AUCKLAND v. WELLINGTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4793, 10 September 1883, Page 4

AUCKLAND v. WELLINGTON.

[Pbb Funs Aiaooiation.] WELLINGTON, Sbpt. S. The football matoh Wellington v. Auckland was played here yesterday,. and resulted iv a most unsatisfactory manner. Both sides kicked a goal, and Wellington also obtained a try, whioh was disputed by Auokland, but the referee gave his decision in favour of Wellington, and it is generally admitted by the most impartial of spectators that the Auoklanders, in disputing this try, were simply determined to win the game by taking advantage of any point that oould be raised. From early morn it was questionable as to whether the elements would be favourable, but at noon the clouds lifted, and although a drizzling rain passed there was no impediment to the game. There was an entire absenoe of the exoitement whioh was manifest when Wellington played the Southern Province?, and this is to some extent attributed to tbe faot that Wellington had lost three of their most enthusiastic players, and it was taken for granted that they were bound to be beaten. But how dreadfully sold those who held that opinion must have been when they saw the seoond spell, in whioh Wellington was simply forcing the Auokland men down, while for only a couple of minutes did the local team allow the leather to come without the Auokland 25 yards mark. The match was played on the same ground as that on which Wellington played bo successfully against the Southerners, but it wbb in a muoh better condition than in former trials ; in fact, nothing oould be said against the ground. The rain whioh had fallen on Friday was just sufficient to give it that elastio touoh. which has always been noticed in the ground, and while Auckland would have preferred a hard dry ground, they fully expeoted to soore an easy win at Newton. Wellington having soored against Otago and Oantetbury, rather threw the damper on any betting which was likely to be indulged in by outsiders, and it was not until Auckland had obtained the first score that any wager oould be obtained. At a quarter to 3 o'olook the Auokland men arrived on the ground, a.few minutes after the Wellington men. Mr Cotter aoted as umpire for the Northerners, and Mr Firth took similar duties for Wellington ; Mr G. Wright was referee, and Mr M'lntyre timekeeper. The Auokland men were placed thus— -Webster fall- baok, Warbrick and Byan three- quarter- backs, Arneil, King and White-ide half-backs, the rest forward ; the Wellington backs were Moore, A. D. Thompson, Allan, Davy, Perry, and Dumbell. Wellington having iron the toss, ohose the eastorn goal, and gave Auckland the benefit of what little ground thero was to be made from the kick-off. The Auoklanders were baoking themselveß at 3 to 2 to win the game. Warbrick kicked off for Auokland, and sent the oval well down to the Wellington quarters. Moore, by ono of his usual long drops, returned it to almost the same spot from whioh it was sent. Arneil got away, and ran well down the field until upset by Cooper, when the leather was passed to Dumbell, who wound up a good run by a long punt into touch near the Auckland twenty-five. After it was thrown out, the Auoklanders made a determined rush. The Wellington forwards were not to be denied; and G. Campbell, their Oaptain, getting hold of Carter, almost turned him a somersault. 'The first sorimmage now took plaoe, and this was well within the Auokland twenty-five line. The visitors played tho same -off-side game as they did down Bouth, whioh called forth so muoh disapprobation. The Wellington people were j not slow to notice this, and Auckland were i hooted from all Bides of the field. Thiß may | be mentioned as the first oooasion on which a l Wellington populace h ta sho ff n any partiality,

as, in the matohes with the South, Wellington was, if anything, rather inolined to favour Canterbury. For some minutes there were cries: "Auokland off side," "Play the gamo," and suoh like. Wellington was keeping the ball well towards the Auckland line, and the opposition backs were doing all they knew to keep tbe looal team from scoring. Time after time did Byan and Bing attempt to get away, but the Wellington forwards were too quiok on them. After this, Whiteside attempted a run, but he was upset, and Cooper snd Boberts, of tho looal forwards, gaining possession dribbled the le-thor oloso to their opponents' line, when Byan fell -on it. From the scrimmage whioh ensued ho passed to Bing, who made a brilliant run, but horo Boborts was again in the way, and Ring had tosuooumb. The looal forwards, who, no doubt, were abeavy orowd.averagingclose upon 13st, were making the game unpleasantly fast for Auokland, and onoe or twice it was an anchor to a needle that the visitors would be forced down. For several minutes was the ball olose to Auokland touch, when Henderson, who was in the centre of the scrimmage, "heeled out," and Byan piokiog up the ball wound up with a long drop into touoh. This was the flrst time after ten minutes' play that the ball was worked towards Wellington goal Warbriok, for the visitors, was playing a grand game, but Whiteside, the Northern "craok" was rather disappointing, and the opinion was freely expressed that if the form he stowed here was his usual game, Wellington had two or three men who oould " lick " him. After the first ten minutes, the orowd again hooted Auokland for their off < side play, and there was a continual disputing (on the Auokland side) ef the umpires' decision. The ball was returned again and again, and it was not until Wellington worked it ok Be to their opponents' goal, that Auokland oame to the deoision that unless they played up the game would go against them. Davy, for Wellington, and Warbriok, for Auokland, now had a smart game to themselves. Both are well-known pedestrians, but Warbriok having to carry the ball, was handioapped, and before he could get well away was upset. The ball was now kept well in the centre of tbe ground, without advantage bfing gained on either side. The men behind the serimmagos wero having it all to themselves until A. Cooper, backed up by his Oaptain, made a tremendous rush towards the Auokland touoh line, ond was only stopped when within a few yards of the ooveted mark. Cooper fought gallantly, but the heavy weight of his opponents would not allow him to get any further, bo he had most reluotantly to give in. Here the wretched off- side play of Auckland was again noticeable, and the visitors were hooted on all sides for what tho most uninterested footballer must have deoided Was unfair play. The Auokland forwards, particularly Carter, were working hard to squeezs tho boll towards the Wellington line ; but it was no good, as the only headway that Auckland oould make against our men was when Warbriok, Bing and Byan had a long drop, and to their credit it may be said that they never lost a chance. The Auokland men were now taking advantage of heeling out, and from frequent calls from their eide to do so, gained but little advantage, as Wellington had their team so placed that the fast "epeelers" of tho North never had one opportunity throughout the game of getting away. Here again the crowd hooted Auokland for. their off-side play, and there could be no doubt that it was deserved as Auokland was continually questioning the umpires' word, and the ball had to be returned. Davy elicited applause by a brilliant run whioh Warbrick shopped. Here little " Dummy" had a chance at goal, but lost his head, and attempting to run, he was at onoo collared. This lost Wellington one of the finest ohances tbey had. Auckland's backs were working hard to pass our forwards but Udy, the Groy town forward, was impenetrable, and working in conjunction with the others, time after time brought the visitors to mother earth. A scrimmage did at last take place close to the Wellington goal, and in the throw out Byan passed to Warbriok, who had a " blind " shot at goal, and with greater precision than he expected. It was given a goal and thus was scored the first point for Auokland. The unanimous opinion of those behind the potts was tbat it was a poster, and it was also alleged that the hall touohed Brown, one of the forwards, before it went over, but the Wellington umpire gave it in favour of Auokland. Immediately after this, Whiteside most unfortunately hurt his leg, and had to retire, thus leaving Auckland with only fourteen men. From this point, it was anybody's game until the seoond spell, when Wellington had the wind. Wellington kicking off again, forced Auckland well down towards their goal posts, and here the ball was kept. Auokland was still being hooted for their unfair play, and at one time it was doubtful if they would not get mobbed. The first spell ended in Auckland leading by a goal from the field to nil. This score appeared to inspire tbe local men, who rushed the Northerners well within their twenty-five yards limit the whole of the time. Then Davy got possession of the ball, and passing to Dumbell, the latter had a shot at goal, and had it as fairly as could be between the posts. Auckland disputed this, and never on a Wellington field waß the hooting the same as occurred to-day. Considering that Auckland had not won their game, as it touohed Brown before it went over, it left it nndeoided as to who should win it. Webb obtained the try, and it was given in favour of Wellington. In the second tpell Wellington were ten to one better than Auckland in the scrimmages, and the touohes-down were exemplary. The goal whioh A. D. Thompson kicked was in itself the masterpiece of the game, and although surrounded by opponents, young Thompson landed what is tbe prettiest goal seen in this town. This ended the score so far as is known. After the game wbb over the try whioh was obtained by Webb was disputed by the Auoklanders on the ground that the matoh was fairly decided, but unfortunately for Auckland the decision was given against the visitors who, although playing the meanest game ever played here, tried to gain an advantage. The real result of the game is : Wellington two goals and a try to love. That Wellington scored the first is a fluke, and otherwise there is no credit to it. There oan be no two opinions about the game. Had .it lasted half an hour longer Wellington oould have walked over the great Northerners. To this account the Lyttelton Times appends the following note : — Beally we give this report up as a bad job. Clearly unfair all through, the writer has evidently gone off his head towards the end. We print the oonoluding portion of the report just as we received it, and our readers are welcome to puzzle it out for themselves. We have omitted portions of the report which are evidently of so partial a oharaoter that no reliance can be placed on them. The official result of the game given on Saturday was a draw, one goal being kicked from the field on eaoh side.