FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 10111, 18 September 1894, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

[•NOTES BY "FORWARD."] Footballers throughout the district tvIII regret the death of Fred Marshall, ona of Stratford's three-quarters, which occurred at Stratford on Sunday from an attack of peritonitis. The deceased had been working in the bush for some time past, and had felt unwell for a considerable period,but it was not until the other day that he decided to come into Stratford for medical aid. In consequence of Marshall's death, the banquet to the Taranaki Rep. Team, which was to bo held at Hawera to-night, has been postponed. The Star Senior Team arrived home from Auckland this morning. They state that they had a very enjoyable time in Auckland. The Auckland Herald says : " The Parnell forwards more than held their own during tho game, but tho Tisitors' backs quite outclassed the local men. Hedges, at fullback, played a fine game for Parnell, but the rest were very poor. AU the winning backs played well, their kicking and passing with the wet ball being splendid." A press wire from Christchurch says : " Saturday's match has been the talk" of the town last night and to-day. Explanation of "apparently inexplicable result " is simple, and may be written in one word, over-confidence of the Now Zealand team. They went on the field confident that towards the end of the second spell they would score as they liked, and on that account took things easy all through the first spell, only playing up determinedly when the goal was kicked against them, whon they rapidly put up two tries. Having thuß got ahead, the team slacked off again, meaning to come on towards the middle of the second spell. The folly of this courae became apparent when at the beginning of the second spell Alf. Bayly, captain of the New Zealand team, and centre-threequarter, upon whose back combination New Zealand largoly depended, was seen staggering about with concussion of the brain, and had to bo taken off and attended to by Dr. Jennings. Bayly did not fully recover consciousness till late in, the night. This accident completely disorganised the backs, though Rutland preseutly went fullback and D'Arcy moved up to thrcequarters. When the fourteen tried to force the play they found they could not do it, though many times it looked as if a score must come. Lack of back combination, however, prevented it. Tho visitors saw tho opportunity, and redoubling their elt'orts, played a much finer game than they had yet shown in the country, infusing great dash into their efforts. They scored a winning try in a dribbling rush, and then began playing out time by kicking ovor the heads of the crowd into touch whenever the backs got tho ball, and presently the idea was borne in on the hitherto incredulous crowd that they were going to win, the matter really being in doubt till the last moment."