Alhambra v. Caversham.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 36

Alhambra v. Caversham.

I The Caversham and Alhambra played their opening matoh at St. Clair. The Alhambra won the toss and decided to take advantage of a slight breeze that was blowing down the field. Cavanagh kicked off and Crow neatly returned. The play at once became very fast, snd for the firat five minutes the visitors kept their opponents defending, but the home team soon settled down to their work and took the ball into mid-field. Cavanagh got a mark near the touch line, but Lawry failed to convert. Some long kicking between the backs ended in the home team being hard pressed, bat good defence prevented any score. A good rush headed by Whalen, Olson, and LaDg took the leather into the Alhambra twenty-five, where they had a merry time for about a quarter of an" hour defending. The Caver3ham crossed the lino on several occasions, but force downs only resulted. , Kennedy, Given, and Watson put in » lot of useful work and made some splendid openings, buS the passing among the visitors' bicks was not up to expectations, and for the rest of the spell neither team had any advantage. The second spell was vary even, taking it all through, the home team having the advantage the first half, and the visitors the rest of the spell. Shortly after the kick-off the Caversham backs got on some good passing rushes, and ib was only by the good kicking aud collaring on the part of the Opoho team that a soore was averted ; but the want of training began to tell, and the visitors gradually wore their opponents down, aud after a hard tussle on the line Wallace darted over and grounded the ball almost under the posts. The kick at goal was unsuccessful. From this to call of time the Alhambra had somewhat the best of the game, aud the Civersham backs were severely tested but acquitted themselves creditably. The game thus ended: Alhambra ... 3 points Caversham ... Nil.