NELSON v. MARLBOROUGH.

Otago Witness, Issue 972, 5 September 1889, Page 27

NELSON v. MARLBOROUGH.

A football match was played on Saturday between teams representing the provinces of Kelson and Marlborough, at Trafalgar Park, Nelson, in the presence of a large number of people. The Nelson team surprised Marlborough in the first five minutes and got in. A goal was kicked from the try. Play for the rest of the first spell was very even. At the beginning of the second •pell Marlborough got a try, but fiuted to convert. The latter team played an excellent game, but could not increase the score, and the match was won by Nelson by 3 points to 1.

AUCKLAND v. HAWKE'S BAY,

The football match Auckland v. Hawke's Bay was played on Saturday at Napier. The weather was magnificent and the attendance V6ry large. The game, which resulted in a win for Anckland by 8 points to 3, was a very hard fought one indeed, and consequently very enjoyable to the spectators. The feature of the play was Auckland's passing, which was brilliant and effective, and really won the game for them. In all respects, except passing, it is questionable whether the local team was not superior to the visitors, who manifested great faults, the principal being an almost ridiculous weakness in kicking and a strong tendency to play off side in the scrums. The- local forwards were always the stronger, but the Auckland backs were far and away better than those for Hawke's Bay, who were weak throughout the game. The local players pressed Auckland very hard during the first 10 minutes of the first spell, and scored the first try. This reverse stirred up the visitors, who played all they knew, and several times forced their opponents, in addition to getting three tries. In the second spell, so far as all-round play waß concerned, the local team more than held their own, but the passing of the visitors waa so exceptionally good and' effective that it neutralised all the efforts put forth by Hawke's Bay, and if the visitors had been strong in kicking they would tia.ve made a much 1 larger score. The points made by Auckland were gained from, five tries and a potted goal ;'• Hawke's Bay eeoriug three tries.