FOOTBALL.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 487, 14 September 1899, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

ROTORUA V. WAIKATO.

The Rocorua team played the third matcli of the tour against Waikato, on Sydney Square, Hamilton, yesterday. Beautiful weather was experienced, but the crowd of spectators was not large. The honours of the game were pretty evenly divided, for though Waika'o had by far the best of the first half, the visitors had things pretty well all their own way towards the close of the gane. Neither wide managed to score and the game, therefore, was drawn. The visitors appeared to be somewhat sore after their hard game against the Piako team, played at Te Aroha, on Tuesday ; but this gradually wore off as the contest proceeded, and towards the finish were playing a dashing game. The following were the teams :

Rotoroa : Full-back—Huka ; threequarters—R. Thorn, Mitchell and Nerai; five eighth Burt ; half-back B. Munro ; wings—Steele and Pelham ; forwards Ngaroato, "Walters, Wera, Mahone, Arawhata, Wharetutaki and Gordon.

Waikato : Fullback Kirk ; threequarters—Armer, Pike and Anderson five-eighth—Bailey ; half back—Hinton wings—Terawhiti and Roberts ; torwards—Montgomery, Cowling, Marshall Dodd, Armer, Williamson and Black well.

Rotorua kicked off and even play followed at half-way. Rotorua gained slight advantage, and Mitchell had a shot at goal from a free kick. Waikato assisted by some fine line kicks by Bailey, put the visitors at once on the defensive, and time after time a good opportunity of a score was lost by over anxiety on the part of tho wings, against whom free kicks innumerable were given, thus nullifying the splendid work the forwards were putting in. The Waikato backs then tried passing tactics without success, and play again centred. Again and again Waikato got through to the visitors' line, only to be driven back by the inevitable free kick. Steele and Burt showed some good passing, but the advantage gained therey wss more than compensated for by a loDg kick from Pike, who, following up fast, again transferred the scene of operations to the Rotorua ground. Here a scrum was formed, and Pike kioking rather forcibly drove the ball over and Rotorua forced. Free kicks in favour of the visitors followed each other in quick succession, thus allowiug them to clear the line on many occasions. Roberts passed out to Armer, who was collared by Thorn when well within the Rotorua 25. Bailey then made a nice opening for Armer, who had a clear run, but failed to accept the pass, and Munro again sent play to the centre. Wretched passing by the Waikato backs gave the visitors a further advantage, and Pelham getting! possession made a clear run-in for Burt look a certainty; but he also failed to embrace the opportunity—or to be more correct—the ball. A faulty kick by Munro once more called into requisition all the defensive powers of his comrades, and a dangerous rush was cleverly stopped by Burt, who made a serviceable run. The Waikato backs again handling the ball badly allowed Thorn to carry play into their 25 for the first time during the spell. Mitchell mavked and essayed at goal ; but the attempt was a poor one, Pike returning the ball out at half-way. A good rush by the Waikato forwards again took play towards the visitor's line, and Huka at full failing to get the ball away got his side into difficulties, and the ball was driven over the line, Terawhiti being in cloße attendance. It, however, rolled into touch-in-goal, and half time was sounded immediately, neither side having scored. Closely following the kick-off Bailey took the ball from midfield and eventually landed it into touch aear the Rotorua line; but a free kick again equalised matters. Pike ran and gave a nice pass to Armer, who dashed strongly for the goal-line, only to be thrown into touch by Butt. Waikato again got up to the visitors' line; but offside play once more ruined auy chance of a score. Mitchell replied with a strong run to midfield, and passing wildly let Thorn through to the line. The Rotorua men Ngaroato, Pelham and Steele showed some good passing, the latter being collared in the niok of time by Armer. The visitors continued their passing tactics with a large measure of success, and pressed the local men sorely. Waikato had the best of the line play which followed, and Bailey took a shot at goal from a free kick, but a force only resulted. Waikato resumed the attack, Bailey carrying the ball out of bounds in the visitors' quarters. A nice passing rush between Steele, Burt and Pelham carried play to the centre, and similar work by Steele, Munro and Thorn saw the visitors up alongside the Waikato goal-line. Indifferent passing, however, caused play to centre, but Mitchell again got the home team into difficulties, which were temporarily relieved by a free kick. A slashing rush by Rotorua was cleverly stopped by Armer, but the dusky forwards were not to be denied, and a score was narrowly averted by a tine kick by Anderson. The visitors made strenuous efforts to score, and kept their opponents penned down along the goal line, exerting all their efforts in defence. A scrum near the goal was carried by the visitors, and half a dozen of the forwards swarmed over the line, but Cowling was successful in obtaining a force. Fast play about the 50 flag followed and Bailey made a fine run into the Rotorua ground, but beincj unsupported the splendid opportunity for a score made by him was lost. MiiDro and Burt changed the venue and Wharetutaki fell on the ball just outside the goal line. The scrum ordered resulted in favour of the Waikato forwards, and a free kick took play to the centre ; but Burt was soou back into the Waikato 25 and here it remained during the rest of the spell. For Rotorua, Thorn, Mitchell, Burt, Munro, Steele and Pelham were the shining lights, and on the Waikato side Bailey, Armer, Cowling Pike and Hinton were tlie most conspicuous. Mr A. B. Heather handled the whistle in a most satisfactory manner. Burt who played five-eighth for the visitors was uufortunate enough to have his jaw broken about half an hour before the close of the game; but ho pluckily stuck to his work and played right through to the finish. The visitors were entertained at a smoke concert in the Royal Hotel last evening. The Hamilton Band, under Bandmaster Munro, played a number of choice selections on the ground previous to the match, which were keenly appreciated by the public. ItOTORUA V. TIAKO. The Rotorua team played the Piako representatives at Te Aroha on Tuesday. The game, which was a most even one, resulted in favour of the visitors by 8 points to (j. ■WAIKATO V. FIIANKLIN. The fixture Wuikato v. Franklin, to be played at Pukekohe, will eventuate on Saturday, when Waikato will be represented by the same team as that pitted against Rotorua. Railway tickets will be issued to the Waikato men at the Hamilton West Railway Station. The team will leave by the 9.30 train from Hamilton West (the Ngaruawahia men joining at Ngaruawahia), returning home the same evening by the late goods train from Auckland.

Mr \V. J. Hunter advertises his next Rangiriri sale. Tradespeople who wish to bring their goods prominently before the Waikato public are informed that The Waikato Argus is more widely circulated than any other journal in the district, and an advertisement in its columns will be read in almost every home.