THE WAR AS A FOOTBALL MATCH.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11635, 16 March 1901, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE WAR AS A FOOTBALL MATCH.

.f). 1 SOLDIER'S HUMOUROUS COM- ■ POSITION. j Treating ths South African w«r as a football match. Pie. W. G. Uiiborn.-, of the second Gloucester Regiment, bus aont home tha following urinal and humorous account: GRAND ' NTERCO ;. ON TV fi FOOTBALL MATCH. FINAL TIE FOX TH*. CHAMPIONSHIP OF SOUR 11 AFRICA. Teams : Biiti.o'i Empiri' : Roberts, (?<>al), JBid«Mi-Pow»>U aud Wnite, (»«ck.-). 11 inter, X ; tcient»r, and Dnn-lonal- 1 . (haU'-hacks), Bailor aai Ciery, (liffht vug), French, (tvutrc), Methueu and Kally-Kinny, (It'ft vriug). Transvaal and Ornngo Free State : Krnfftr, (s|oal), CroDJo and Steyn, (uack*), Botha. Prinsioo, and Olivier, (half-backs). Do Wet and Vijoei», J (right wing), Joubert, (:entrt) Snymau aud Villebow. (left wioif.) Rt'feree : Public Opinion. Kick-off: October 11, 1899. This match was the attreciion of the fioapon, aod was flayed ou tbe home team's ground in Siuth Africa. The laso time these teams ni^t was in 1881, wb*n the match ended in a very utiBJitisfactcry manner. This time the visitors brought over 200,000 supporters of tbe game, and were without doubt a team that anybody would bo proud or". The home team w«.n the toss for choice of grounds, and Joub.'rt kickedtff. They at once became a«?gre?sive and were gettiog dangerously near tho ▼isitord' goal, but Wuite at back was playing a sound game, and repelled attack after attack when tho home team seemed bound to pcor<» ; in fact the ■visitors' back?, B. P. and White, were playing grandly, and although the home forwards were in the visitors' territory they failed to score. The Empire forwards were now beginning to get into their stride, and French, working like a machine around bis opponents, completely beat Cronje, and -with a swift litfhmim? shot he found tfte net with a b?auty (Kimberley). Soon after this goal, Cronje wa3 dismissed the field (Paardeberp), thus weakening the home dcfeiit". Buller, who had all along been playiug o steady gaino, was now seen to advantage, and although be was stopped several times in his graod rushes, he came back again and ngain, shattering his opponents' defrfnee, he came dashing on, and by a superhuman effort, entirely his own, scored a grand tjoal (L<*dy smith). Soon the home team lost ihe services of their best plajer, Joubert. A strong wiod was now blowing across the field, t,hu3 giving the left wing of the visitors a chance to show their abilities. KellyKenny and French were now very prominent with soint» splendid work, and were pacing beautifully. The home team repeatedly tried to stop the £r*nd combination, but »11 their efforts proved futile. Kvliy Kenuy now transferred to French, and that famous playor again showed bia sterlmg qualities by scoting another (Blopmfontein). The play was now in the home team's territory, and the visitors' forwards were pressing when the whistle blew for halftime with tbe score : Brit'sh Empire 3 Tiaosvaal and Orang« Free State 0 The teams now appeared on tbe field to contest the second half of the game. The home team's supporters were in despair, for they saw that, bar accidents their pets would lose the gatu«. The visitors were playing with a confidence tint was a treat to see, while tho home team resorted to dirty tactic* (abusiujr tbe white flag). Try Low they would, the borne tenru could not stem the pressure which tho- visitors' forwards put into the game. French again got possession, and tricking the half backs, promptly made tne game secure by scoring another fine goal (Johannesburg. Baden-Powell, the mainstay of tho Empire's defence, was now transferred to the front rank. Hh heroic dofenca had been the admiration of all, and he completely demonstrated to the spectator that ho could play forward as brilliantly as back. S>me very fast play was now seen, the ball travelling with ligbtoiog velocity toward tho goal. The visitors made a grand combined rush, and, after some splendid play in front of goal, tbe ball was sent into the net amid the cheers of thousands (Pretoria). The homo team were completely staggered, and Kru^r, their goalkeeper, left his net at the mercy of his opponents. The home team contended that the goal was off-side v but tbe referee ruled otherwise. The whistle now blew for time, tbe score being/after * bard-fought game :

British Empire & Transvaal and Orange Free State Nil The feature of the struggle was the • splendid all-round play of the visitors, who received a tremendous ovafon. , Unfortunately, the homo custodian disappeared with the gate-money at the conclusion of tho match.