ENGLISH TEAM v. WELLINGTON

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 122, 15 May 1888, Page 2

ENGLISH TEAM v. WELLINGTON

We compile the following summary from the N.Z. Times report of the above match : — The match, Knglish t. Wellington, was played in the Basin Reserve in the presence of about 6000 people. The weather was fine. During the first half | the Wellington men showed poor form. Moth teams had a force down recorded against them early in the game, after which the Englishmen by a series of passes and rushes, took the play near the local goal, and for some time promised to score. Scrimmages were frequent, and appeals to the umpire too numerous to be pleasant. From these causes play was uninteresting till a sudden change of the Wellington forwards gained ground, and Moor house kicking hard, Paul, the red's full back, fumble i the ball. King chased 'i the ball, but, luckily for the Englishmen, | it rolled out of bounds behind the goal. The Englishmen, however, quickly had it down the ground, helped by tfome fumbling among the black backs, and Haslam made a good dash, but ncci> dentally threw the ball forward. It did not matter much, as from a sharp pass he got it again, and, dodging ail the backs, just landed himself over the line. Paul kicked a goal from the place. Welling" ton played with more spirit after their reverse, and got two or three good rushes, j which were checked by the Englishmen , boldly throwing themselves on the ball amongst the Wellington men's feet, No further score was recorded before the interval. Soon after the kick off, Moor* house made a clever pass to Fair brother, who transferred the ball to A. Thomson. The latter was immediately grappled, but cleverly extricating himself, dodged the reds, and with a side- way kick landed the ball over the bar, much to the joy of the spectators. The scores being equalised, it was expected that the vi»i» tors would show some of the dashing play which they had reserved in the South for the latter part of the game, but the expectations were not realised The collaring of the Wellington men was ex« tremely effective, and the dangerous passes of the Englishmen were mostly nipped in the bud. During the last quarter of au hour, the play was mostly confined to the centre of the ground, and the English 25's, the Wellington men certainly playing the superior game of the two, though neither were up to the first-class trim. No further score was recorded, and the match thus ended in a draw.