FOOTBALL.

Western Star, Issue 949, 20 May 1885, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

L RIVERTON v. INVERCARGILL. , «/ [By Mahk.] ! Tho football match played on Saturday at Inrorcargill bctwocn tho city club and a mixed team of tho first and second fifteen of Rivcrton showed tlint football in tho Western district is progressing rapidly. A few years ago it was absolutely necessary to call all tho nrincipal players together in order to make anything liko a respectable team to play against Invercargill, but thanks to tho inj r'omitiblo pluck and stubborn perseverance of tho local players, together with the support of most of our townsmen, Rivorton can now put a team in the field that is second to none iu Southlnnd.' According to tho etiquette of football, the city olub should have visited Riverton for the first match, but because they cauld not muster their Dunedin team to visit Riverton their secretaiy wrote that he had arranged for the match to take ulace in Invercargill, Rather than allow 1 he retell to fall tyrougUj tbe local club decided

to visit Invercargill, notwithstanding the great inconvenience to many in getting to th» city twine withio a fortnight. Robprtso'i captained thei Riverton foam, whilst Galbraith acle I as skipp>r for Invercnrfeill. The same was o'layed in two spoils of 40 minutes ea-li. During the first spell the Riverton team, played pluckily and well. Boththe backsan-1 : forward* worked bird; but the absence of Pankhurst, Cogan, Reylintr, Rod 'rinus Moffatt.and Burkett was m»teriade f-lt. Ir a little careless pKv on th" part of two of the Riverton tean the city club trot, a try, which, "although of the easiest-, kin 1," proved a failure at coal by Galhraith. In the second spell the game became vry exciting. Stead for Invercai'sill was almost impassahle. He is by far the beit. player in the city. His i collaring and dodging on Saturday was per- ! like demons for their side, , For Riverton Robertson, Stirling, Strack, Lee, Cuff, and Dobbin made.several struggles to get * trv, but the. impassable Stead and the patient Snolgras* inviriably relieved their side frnn dinger. During the exciting struggle near the pavillion, a Riverton man not a free kiA, and whilst preparing to have a clear s'tot at goal, he was the recipient of some ungentlemanly remarks from a player in the fl<dd, who shall be nameless on account of his size. After a few scrummages Hawke, of Invercargill gjt over the goal line with the ball, but he was caught by Robertson long before he fell, and the b'11" lay between Robertson's arms and-llawke's,breast. In about fivj seconds Robertson took the ball cleaa "away from Hawke and foned it down. The Invercargill captain claimed a try. Now, neither of the umpires saw the maul in goal. Hawke said he toujliedtheballon the ground. Robertson, Strack, and Bates assent that Robertson took the ball from Hawke and forced it down. Here, then, there was a difference of opinion, and the existenca of a doubt It is alwayj understood that;.when a doubt exists, the side asainsl; which is is given should have the disregarding 'the:word of the Kiv'rton cap tat a arid the doub*, the Invereargi'l umpire and Secretary of iho. Giub '(Mr Watson) gave his decision as a "Try for Invercargill." A great deal of discussion followed. Several of the Riverton men objected to play under such treatment. During the iiiscussiim the InViTcargill Club cojlly took the try at goal and failed. The Rivertonians left t'e field and refused to play the game out. And th is ended what proved to be oni of the cl >sest gam>'s Invercargill has ever played agiinst River'on. It must be remembered t'-at last year Galbraith threatened to take his man off the field if the Riverton team insisted in taking a disputed try which both the and Booth) gave in favour of ?■ Riyertoptl %,„Ihe .names iof McKillop, Wdliamß, Dow, Pattison, Weedner and Booth deserve special reference on account of their hard working.

I "n -iIIVERTpN:,v.'OREPUKI. * "• - (Br Fobwabd.)

On Satur lay a team of Riverton footballers proceeded to .Orepuki to do battle wi[h the youfcns oTtiiafc'place.' 1 The youngsters bavin? arrived safery.'nolwithstanding the severe test their Jungs were ,put- to on the way,up, and the local team gathered together, play.commenced.y.The: ball was kicked off and Riverton f;]lowecl' up, well, forcing,,their oppocente clown. Shortly afterwards Orppuki, by some smart play, got try No. 1 for Orepuki. This, however, was disputed by Riverton on the ground that Reil hid taken the ball froi> Casaels wlio asserted that he had the ball forc?d down. The dispute was settled by the try being disallowed. Oepuki then made a determined rush and .Raid ob'ained a try, this time by fair means. The attenpt at goal wa« a f iil«i;e.f ./Towards ;the endof the t fir£fcjsp|llf Clark, r by-sornef plucky play,'obtained a try for Riverton, and this was very ne>uly converted into a goal by J. Howell. In the second spell Jas. Fu'lar on got try No. 2 for the vieitor.", but the kick did not re-uli in a goal. In the last spell 0 epuki made' several determined efforts to score, but they wore unsuccessful.. Tielle, Barry, MuLein, and Reid worked very, hard indesd but to no purpose, and John Fullarion by, good p'ay got try No, 3 for Riverton. The kick, a very difficult one, was cntru-ted to Howell, who just missed goal by a fow inches, the ball striking the crossbar of the g al.AF.ir the winners everyone played well, but Robertson, the captain, p'ayed a grand game'. Fullnrton (2), Howell, JVlills, and Clark were always to the front, while for tlio forwards Winton, Mirrielees, Burns, Willett, and Mnßain did good service. Fullarfcon, and ..Mil|B„wore, .a 150... useful at times, but thoy should follow up the ball better and never be afraid to pick it up. For Orepuki, Barry (2), Tielle, A. McLean, and Keid played their best, and Mirrie'ees. Sloan, Watson and some, others played .well in the's'uruinmages. For Riverton, Hirat, and for Orepuki, Wilson, gave general satisfaction as umpires. ji