Football

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 10, 6 July 1886, Page 2

Football

COUNTY V. WANGANUI. . This match, which was played at Palmerston on Saturday last, was the best game I have seen for some time, and resulted in a draw, neither side scoring. The game was very fast, and the passing and tackling on both sides exceptionally good, while there was an entire absence of the forwards waiting for the ball to be returned by the opposing backs-*— ih fact the rapid f ollowing up was.^quite a feature of the game, and one which I was very glad to notice. The • earns were placed as follows :—Wanaanui — Full-back, Townsend ; halfbacks, Copeland, Ooakley, and Wal--on ; quarter - backs, Kitchen and Austin ; forwards, Chubb, Rankin, iloddy, Craig (2), Hackott, Fowler, tfason, and Gray. County—Full>ack, Luxford ; half-backs, Thomson, Broughton, and Templer ; quarterjacks, Gregson and Howe; forwards, lartgill, Manning, Seeker, Milton, oues, Bullard, Robinson, Jackson, •nd Symons. Seeker, the County aptain, won the toss, and elected ta efend the southern goal and. hare to advantage of the wind for the irst 45 minutes. Gray kicked off for ".Vanganui and fast play immediately ommenced. During the greuter part •f this spell the game was in favor •f the home team, but notwithstandig all their efforts they were unable • get across the. line, and only suc•edod in forcing their opponents down iree tim-s. With the ohange of oals at half time came also a reveron of this order of. things, and the >me team were called upon to use heir best endeavors to prevent the Vanganui men from scoring. For • Imost half of the second spell the •all was within the home twentyive and time after time the Wanga.ui men almost succeeded in getting >ver. The home men; one and all, •layed a grand game at this time, and : was puly their vigilance and rapid ttckling that saved many a score. It <i only fair to them to state that durug the-greater part of this spell they >layed a man short, as Jones who was playing forward, received a rather tasty cut on the eyebrow, and was •ompelled to retire. Wliere all played ••o well it is almost impossible to pick tut any for special mention, but I -annot pass over Robinson whose play <vas simply a treat to see. Gregson tlso amongst the backs tackled and passed very well. Of the Wanganui •dayers Craig, Rankin, and Kitchen -showed up best, although all played a •sterling game. Messrs Pratt and Manning umpired for the County and Wanganui respectively. Next Saturday the mateh — Feilding vL Halcombe — will be played on the Oval, commencing at 2.30. The team will be picked from the following players : — Belfit, Gilmer, Evans, Roe, Gurney, Halcombe, Terry, Thomson, Whisker (2), Hartgill, Manning, Saywell, Broughto n, ; 0. Thomson, ' Parr, Corkery, Crichton, and Turner. It is to be hoped the team will all be present so that they may have a good practise for the match with Foxton which takes place en the following Saturday. Drop-kick.