FOOTBALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4938, 30 April 1894, Page 1

FOOTBALL.

After numerous preliminaries the football season of 1894 was set fairly going on Saturday, when the first heats of the Senior, Junior and President _ championships were fought out. There "wsb delightful weather, and the attendance at Lancaster Park, where two of the senior games were played, numbered about 1000. The afternoon was too fine to admit of the new stand being patronised to any appreciable extent, but the structure was generally admired, and much gratification was expressed by those lovers of football who looked forward to bitterly cold afternoons later on. The play in the three senior games waa very one-sided. Merivale overran East Christchurch, and scored thirty-one points to nothing ; Linwood came to'grief to the tune of twenty-six points to three at the hands of Christchurch and at Kaiapoi the local team defeated Canterbury College, after a good game, by seventeen to three. The following are some details of the P a 7 ' SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. MERIVALE v. EAST CHRISTCHURCH. After the kick-off the Yellows had the first advantage, Shaw, Neilson, M'G-ire and M'Kendry showing up well. It was not long, though, before Merivale got their old clock-work style of play going amongst the backs, with the outcome of an easy try by Mason. No goal waa kicked, and the score stood at three to nil. Then the Blues organised a strong attack on the Yellow line, P_vitt putting in some good defensive work. A number of forces were noted, and at last Menzies dashed over. The try was not converted— six to nil. Even play followed until Spring tested Lawrence's defence. The Merivale f ulU back was equal to the occasion, and got neatly out of serious trouble more than once. AO last the Blue forwards, headed by Moore, Raetrick and Heywood, broke away, aud some good passing let Menzies over again. As the ball was this time piloted over the bar eleven to nil was oalled. Lang followed this up almost immediately by dodging over, and at half time the score stood fourteen to nothing in favour of Merivale. Soon after the start of the second spell Menzies' brilliant play forced the East twice, but afterwards the latter rallied a little • and took play to the Merivale end. Menzies averted a scor_ on one occasion, but a force-down to the Yellows was Boon afterwards registered. For a time the latter held their own, but at last Lang slipped over, and a goal resultirg, nineteen to nil wa_ signalled. Then Menzies ran through hiß opponents again, and twenty-two to nil waa the state of the game. More fine passing in the Merivale ranks let Mason over twice in rapid succession, but no goals were kicked— twenty-eight to nil— -and just before time White ran in. The shot at goal waa missed again, and thirty-one to nil waa posted. Near the finish the East came with a desperate rush, and Lee was almost in, Lawrence juat blocking him in time. Mr C. W. Garrard, the referee, soon afterwards called "no side" with the ball well in Merivale's quarters.