Football News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 29, 3 August 1896, Page 2

Football News.

o* THE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. The final match for the Senior Championship of the Manawatu Rugby Union between the Feilding and Palmerston Clubs, took place on the Oval on Saturday afternoon, and after a fast and exciting game resulted in a win for the former by 3 points (a try) to nil. There waa a fair attendance of spectators. The weather was perfect for football, but owing to the recent rains the Oval was in a very sloppy condition, and not fit to play on. The Palmerston team, as usual, were very late putting in an appearance, tbe game not commencing until 3.50. Palmerston won the toss and elected to defend the northern goal. From the kick-off the game was all in favor of Feilding, and during the first spell the ball was hardly ever out of Palmerston territory. Soon after the commencement a fine forward rush, headed by Johnston, resulted in Lloyd obtaining a try for the home team, from which Bilderbeck failed to increase the score. This was the only try obtained during the game, although Feilding wore within an ace of scoring on several occasions, but the fine defensive play of the Palmerston backs frustrated their efforts. The feature of the game was undoubtedly the fine dribbling of the home forwards, which at times seemed to completely nonplus their opponents, and had they dribbled more and pas sed less, the greasy state of tho ball rendering the passing rather erratic, there is no doubt that the score wonld have been increased, The collaring of the visitors was very good, and they played a fine defensive game, the most conspicuous among them being— Whiffin, Prendergast, Butler, aud Hewitt. The Feilding wings, Stuart aud McDonnell, were a tower of strength to their side, and Matravers' fine play was ably seconded by the other forwards, Lloyd and Matheson being the most noticeable. Needless to say that Shannon and Jack were " all there," P. Giesen and Richards also playing in their usual dashing manner. Mr Mitchell was an impartial referee, his decisions giving entire satisfaction. Messrs I. Fache aud H. H, Fisher acted as line umpires for Palmerston and Feilding respectively.