FOOTBALL.

Waipa Post, Volume I, Issue 10, 19 May 1911, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

OHAUPO V KIHI KIHI. These teams met at Ohaupo on Saturday last under weather conditions of the most auspicious character. Those who attended the match in anticipation of a keen and spirited contest were not disappointed, for the game was fought to the end with unflagging energy. As was to be expected, the quality of the play suffered to some extent from the fact that players as yet are short of practice. Still, whatever may have been deficient in skill was amply compensated in earlyseason life and vigour. Kihi Kihi took the field with a side badly weakened by absentees and, in addition, suffered,the initial misfortune of losing the toss. As a consequence they commenced the battle with wind and sun against them. From the start the game was strenuous and spirited. Kihi Kihi attacked in force but Ohaupo defended with energy and determination. For the greater portion of the first half the fortunes of the game varied, each side alternately as- . uming the aggressive. As halftime approached, however, the Kihi Kihi skipper, “ Dinah ” Thomson, who throughout the match played a sterling game, crossed' the Ohaupo line and scored first blood for his side. Grace failed at the kick and breathing-time arrived with the scores : Kihi Kihi 3, Ohaupo 0. With wind, sun, and grade in their favour, the Kihi Kihi team took possession of the game for a considerable period in the second half. The forwards, both in the scrum and in the open, maintained a steady superiority, Ohaupo being repeatedly pressed back into their own 25.'

Despite a fine defence, Kihi again beat down the home team’s opposition, A. Anderson scoring a try from a scrum close to the Ohaupo line. Grace again took the kick but once more failed to convert. Kihi Kihi 6, Ohaupo 0. The resumption of play provided little change in the character of the game. The pressure upon the Ohaupo line was steady and continuous. Though Ohaupo strove strenuously to turn the tide of fortune, their attacks bore no tangible result. Each time they were steadily thrust back upon the defensive. Though lacking neither enterprise nor determination, they could not bring pressure sufficient to force a score, and no individual player rose to the heights necessary to secure points by sheer brillianc of personal effort and skill.

As the game approached its end the Kihi Kihi forwards again got possession, and, from a dribbling movement, in which Dinah Thomson was again prominent, Fraser Smith dashed over the line, showing a clean pair of heels to all opposition and scoring a fine try. Turner took the kick — but with no better success than had attended the efforts of his colleague Grace earlier in the game. This further reverse stung the Ohaupo men into still greater efforts. In the closing stages of the game they bore the Kihi Kihi team back into its own lines, and time and again seemed on the point of scoring. At last, from a faulty pass among the Kihi Kihi backs, their determined onslaught achieved well-merited reward, and, though they failed to convert, the try gave them points to which their play during the game fully entitled them. The end came with the scores —Kihi Kihi 9, Ohaupo 3. The match throughout its whole course was keenly and vigorously contested. Though Kihi had the greater share of the game and deserved their win, Ohaupo put up a fine fight. The Kihi Kihi team were entertained at the Ohaupo Hotel at the close of the contest, and the rivalry of the afternoon was buried in the festive fellowship of the evening.