englishmen's twenty^fiveFrom, a rush by the visitors M'Causland secured ' a mark, and kicked into touch, but good forward work by the Englishmen cleared, their , lines, and the ball was in the centre of , ttte field when Marshall, by a piece of fine dribbling play, brought it back, and Braund securing the leather passed to Twiname, who in turn threw it to Conway, and the latter sent it on to .Whiteside ; but. the Auckland captain failed Jo catcb, and the leather went out. Loose play took the ball across the ground, and a rush By Anderton was stopped by Whiteside, who with M'Caujland and Elliott took the leather up into the English twenty-five, where Elliott fell on it outside the hne» but Paul also touched, and the referee gave it a maul. Some give-and-take play'fol- ' lowed* and Braund cleverly stopped an attempt 1 at a pot, by Speakman. Elliott;' taking the ball - from' 1 the scrum 'ran through the English lines, 'and j spilling Paul,, was well on hia way to tye 'goal fog when fott

gome reason he was called back. Conway next \ secured the ball, and he passed to Whiteside, but the latter was quickly collared by Speakman, and then a piece of beautiful passing by the Englishmen was witnessed. Speakmau, Nolan, and Bumby carried the leather past the Auckland three-quarter, and Bumby was running in when he was tackled by Lusk, who brought him to earth in a splendid manner. A punt again placed the oval in the centre of the field. A good rush was stopped by the Englishmen, when Speakman made a kick at goal which fell short, but Seddon by smart play secured it and carried the ball across the line amidst cheers. The try was converted by Paul into a goal, the score now being England 3, Auckland nil. From the kick off loose play took the bailout of Auckland's twenty-five, and Whiteside here secured the leather when one of the English forwards charged at him, the crack Auckland player sust lining a severe kick on the knee. The accident stopped the game for five minutes, when Whiteside again stood up and limped on to the ground amidst the cheers of the spectators. Further liose play followed, when Lusk again distinguished himself by bringing Haslam down when toe latter was at the head of a strong rush. The Englishmen, however, were not to be denied, aid the Auckland backs fumbling the ball it fell jato the hands of Anderton, who took it across the line. The place kick was again entrusted to Paul, who for the second time landed an easy goal. England 6, Auckland nil. Half-time was shortly afterwards called. In the second spell Anderton kicked off, and Madigan returned into touch. From the throw ia M'Kenzie came through with a good rush, well supported by tha other forwards, when Bamby got the ball, but Braund stopped his rush, and the leather then went to Elliott, and a bit of fine play took it into the English twenty-five. Whiteside, playing under difficulties, here seized it and passed to O'Connor, who made a rush for goal, but was called back by the umpire. Hard play resulted in front of the visitors' goal, and from the scrum Marshall and Conway by admirable play carried the ball up to the English fall buck, where it was passed to M'Kenzie, who quickly ran over the line, gaining Auckland's first score, amidst cheers. Whiteside brought out the oval and placed it for M'Causland, who kicked a splendid goal at an angle. The score now was England 6 to Auckland 3 points. From the kick off a series of scrums resulted, with some fine rushes, and eventually Anderton punted into Whiteside's hands, when the Pongonby representative fell—his injured leg again proving a source of trouble to him. He resumed his place, however, and open play in the centre of the field was then witnessed, Conway and Bumby for their respective sides being clever behind the scrums. Frequent rushes on either side were stopped as quickly as they had begun, both teams making a splendid defence. The play was in neutral territorj near the touch line, when Whiteside was thrown by one of the Englishmen, and fell on his knees, He here gave up the struggle, and retired from the field. The Auckland players were thus unduly handicapped in the loss of their captain's services, but they continued to make a stubborn resistance, and a fast rush was stopped soon after by M'Causland. A good return being made, and a smart follow up by Twiname took the ball into England's twentyfive. The English backs made repeated attempts to get away, but were always well collared, and the ball constantly bounded into touch; but eventually punting play was resorted to, and a fine return by Speakman caused Auckland to force down. Good play by Madigan took the leather into neutral ground, where several tight scrums took place, but the Blue and Whites with a steady rash carried the ball up some 20 yards further, when Kent saved the English line by a fine kick into touch. Speakman stopped a similar rush, and as the outcome of some good play England's forwards themselves got on a fast run, but did not carry the ball far, and in a scrum which followed the Auckland forwards shoved their opponents before them, Marshall, Keefe, and Wells being prominent. A determined rush by the local players swept all before it until Anderton fell on the leather; but the Auoklanders seized the next opportunity, a few moments' afterwards, and from the scrum they carried the ball within five yards of the Englishmen's goal line, where, perhaps, the keenest struggle of the day's match was fought oat, the excitement of the spectators being very great. Scrum after scrum was formed and broken, and at length the Englishmen forced the ball up about 10 yards, and a kick by Speakman Bent it out at Auckland's twenty-five flag. The leather was again taken down to England's twenty-five, but the visitors responded splendidly, and from the open play which ensued the ball was taken to Auckland's quarters, where it was when time was called a few moments afterwards, the game thus resulting in a victory for the Englishmen, who were loudly cheered on returning to the pavilion. The Aucklanders also received hearty cheers for their magnificent play.