FOOTBALL.

West Coast Times, Issue 10341, 3 August 1896, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

The Grey and Hokitika first fifteens met for the second tjme this season on Saturday at Greymouth, and as on the previous occasion the match resulted in a drawn game. : The special " train which left Hokitika was over crowded, the Railway Department providing an insufficient number of carriages, a neglect that was, however, remedied on the return journey. The attendance at the game itself was large, some £30 being taken at the gates. The weather was dull and threatening, but the rain Jjeld off, and the ground, though slippery from £he effects of the recent rains, was in passable order, and the conditions for decent football" were by no means bad. In this particular the expections were not realised, the display being particularly disappointing.

When the teams lined out Hokicika took up the defence of the western goal which was favored with a gentle zephyr, and Grey kicked off down hill, Deere, the captain of the home team, commencing operations. A. Butland was first in evir dence of the flokitika backs with conspicuous work, and after a series of inij terchange kicks, Beroz nml]ed, which enabled Francis, hanging offside to bid high for the Grey side, and he looked dmgerous until Macfarlane saved. Raphael did useful work for the home team, but M'Millan came to the fere and retrieved the fortunes. The wind now freshened for a time, materially to Hokitika's advantage, but no score followed. Here the services of A. Butland were lost for a time— the lad spraining Ivs ankle. After a brief rest, and when ;t was discovered the Grey men declined to allow a substitute to be put ou, the youngster gamely returned to his post and hobMed about for the rest of the game. With one of the most useful backs winged, the Hokitika men were at considerable disadvantage. M'Donald, however, redoubled his efforts when he lost his colleague and was twice within an ace of scoring. H. Brown splendidly relieved and shortly after Castles broke through and made a streak for the coveted line. Castles cleared Benjamin at a bound, and was only collared from behind by a trio of red men, when all but over. After this narrow squeak very uninteresting play followed in mid-field till the call of half-time.

Slow as the first speil was. the second was even more so. Proceedings fined down to a steady go between the opposing forwards, the backs on cither side, as if by nutural consent, being left out of the issue. There was little or no incident in this half, the interest in the game gradually flagged to dropping point. Towards the close of the game the Grey forwards worked the play into a good position, but neglected to utilise their backs, and after a series of futile rushes were repulsed and driven back to their own quarters, where play ended without a score being recorded.

The game was disappointing in many ways. The most unsatisfactory feature was the refereeing, the gentleman appointed to the position being quite ignorant apparently of some of the more important rules. As far as his knowledge of the game went, Mr Ashton evidently endeavored to be impartial, but there can be no doubt that he was not up-to-date in the latest amendments to the rules and rule readings. This had a disorganising effect; on the players several times, the men repeatedly stopping in anticipation for the whistle, and led to far too much talk and general Tjissatisfaction. Then again there seemed a certain amount of feeling imported into the play that was quite unnecessary and should have beenlput down. These defects, with the bad play, made the game uninteresting to spectators, and it is perhaps as well the game resulted in a draw, so as to enable the final to be played off under m hat it is to be hoped will be more favorable circumstances.

The play being so much below the usual standard it is quite impossible to mention individual play of any special kind.

The result of the game left the championship scores as follows : — Grey, won one and drawn three matches, 2J points ; Hokitika, won ono and drawn three matches, 1\ points ; Orientals, drawn two matches, 1 point. It will thus be seen that Grey and Hokitika have tied, and at; a meeting of the Union held on Saturday night, it was decided that the tie should be played off a Hokitika next Saturday afternoon.

The team to represent Hokitika will be selected this evening at 8 o'clock.

[Per United Presh Association.] Auckland, Aug. 2. The football match, Thames v. Auck-

and, at Potter's Paddock, resulted in Auckland winning by 17 to 8 points. There were 3000 spectators. Christchurch, Aug. 2.

The interprovincial match, Southland against Canterbury, was played on Saturday at Lancaster Park before 2500 spectators. T^he weather was fine but tne ground rather soft. It was a good even game, principally confined to f or- \ ward, play and resulted in a draw. In the first spell Anderson scored a try for Southland, m the second O'Brien j equalled by scoring for Canterbury]. Neither try was improved on and the game ended three points all. -