FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 444, 16 June 1902, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

WEST END v. KAITI-CITY.

|By “ The Whistle.” | Anything but pleasant weather pro vailed on Saturday afternoon last, anc there was only a handful of spectator present at tho Domain to witness the senior contest between the representatives t of tho West End and Kaiti-City Clubs. Several heavy showers early in the afternoon had tho effect of making tho ground t greasy, while heavy ruin fell at in--1 tervals throughout the first spell and al- ! most continuously during the second half & of the game. Play was lato in starting, and it was close on 3.30 when the teams took tho field. When tho players lined out, it was seen that West End could only muster eleven men, Sherrilf, Skeet, DeLautour, and Bennett being tho absentees. The teams wero : West End (black) : C. Hepburn, Nolan, Watcno, Waitai, Brown, Poananga, Miller, Ilcwini, Gray, Davitt, and

Williams. Kaiti-City (blue and black) : Witty, Baker, W. Hay, Porter, Reynolds, Glennie, J. Hay, White, Newton, Bright, R. C. Murphy, Hansen,. McKcllar, and Colobourno. Kaiti City wero roinforced shortly after tho start of tho game by Eaton, and A. Hepburn came on later for West End, who played almost throughout with twelve men. Colobourno won tho toss for the colors, and West End, who wero captained by Williums, defended the town goal. Tho opening passages of tho game were not specially interesting. West End, though so short-handed, played up with spirit, and gavo the combined team all they could do. The ground was slippery, and the ball greasy, and most difficult to take and handle. About half-way through tho spell, the Kaiti City team, who wero playing Bevcn backs, took to passing, and handled the ball wonderfully well considering the stato of tho ground. The

blacks played stubbornly, and every man on tho side, both backs and forwards, did his level best to stall off the passing rushes of the Kaiti-City men. The combined team seemed in fine condition, and from the manner in whioh they threw the ball about one imagined they would have given ]a fine display had the ball been dry. Reynolds was the first to cross the line. Securing the ball about the blacks’ twenty-five, he made a fine run, and, though he lost possession when noar tho line, he regained the ball, and scored a well-deserved try. J. Gay made a good attempt to add the major points. On resuming the play was fast and open. The men kept their feet well on tho slippery ground, and gavo a surprisingly good exhibition. The blacks stuck to their work, aud Brown made a grand run, after taking tho ball well from a lineout, and nearly scored, Witty only stopping him near the colors’ line. KaitiCity were soon back on the attack, and Eaton, Glennie, tho Hay brothers, Reynolds, Porter, aud Baker got on some good passing. Tho ball remained for some time on the West End line, and eventually nice passing landed the ball in Baker’s hands, and that player demonstrated for tho first time this season the pace he possesses by outpacing the opposing backs, and racing right round behind the posts. J. Hay placed an easy goal. No farther score was made in tho first spoil, and the teams crossed over with the score standing: Kaiti-City, 8 points ; West End, nil. Heavy rain commenced with tho second spell, and continued till the close of the game. The players took the drenching in the best possiblo spirit, and laughed and joked as they chased the slippery leather all over the greasy ground. Tho play was uncommonly good under the conditions, and both teams played hard all through. Poananga did yeoman servico for West End iu stopping the rushes. He flopped fearlessly at the feet of the Kaiti-City forwards time and again as they broke away from the line. Waitai also played well, aud his kicking was of great sorvice. The backs on the West End side quite surpassed tho combined rearguard in kicking. Hepburn, Waitai, Watene, Brown, and Poananga gained ground repeatedly with fine long kicks, while the kicking of the Kaiti-City backs was weak, even Porter being backward in this work. The first spell had not been long started when Porter secured the leather iu front of the West End goal, and, coolly looking about for an opening, he beat all the opposing backs, who foolishly waited for a pass, and almost walked over and placed tho ball right between the posts. J. Hay took tho ball out too far for the kick at goal, and failed with what should have been a certain goal. Tho game was continued in drenching rain, and the rival captains signifibd their readiness to discontinue the game, but the referee very properly kept them to their work. Tho play was never uninteresting, and we never remember to have seen a gamo played under the same conditions in which the work was so open and fast, or where the men handled the ball so well. Towards the close of the game the blacks drove the colors back on their line, and Watene snapped up the oval about the quarter-distance, and made a brilliant run clean through the opposing side, and scored near the corner, amid hearty applause from the handful of spectators. It was a distinctly smart dash, and it was surprising how he kept his feet while dodging at the pace at which he travelled. Waitai made a fine attempt to place a goal. The light began to fade from this onward, and the referee, eight minutes before time was up, wisely sounded “ no-side,” and West End were defeated, for the first time during the last nine matches they have played, by 11 points (a goal from a try and two tries) to 3 points (a try). Two spells of 35 minutes each were played, and the game was controlled by Mr Arthur Rees, who presented a moist and dilapidated appearance on its conclusion, being drenched to the skin. Messrs R. Cole and R. Sherratt were the line-umpires. JUNIOR MATCH.

HUIA v. WEST END.

The Huia and West End second fifteens met on No. 2 Ground, at Victoria Domain, on Saturday. Driller captained Huia, and Heaney tho West End. For the first half of the game West End held it their own way. Thomson, who played centre three-quarters for Huia, lost several tries by not passing to his wings. Driller played half, and time after time got the jail out to his backs, but they were grassed before being able to got away with the ball. Tho first spell ended—Huia 5, West End 3. Both teams made an alteration in their backs in the next spell. West End put their half, Tate, full-back, and Driller went to centre three-quarter for Huia, putting Thomson half. The ground became vory slippery. The Huia forwards carried the scrum each time. Thomson secured tho ball, and passed it on to Driller, who transferred it to his wings, thus enabling Huia to secure two more tries, but neither was converted. Tho gamo ended—Huia 11, West End 8. Mr J. Webb refereed.

For the winners, Scott (2), Sharp, Dodds, and Driller played best, and for the losers Tate, Somervell, and Petersen were the most conspicuous.