FOOTBALL MATCH AT THE THAMES.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 533, 25 September 1871, Page 2

FOOTBALL MATCH AT THE THAMES.

The long4nlked of mfttolrbetwwnHhe'Auck* land Football Club »ml a Thames learn was contested on Saturday at Tararu. ; The only grouiid available was very unfavourable for. good play, being much cut up by cart traflio, making it impossible to calculate the run of the ball, and only a short space could be obtained from goal to goal. It bad been previously agreed on that the game should be played according to the rules of the Auckland Club ; but Sander, the Thames captain, had, unfortunately, to recruit his team . from among the spectators, aud the consequence was that six or seven of his men played according to their., own views on the subject, thus . placing , the Acukland team at a disadvantage. The sides fought under,the respective colours of blue for Aucklaind and red .for Thames-. . The ball was kicked off at 3 o'clock, and. for some time seemed not to touch the ground, being beaten und"tossed about in ' the aiv from hand to hand amid a dense cluster of the players. Soon, however, it was seen that a majority of the Thames side fu-lly intended to break any rules which might stand in the way of their obtaining the victory, and a dispute occurred which was almost thecause of breaking off1 the match, untilDunnet, tho Auckland captain, who had threatened to withdraw his men, gave up the point. After this the game seemed to degenerate into a series of personal combats, and at one time at least twenty of the players were engaged in a lively scuflle, occasioned by one of the Thames team foully carrying the ball. When the time was.about-half passed, the.Thames men were beginning to show symptoms of being' " blown," their pace having been too' fast;, and the Aucklanders kept the ball hovering about their opponents' goal, bub to no purpose, for the red caps detailed a man for the special purpose of kicking it behind their bounds whenever the goal seemed in danger. This play of course was porfectly allowable, but still rather cowardly. Owing to the numerous disputes, both sides had their blood thoroughly up, aud tho charging and spilling were of momentary occurrence, every fall being greeted with roars of laughter from the spectators, especially one which Wiiitaker, lightest. of the blue caps, managed to inilicb on tho sixteen slono champion of tho Thames. It, had been agreed t hut tho niuu'li should I'erininate at. ha If-pus t5, but, in the geuerul ' extdfouieut' the time slipped on, and it was nearly 6 before the game was slopped. Even thon some of the roughs among tho jsuccttttoifl made a rush afc the ball, took: possession of it, and were kicking it about the field, until Marshall aiid Boardinan, of the Auckland side, succeeded in getting hold of it, w.hen .a very lively fight ensued until rein*

forcernents camo to the rescue. The Aucklanders had undoubtedly the best of the game, but no legal goal was taken, though Manning, at the'head of a determined charge, passed the ball between the Thames goal posts with a blow from his hand. It is difficult to s-pe-cia'liy: praise -jinyone of ether teams where most played well, but we may say that, of the blue caps, Williams and Manning Bueme-1 to be in every part of the field at once, while Dacre, who was most of the time, in charge of the Auckland gaol, gave the ball some splendid drives ; and the gaol keeping of Sandes, ths Thames captain, -was excellent, and Lewin contributed much to the support of the game on the part of the Thames. The following is tho list of the teams, so far as the names are known : — Thames : Sandes (captain), Kidd, G-llan, Robinson, Twohill, Fitzmorris/Wulker, Lewin, Bull, Cook, and others, fifteen in all. Auckland : Dunnet (captain), T. Henderson, H. Henderson, Marshall, Boardraan, Whitaker, Manning, Provo, Woon, Brassey, G-. N. Dacre, Williams, and Wynyar.l, thirteen in all.