NATIVES V OTAGO.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1907, 1 August 1888, Page 3

NATIVES V OTAGO.

[P*b Febss Association.] Dunedin, July 31. The return match between Warbrlck'e team and Otago waa played to-day. The ground was m splendid order, and the day everything that could bs desired for football. The attendance waa nearly equal io the first day. The teams was nearly the ■ame, but Otago lost Lynoh aud the Natives .gained Ihamalra. They played with three half-back*-, Io tbe first spell Otago had slightly the best o? the gamp, with the wind at their backs, but they appeared to be stale and not up to their Saturday's form, while the Natives ware much Improved, playing a combined game, their forward play being exoellent. They alio nsed their strength, and time after i time oarried the soums. The t.otica of j Ihlmalra, and one or two others m falling on the ball In the sorum, to tho danger of their own heads, frustrated all attempts to get on a dribbling rush by the Bluet, and only one of these took plaoe, when the ball wm oarried to within an inch of tha visitors' gaol line. Ia the first spell Thompson by a grand run got In juat at the corner of the flag, whioh ha knocked over with hia feet ln falling across. The try was disputed, and the referee not ■eelng it, It waa disallowed. With the wind at their backs ln the aeoond spell, the Natives kept the local men mostly oo the defensive until Ellison taking the ball well from the line-out, struggled across and scoured a try, the kick at goal being a failure. Though the Blues rallied time after time play was biok again, and for the last ten minutes they were penned In their 25, but no-noore resulted, the game ending m a win for the Natives by one point to nothing. The visitors were entertained at a smoke concert to-night