FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 54, 6 August 1891, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

FIXTURES. REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. Aug. —Auckland v. Taranaki. —Wellington v. Canterbury. — Wellington v. Otago. SENIOR FIFTEENS. Aug. B—Newton v. North Shore. —Grafton v. Suburbs. —Ponsonby v. Parnell. SECOND FIFTEENS. Aug. B—Newton8 —Newton v. North Shore. —Grafton v. Suburbs A. —Ponsonby v. Parnell. —City v. Suburbs B. THIRD FIFTEENS. Aug. B—Grafton8 —Grafton A v. Grafton B. —City A v. Parnell. —Ponsonby v. Newton A. —City B v. Newton B. -North Shore v. Suburbs On DU. —Alhambra (Dunedin) Club v. old Ponsonby Club in Auckland. —Auckland v. Waikato. —Newton Club v. Hamilton. We are informed that the Alhambra Football Club, the winners of the Dunedin senior cup, are coming up to Auckland before the close of the season to play the famous old Ponsonby Club. The employees of the respective saddlery firms of Knight and Allen, proceeded to Ellerslie one day last week in three large brakes, which also conveyed the females of those establishments. A good game was played, which resulted in a win for the Allenites by 10 points to 3. For the winners Wainhouse, and Adcock, were best, and for the losers Conway, and Ivo, deserve mention. Cole and Lee acted as umpires, and Caulton as referee gave every satisfaction. Reggie Caulton has been perculiarly unfortunate in the Football field in Auckland, for in the first match he played in for Ponsonby he ricked his knee, and in the first District match in which he played for Grafton his ankle was sprained, which will prevent him from playing again this season. Charlie Stone says he is utterly useless as a collarer, and thinks himself too clumsy to get low enough.

The residents of Rotorua are very anxious that the A uckland team which visits Tauranga in September should go on and play a team consisting of Maoris only, and if the match can be arranged they have decided to entertain the visitors in the Tamatekapua building in true native style. The smart Te Aute College team from Hawkes Bay lost their last match—that against Masterton. The Napier News has the following special wire about the match, and it will no doubt be perused with interest by oUr local football players, as showing the strength of football in the Wairarapa district:—‘‘When theTe Aute team started on thir tour it was considered that the strongest team they would meet would be the phenomenal 15 at present possessed by Masterton. The team has beaten all before it during the season, inflicting a most decisive beating on the Wellington team, and the play of the Wairarapa representatives in the match confirmed the impression. It was then freely stated by the visitors that the local forwards were the best in Nev; Zealand, very heavy, all sprint runners, and all in splendid form, while the backs were equally good. In Masterton it was considered that the local team was as strong as the Wairarapa representative team, and the Te Ante boys therefore considered that their only chance of pulling off the match was to get a perfectly dry ground and day when their back play might save the game. Unfortunately for them, the local ground is, when wet, peculiarly greasy and tenacious, and was, owing to the rain, in an exceptionally slippery and delusive condition. Under these circumstances there was nothing for it but to make the best of a bad job yesterday. As anticipated, the local forwards on the slippery ground proved altogether too much for the light College boys, who were further handicapped by having Hiroa on the sick list. When Masterton kicked three goals in the first spell it appeared a

decidedly forlorn hope, but notwithstanding the 9 points against them the visitors played with great pluck and determination, their backs offering stubborn resistance to the dashing charges of the local forwards, and James, as the result of a fine run, scored a try from which no goal was kicked, the local men securing two tries. The game ended in a win for Masterton by 3 goals and 2 tries to 1 try.” The Ellerslie II- boys, the winners of the Third Junior Association medals, have put up a grand record this season, for besides winning every match they have scored a total of 50 points, and have had only two scored against them. It is to be. hoped that next year these clubs will come under the wing of the A.K U. as the way their affairs are conducted, is to say the least, very peculiar. “Dandy” Cole did not pass as he ought to have done in the North Shore —City match on Saturday. . , , “ Jack ” Lambert got his back very much up in consequence of a football paragraph which gave more prominence to a City First Junior than to his own suburban pets, and is very positive that he has located the author of it. If it is any satisfaction to him we can assure him that he is entirely “ off-side the party he accuses had nothing whatever to do with the paragraph. In any case there was no occasion for Mr. Lambert’s unseemly behaviour in a public dining room over the matter. Truly some people are very self-opinionated. The North Shore v. City match was played at Devonport on Saturday. There was a good attendance of spectators. The game was notable for several interruptions by the spectators rushing the ground, and for the number of disputes from this it can be inferred that the referee had a lively time of it. For a breach of the rules, which City denies was committed, the Shore got a penalty kick in front of the goal..