FOOTBALL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7656, 15 June 1896, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

ft^^>TQWN V. COUNTRY. |fisin< annual football fixture of Town v. |eotfuntry waa played in Tucker's paddock "Saturday; afternoon. Although tho lipreithpE . was favorable there was not a attendance of the public. IPjßftrns':'. captained the home team, and j H^WJ Gibson the country representatives. gihShortly after half-past three play was by the country team kicking g|j)flF. the first quarter of an hour the S^pisy'.'waß "centred in neutral territory. vsr There' was a lot of scrum work and short ■& .iußhes until the town team roused themShelves and carried the leather into their territory. Driberg eventually f ot possession and looked like scoring, üb, spoiled a good chance by passing ::S wildly. The country representatives re- %'.'. sponded gamely to the charge, and oleariug " ,C' their line swept up the field and carried ?S.'the'ball across the line; but Porter was S^hautfy, and' was able to force down. it^Tuteari returned the kick, and rushing f#7np • collared Pprter as he took the ball, r «; and Iplaylw^ 1 again in Town territory. t': "Wainhouae, who was playing at full-back, ?> put in Borne serviceable work for tho V ": nome team, but the Country remained v- strongly on the aggressive. From a loose kJ~ scrum Gibson gob possession and made a 6 good pass, to Tuteari, which player made *Z<"b strong run into Town's 25, where he ";;« was "collared. Shortly afterwards a free £4 ;iiok;for. off-side play was given against fe the Town players. Poynter took the *■'?■{ kiok and placed a neat goal, thus drawing S&firac-' blood for the country team. This |3vWw»rae Infused a little life into the = \.>spreßentatives ohosen to maintain the .^[reputation of the town, and they put their v^ .-opponents on the defensive. McOredie, t 'HMion, Tait, and Porter were all working -harcl; but their opponents were not to be ■•" denied, and in a Bhort time had play ':.- removed «to safer quarters. After some '-M : - very slow play aboub the centre Pahoe, :. Richardson, the Gibsons, and Murphy . organised a rush and carried the ball up '; ,;tb the x Town's line. Richardson got a : 'Vmarki and Poynter took the kick, but : <J a 'scrum- resulted owing to the forwards i-;;,beln«t in front of the ball when kioked. : "'"The Town managed to dear their lines, "■'."-; but Shaw, who was playing a rattling 7 game, got possession and ran into their ■ 'I 8R W. Gibson was handy, and taking Vvthe leather transferred it to Tuteari, who .; ' was able to cross the line, bub nob before rCtbe whistle had sounded for a breach of ''•■- -the'rules. '.'Hillspn was instrumental in ') 'removing the play down the field. Some !'■•= close play ensued until Burns got the T-'baU, and passing neatly to Young that £■ player ended a fine run by passing to >l Hillaon.who succeeded In crossing the ; line near the corner, and running round ; V grounded., the ball between the posts. !:■ -Barns iook the kick, but failed to enhance ■-' 'the score. Half-time was then called, '} : . -each side having three points to its credit. '■V .The 'second spell was remarkable for the complete breakdown of the home team. ';,' About five minutes after phy was re- ■-■ -euraed Murphy gob aoross Gisborne's line "■and scored. Poynter's kiok was un- ; .productive. Shortly afterwards Sharp ' got' possession from a dribbling rush and took the ball across the line, registering : : the third Bcore for country. Poynter was &": again entrusted with the kick bub was unsuccessful. - Play had scarcely been a --';- couple of minutes resumed when from a Borum near Gisborne'a line Tuhoi snapped [ ftp. the bajland dashed across the line, : adding another try for the Country. No -goal resulted. The attack was resumed %-tancl another certain try was averted by ?l .Wainhouse, who Btopped a rush right on ;; : ; ; the line and gob the ball away. Play for ■ : -;a few minutes was in neutral territory. "Near the centre Tuteari, who was playing % s -.[a splendid game, got poasessiou and made r;AV*ne run of the day, right through the ■ -opposing team, and all attempts to collar -" him being ineffectual, he scored under the ;; bar. O. Gibson took the kick, but the ; Tball. was intercepted by Driberg, who managed to get olose up before Gibson /^kicked; Shortly afterwards Babbington ; got across near the corner and registered . ' v the fifth try for the Country. Tuhoi took . the kick and was successful in placing the V desired goal. It still required ten minutes •■'.'■ to the end of the spell but it had become '-.-.too dark for further play, the referee 'wisely sounded his whistle for " no time." ;. : , The Country representatives thus won by '-:■.■;.■ 20 points to 3. The game on the whole ■ ; was nob an interesting one, but at times *,*■), there was some very meritorious play on both sides, for the winners Tuteari, ":' : 'Babbington, the Gibsons, Murphy, Tuhoi -*■'"!-■ Capper, Poynter, and Pahoe were the --imostoonspiouous, whilst for the winners - h McOredie was the most useful with his : Vsqrew. kioking. Porter, Hillson, Burns, Tait, Wainhouse, Young, and (■'■-'- Webb also did good work, but were not k' "lip to 1 the form they have displayed in club matches. Mr Arthur Rees was ■referee, and discharged his duties in an .able and impartial manner. Messrs H. Evans and Katane acted as line umpire?.