FOOTBALL.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 160, 26 August 1892, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

Last Saturday was a quiet day for footballers locally. The Kopuru players were away in Albertland and the only game was a scratch match on Mr Webb’s ground in order to give the Juniors a practice for their match with Pahi. There was a good attendance of players, some fourteen a side, and the scoring was pretty evenly divided. Several Seniors were playing and Morrison

received a sevei’e knock on the head while collaring a Native. The shock must have been considerable for Morrison talked quite incoherently for some time and did not properly recover until next day. We were not present on the field but report gives us the names of A. Smith and Lendrum as those whose play was specially worthy of mention. J. Brown also played well and will be of some assistance to the Juniors. The Aratapu Club last weak asked the Pahi footballers to arrange a game for their Juniors, and a favorable reply having been received the Aratapu Seconds have chartered the s.s. Kopuru to convey them to Pahi tomorrow morning to meet the Pahians in the afternoon. The steamer leaves about 4 a.m., returning on Sunday morning. It was the intention of the Aratapu Minstrels to journey with the footballers and play in the Pahi Hall on Saturday evening, hut Mr C. Clark is unfortunately laid up with sickness, and some other members are unable to get away, so the intention has been re linquished. The Aratapu team will probably consist of J. Brown, fullback; A. Hammond, C. Nield, aud Paki, three-quarters ; Alf. Keane, Jamieson, and Lionel Kitching, halves; T- Bassett, Watakina, J. Harrison, E. Harrison, Beasley, Masefield, T. W. Nield, and E. Phelan, forwards. Last Saturday’s Auckland Bugby Union matches resulted as follows :—Parnell defeated Grafton by 21 points to 9. In this match the referee, Mr Arneill ordered one of the Parnell forwards off the field for kicking in the scrummage. The City and Suburbs match was won by the former by 8 points to nil. The Suburbs’ team was weakened by the absence of two or three prominent players. The North Shore-New-ton match was won by the former by default. The Newton Club by a narrow majority at a meeting of only nine members decided to play no more. The Club in its match with Ponsonby lost the game on account of the ball striking a spectator in goal. An appeal to the N. Z. Bugby Union was decided against them on a point of law rather than equity and the Club feeling aggrieved have childishly refused to play again. We hear that the Kopuru Club has invited the Newton players to come up and give them a game on the Wairoa. The local Union ai’e very slow in not having arranged a Possible and Probable match for tomorrow. Only two Saturdays are now available for representative practices. KOPUBU v. ALBEBTLAND. Last Friday evening as we were finishing up work near midnight we heard the strains of martial music and became aware that Kopuru was again on the warpath. The footballers were then embarking in the s.s, Kopuru for an invasion of Albertland. Many of their backs were unable to get away but the forwards were well represented and altogether there was a good crowd on board. The Kopuru Band also went (the Port Albert people being specially anxious that it should do so) and their presence added very greatly to the pleasure of the whole trip from start.to finish. The weather too was fine and enjoyment reigned supreme. The steamer arrived at Port Albert about half past five in the morning aud the place soon began to liven up. The visitors put up at Mr Shepherd’s boarding-house and speak very highly of thefaccommodation and victuals provided. The game was played in Mr Beecroft’s paddock, Mr Nicholson acting as referee. There was a good attendance of spectators and the game was a very pleasant one' There was very little room to score between the goal lines and the titree but F. Molloy secured two tries and C. Molloy one, and Tidmarsh placed a goal from one of them making the score nine for Kopuru ; Albertland did not score. In the evening the teams sat down to an excellent dinner at Mr Shepherd’s establishment and the usual fraternal greetings were exchanged. The steamer left Port Albert at nine next mornin g and reached Kopuru soon after two o’clock.