OTAGO v. WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2687, 13 September 1905, Page 56

OTAGO v. WELLINGTON.

A DRAWN GAME. The match between fcotball teams representative of Otago and Wellington provinces took place at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday afternoon. Weather conditions were anything but favourable, as a strong north-easter "brought in a perpetual drizzle of rain from the harbour, and the ground was very sodden. Under the circumstances good football was too much to expect. The attendance was good considering the weather, something over 3000 spectators being present. The teams were constituted as under: — "Wellington (Blacks). — Full back, Gr. Spencar, three-quarters — Shaj-po, Blacklock, and. Ryan; five-eighths, Dawson; half back, Ramsden; forwards — Alexander, Knight. Collerton, Gille^pie, J. Spencer, Wylie, Driscoll, Hardham, Gardiner. Ota&o (Light Blues). — Full back, Borrie; three-quarters, MacpheTson, B«nnet, and Gikay; five-eighths, Adams and Eckhold; half Lack, Collie; forwards — MsEntyre, Spiers, Foote, Low, Thomson, Sheehan, Fitzpatrick, Porteous. Wellington won the toss, and Otago kicked off against the wind and the rain, and became immediately aggressive. Maepberson all but gof away, but Driscoll tackled him firmly, and a free kick relieved tb.e pressure. The visitors in turn attacked, using the wind to advantage, and Borrie, tho Otago full back, had a busy time. Passing among the -visitors' backs was nullified by good tackling. Ryan essayed to pot a goal, but the ball fell short, and was called back for an infringement. Gardiner (playing wing forward for the Blacks) broke through from ihe scrum in great style, but Macpherson saved, and the local forwards, beaded by G. Thomson, recovered their lost ground by a strong run. Hard kicking by the visitors then caused tho Blues to force drnvn twice in quick succession. The Otago forwards again came up the field with a great rush, which -Blacklock stopped by marking cleverly, and play came back again to Otago's twenty-five, where tha Blues again forced down, the Wellington forwards kicking too hard. The Otago hacks were putting in some excellent work at this stage in the way of line-kicking and fielding a difficult ball. The Blues were again hard pressed at their twenty-five cox--ncr, where Eckhold averted the danger and earned applause by a lucky speculator that found touch at half-way. Otago then had a look in for a minute, Bennet getting in. a clever return in the face of a forward rush. Give-and-take play followed, playagain coming into the visitors' twenty-five, but hard kicking by the Wellington forwards soon sent the ball back to half-way, and Ramsden got in a good line kick that again put Otago c-n the defensive. Borrie then got into trouble, fumbling a high kick, and the Blues had a bad time on their line, but eventually their forwards carried the ball well up the field, only to see it sent back by Spencer, who -found touch in their twenty-five. Good dribbling by the Otago forwards again carried the ball to half-way, where Gardiner initiated the first really concerted attack of the Wellington backs, which ended in Blacklock's running well and kicking and Otago forcing down. Ramsden next marked, and G. Spencer had an unsuccessful place-kick at goal, from near half-way, repeating the experiment with like result a "minute or two later. The visitors again attacked, and hard kicking compelled Borrie to fores down. Adams next marked, and kicked into the hands of Hardham, who took a mark in a fairly good position, and had a drop kick at goal, which- was only just unsuccessful. Smart passing followed among the visitors Dacks, Ryan "failing to accept a difficult pass when a 'score looked likely, and the leather wvnt into touch. Otago again forced down, ana later a hard kick knocked Borrie oft his foot, and the ball travelling over Oiago s lino the situation looked dangerous, but Macpherson and Eckhold raced for the ball, tho latter forcing down in time to beat the Wellington forwards. Half-time-was called with play in Otago's twenty-five. • The second spell was very much a 1 repetition of the first, except that instead of being on the defensive the Blues were pretty consistently attacking. It was obvious, however, that after the hard defensive game played by them against Wellington and the wind in the first spell the Otago players had none too much energy left for. the second, the result being that Wellington's defence proved strong enough to prevent the Blues scoring. Wellington started aggressively, and J. Spencer headed a strong rush. Play was keen in Otago a twenty-five, and Blacklock lost a chance when he failed io take a pass. Macpherson then put in a serviceable kick over the heads of the visitors' backs, and Adams followed it up with another that beat the "WellinKton full back, -svfto forced down. Play then settled down in Wellingtons twenty-five, and the defence of the visitors was severely tested. Eventually by com- , bined work the Wellington forwards took ! play right up to Otago's twenty-five, but Borrie and M'lntyre put in serviceable kicks that lecovered most of the ground for the Blues. The Otago backs, getting the ball for once, put in some passing, but Bennet hung too long to the leather and was collared, and after hot play a kick by Borrie forced the visitors down. Later on Adams marked and drop-kicked at goal from neailj halfway, but the ball was too heavy

to rise sufficiently, and a force down was the only result ; a result which was repeated a, moment later when, from a mark by M'lntyre, Adams had another unsuccessful shot. A bout of passing initiated by Macpherson gave the Otago backs a chance, but Bennet unfortunately potted at goal instead of transferring to Gibay. The ball did not rise from Bennet's kick, but was sent back to Adams, who apparently marked in a good position, but ..the mark was disallowed. The Blues still pressed, and the visitors forced twice at short intervals. Driscoll then put in some fine forward work, which removed play to Otago's territory, Bennet saving. Eckhold got in a high kick that sent the ball into touch close to the visitors' line. Indiscriminate sort of play continued, the Blues being unable to cross Wellington's line, and the Ofcago forwards ..y Ireing unable to secure the ball in the scrum. From a free kick to the Blues Adams had an unsuccessful drop-kick at goal, the Blacks forcing down then and a moment later, when Collie ' kicked too hard in his own twenty-five. The visitors pulled themselves together, and got on a final rush, which Macpherson stopped brilliantly, and Bennefc send the ball out at halfway, time being then called, and the result of the game thus being — Otago Nil. Wellington „ Nil. !