FOOTBALL

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 922, 22 June 1903, Page 3

FOOTBALL

lIUIA V. KAITI-CITY. ANOTHER DRAW. The weather was perfect for the football matches on .Saturday afternoon. There was another good at-

tendance at Victorian Domain, where the senior contest between Uuia and Kaiti-City was the attraction. The ladies were again strongly represented among the on-lookers. When the teams took tin; field, it was seen that Holder, a junior, had been pro-

iioted to the vacancy caused by Por-

ter’s defection from the Kaiti ranks while Wells and Honi replaced Mclntyre and Ngawim on the Hula side. The teams lined out as follows

Huia : Te Reina, .Swann, .Synies (captain), Lear, J. Gibson, Cookery, Wauchop, Moana, Blair, SelTon, McGi'uthur, iSherratt, Holmes, Wells, Honi. Kaiti City: Russell, Delamore,

Wylde-Brown, Holder, A. Coleman, J. Hay, W. Liay (captain), Ball, .Strickland, Bright, Muilaney, Martin

Newton, Hansen, and Brown. Kaiti-City won the toss, aud defended the western goal, having tiie advantage of a ligla breeze and the sun benind them. Symes put the ball in motion, and Delamere returned to the line at the centre. Kaiti screwed the first scrum, hut Strickland got oil-side, and Symes punted out at tho Kaiti quarter distance. From the throw-in Wauchop secured the ball, hut was penalised for not getting rid of it, aud the lluia backs

failing to take Martin’s high punt, Stricidand, Hausen, Brown, and Bali rushed the hall down to the lluia line, where Te Reina kicked out. The Kaiti hacks essayed passing, and Delatnero tried to force a passage

through, hut was penalised for hanging on to the hall. Cookery soon afterwards secured a smart mark ; hut Hansen smothered the kick, and Symes called up applause by fieldiug the ball finely from the feet of Bright Newton, and J. Hay, and putting in a long line kick. The play thus far had been fast, and continued so. After a deal of fast work in mid-field, a long kick by a Kaiti forward sent the ball right down over the Uuia line, and an exciting race was witnessed between Strickland and Lear. The pair travelled seridc for stride for a dozen yards or so and then Lear left his companion as if lie had been standing still, and had no difficulty

in forcing. Kaiti were soon back on tiie attack, and from willing work under the posts, the ball came out smartly to the backs. Wylde-Brown was put in possession, and he raced for the line, which he succeeded in crossing after a scuffle with Symes. Martin’s kick at goal was pointless. Blair came through a scrum finely, and dribbled down the field to Delamere, who .fielded well, and dodging cleverly out of a tight place, put in a long kick to touch. Coleman showed up with a nice run' from the blind to tiie open side, and started a passing rush which should have added to the Kaiti score had not J.

Hay failed badly to take VVyldeBrown’s pass in front of the uprights. Shortly afterwards Ball was nearly in at the corner from some good passing. A place-kick at goal by Martin, from a penalty, was resultless. Here Huia electrified the spectators with as brilliant a piece of work as was ever seen on a local ground, or probably on any, other. From loose work in front of the

Huia goal, Martin kicked the ball against Gibson, and Wauchop, ever ready to seize an opening, was on to the rebound like a sleuth-hound. He ran right up to. the centre, where he transferred to Gibson, who (after drawing Wylde-Brown and, Coleman to him) shot the ball out to Cookery and the latter sent it on like a flash to Lear. The Te Arai racehorse Was well in liis stride when the ball came to him, and raced over the lino amidst great cheering. Would that tho spectators were oftener treated to bits oE this description. The men travelled at top-speed, passed well, and handled the leather with accuracy;. .Symes failed to improve the try,’ and half-time was shortly, afterwards called.

The second spell was a good exhi. bition, and was fast throughout. Some fine rushes were seen. Forward and back, scrum-halt and lockman, blent in a “ mass of living valor,” swept the ball from end to end of the field. The defence on both sides was impregnable, however, and no score resulted, though lluia battered at the ICaiti line for the greater part of the spell. .The fourth draw of the season was recorded when “ no-side ” sounded. I'liis is the second time these Clubs have drawn this season, and this proves how evenly matched they are. The game, as is ever the case when Kaiti-City is playing was a fast and open one. Both sides desired it open, and were so far cessful that very little of that weariness to the flesh the tight, heavy forward work —was seen. On tiie Huia side, Symes and Te

Reina changed places, but the transfer did not tend to strengthen the team. ,Symes is not; so good a centrc-threcquarters as Te Kema ; on the other hand, Te Reina is not as good a full-back as .Symes. Both men suffered disadvantage in playing in positions to which they were unaccustomed, though both did good work, Lear’s pace saved a score

against his side, and gained a try for if. lie is inclined to get out of his place, and should also kick oftener when on the defence in his own territory. With coaching, he should make a brilliant back, as lie is still

a young player. Symes did a lei of useful kicking, but was seldom about when tile passing rushes were on. irtwann was safe, and got bis side nut, of some tight plates cleverly. _ J. Hibson gave a good display at liveeighths, and was strong both on attack and defence. Cockery played a clever game, and proved that he is as resourceful as ever. All tiio forwards worked hard, hut Wauehop, Sherralt, Blair, and Sefton deserve special mention. iUoana showed up many times, but it was rather as a back. He was supposed to he playing in the pack, but very seldom indeed did lie do his share of the weight-lifting. A giant like Moana has' no right to he hanging about (he outskirts of the pack when little men like Blair and Wells are in the heart of it, doing their share manfully and well. For Kaili-City, Russell played a good full-hack game, and fielded and kicked well ; hut lie made some weak kicks also. lie lias not since given as good a display as he did on the occasion of his first appearance here. Delamere gave his best display so far. Many critics (jiicstioned Delamere's pluck after his recent displays, hut he gave the lie direct to these, detractors on Saturday. He played with great dash, and rendered much service to his side in all departments. Wylde-Brown played well at centre-threequarter. He keeps his place wcil, and fields, passes and kicks in good style. Were he to talk a little less, lie would do even better. ' Holder is scarcely experienced enough yet for a place as •a senior threequaner, but he shows premise of better tilings. lhc Ilay brothers were not so prominent _ as usual, hut both worked hard. Strick-

land made a first 'appearance as a [wing-forward. He has a fair

amount of pace, and appears to have a fair conception of the game, but he will be of little service to his side until he learns to keep on-side His team were penalised on several occasions for his glaring off-side infringements on Saturday. Bali was active on the other wing, hue he also was inclined to get off-side. Martin, Bright, Newton, Muilaney, and Hansen were the pick of the forwards, who played finely. By-the-byc, does if not occur to the Kaiti captain that it is a big order he gives his pack when he plays three halves and two wing-forwards ? Mr W. .S. McUredie controlled the two 35-minute spells in quite his best style.

Lear played with great dash on Saturday. On one occasion, when going at top speed, lie attempted to lump over a Kaiti man, and was tossed high in the air, coming down head first, but luckily breaking the fall with his hands. We deprecate this dangerous habit of jumping over players. It was in this way, that poor little Armit—one of the most brilliant three-quarters the colony ever produced—received injury to the spine which subsequently proved fatal in the Taranaki-Otago melon at Dunedin some seasons ago.