PALMERSTON V. FEILDING.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 25, 13 August 1889, Page 2

PALMERSTON V. FEILDING.

The Oval on Saturday last was the scene of one of the most evenly-contested games that has ever been witnessed, there, the combatants being teams representing Palmerston and Feilding. The game was patronised by the largest concourse of people, including a number of the fair sex, which has ever attended a football match in Feilding, owing, no doubt, to the ownership of two cups depended on its issue. The day was as fine as could be desired with a slight south-easterly wind blowing. Shortly after play commenced all the public were requested to keep outside the fence while play was going on, this they did; and the unseemly crowding, which too often obtains at similar matches, was avoided and while the men had afllthe field to themselves every spectator had an uninterrupted view of the game. The game itself was principally a forward, one, not being very fast. Very good feeling: was shown on both sides till about one half of the second spell had been played when Parr, getting hold of the baU,iran clean round Palmerston's backs,, and scored a try right behind the goal posts, which was converted into a goal. The Palmerston umpire maintaining that the ball had been passed forward, but the referee gave it a fair try. On hearing, the verdict the captain of the team showed very bad taste by ordering his men off the ground, which they did not want telling twice to do. One member (Mr Milton) of the Palmerston team, however, was aglorious exception, and he remained between the goal: posts until the,' goal \^» kicked. The generalimpression received by the onlookers was that w tfie march off" was previously arranged, as the .seoretary of the Palmerston club had written to the secretary of the Feilding Club, Asking for " police protection." The Feeding: men dawdled the time away by playing" leap-frog, &c., till the referee called," no* side,!' when three cheers were giy.en.f9r the Palmerston team. The latter had taken their departure in the meantime, some of the spectators hooting them asthey left the ground. The Feilding team thus wins both cups but, no doubt, the matter will be brought before the Union.. Messrs Randall and Fowler umpired for Palmerston and Feilding respectively, and Mr Hartgill acted as referee. The game was played in two spells of 40 minuteseach. The following are the respective place* in which the teams took their position in the field: —Feilding: Full back, Robinson ; three-quarters, Parr, Strachan, and Dyer; halves, Harmer and Henryj forwards, R. Whisker (captain),J. Whisker, Gregory, Iyeson, Saywell, M. Belfit, Bray, Hodges and H. Keightly. Palmerston-: Full back, Isherwood; three-quarters; Champion, J. Moffatt and Jewell; halves, Hume and Stallard; forwards, Oliphant (captain), Stallard, Hanna, F. W. Jackson, Milton, Swallow, Smith, W. Moffatt' r.. and Mowlem. The above teams, are the best that either club has ever put in the field. , ■ First Spell.— Palmerston winning the toss they eleoted to defend the northern: goal. Whisker kicked oft for whioh was well returned. Loose, kicking: was then commenced, and the ball" was; . ultimately kicked into touoh in the Feilding 25's. From the throw in Feilding: carried the ball into the centre; where; Jewell got two marks in succession, gaining his side a good deal of ground. Henry getting the leather here made a- very nice run indeed, and when collared the ball was passed to J. Whisker, who carried it.. within two feei of Palmerston'g goal line.. Owing to Hodges passing wild the Pal- ; merston forwards were on the.balk beforethe local backs had time to get away, re^ '■ suiting in the ball being taken down towards the centre of the field. A series of" scrummages and throws in ensued, when. : J. Whisker, by a good dribble, took the leather once more in Palmerston's 25's r but the Palmerston forwards rushed ife back to Feildipg's 25sk Falmerstonwasv here awarded a free kick at the 25 flag; ■ but ho score resulted. Jewell got anothermark and kicked the leather into touch mL Feilding's 255. A maul occurred between, a man of each team within a foot of Feilding's goal line, both sides appealing; for a fr.ee kick, the referee giving a scrumUp to this time the Palmerston forwards: had been carrying the scrums, but- our forwards seeing that their goal line was endangered ran through this scrum and 1 took the ball to the centre of the fieldl The ball was kicked into touch in Feild- - ing's 25s when half-time was called^-Na • score on either side. •.-■■ Second Spell.—Hanna kicked off for . Palmerston, and the Feilding-backs Broiling play was eomimncel near Feilding's' 25 ilag. A series of scrums ensued,, the Feilding forwards taking the ball into.. Palmerston's 255, and kicking too hard aY force down resulted. The leather getting"' into play agiii*, D> er goc laold of it, run-' ning straight across the field, and after 1 handing off about half a dozen of bis opponents he kicked the ball into touch.* This player caused a good deal of amuse- . ment to the spectators by the manner in V which he got through his opponents. The ball was taken into Feilding's 25s where a scrum was formed, the ball coming pufe : at the back. Hume got hold of it and! was around Eke a shot, and was prevented from scoring in the nick of time. The leather was forced over the Feilding goal line but Robinson fell on it. After the : kick out Gregory made one of the best runs of the day, carrying the ball into .his „ opponents* 255. A few Bernmmaggs''enr sued, and the ball being passed to-Parr "he made a splendid shot, the ball going witfii:* in a few feet of the goal. On play resum- 1" ing Gregory made, another good rmvthe leather eventually remaining iij the centre fora few minutes, wheri Gregory dribbled ..-.. the ball to Palnaeraton's corner flag, '"• Harmer here, getting hold' of the leatfeer,' passed to Straohan. whothe&^«ransfei lrfed;^ i ;V to Parr who got right bjshind the'gbat" posts, Robinson converting; it into: a goal <* and then the Palmerston men, with the exception of Milton, walked off the ground- - The issue would have douMess beei£* more favourable to Feilding if the game - had been carried on, for the Feilding for- < wards were just beginning to play, carrying most of the serums, while the Pal- : merston men seemed to be " fagging" on it. Public feeling .ran very, high against the Palmerston team by the manner they : " threw up the sponge." It is openly said - that Palmerston will never have another chance to serve Feilding in the manner they did on Saturday, as most of our local players say they will not play against them again unless an ample apology be made. A dinner was prepared for the visitors by the local men at Oliver's Hotel but the former said that they could not stop to partake of it, so the Feilding tean* and one of the Palmerston men sat down to do justice to the spread, as also did a' ' large number of visitors and friends, the ' guests numbering about 50 in all/ For I the winners they all pjayed so wellthat.it : would be hard to. distinguish those "who " played the best .game... Eeightly deserves" special mention for his taking the ball on : " the hne out wlbichhe seldommissed, while -• ; R. Stallard, Swallow, Milton (forwards)'and Hume and Jewell (backs) played the * best game for Palmerston.