NAPIER FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 216, 13 September 1894, Page 3

NAPIER FOOTBALL.

[by wire.] September 11. The New South Wales v. Hawke’s Bay match which was played last Wednesday resulted,' after a very closely contested game, in a win for the local team by 17 points to 12. The visitors were the first to score, and had a total of 9 points before half the first spell was over. Then the Hawke’s Bay men pulled themselves together and scored two tries, but the kick at goal failed in both instances. For the first ten minutes of the second spell the visitors had all the best of the play, but Hawke’s Bay then scored two goals in quick succession, one from a try and the other from a penalty kick. The visitors pressed the local men and scored a try, which was not converted. After the kick out the visitors resumed the offensive and pressed the local men hard, but just before the call of time Hawke’s Bay got a rush on and scored another try, but the kick at goal failed. For the local men the scorers were Toohey, Kelly, Laws and Swan. Gorman converted one try and also kicked a penalty goal. Henion and Lane scored tries for New South Wales. Lusk converted one and also kicked a goal from a mark obtained by Riley. For the visitors, Surman, Lusk and Riley played bast amongst the backs, and Lane, Henion, Wayburn and Sawker were the best of the forwards. Gorman, Macfarlane and Donnelly were the best of the local backs, and Ryan, Kelly, Malcolm and Swan were the best scorers amongst the forwards. Of the six representative matches that Hawke’s Bay have played this season three have been won by the local men and three drawn. The points scored have been :—62 points for and 21 against. The match to decide the senior championship was played last Saturday, and resulted in a win for the Napier Club against the Pirates by 8 points to 3. The weather was greatly against football, rain falling nearly the whole time, but despite this drawback the match was the most closely contested one of the season. The Pirates were the first to get over. John O’Connell scoring after a nice bit of passing between W. O’Connor, McKenzie and the scorer. Play was afterwards very even, but Napier got a rush on and made a determined attack on their opponents line. Gorman registered the major points. The Napier club

had somewhat the best of the second spell, but only scored another try through the agency of Bennett. For the winners Cockroft, Barnett, Jago, Donnelly, Bennett and Gorman showed best form* and for the losers Malcolm, Swan, Biel, W. McConnell and McKenzie were most conspicuous.