FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2256, 30 July 1908, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

SOUTH CANTERBURY BEATS iMAiNAWATU. [Press Association.] PALMERSTON, N., July 29. Tho Manamatu-South Canterbury match was,played here to-day, and resulted in a win for the visitors bv 14 points to 3. Tile weather was fine, and tlio attendance fair. The loe.rJ team was practicality the same as that which defeated Wanganui on Saturday last. The visiting forwards gave a good exhibition, and their backs were very safe. The local team never played ivp to their previous form at any stage of the igame, and wore simply .outclassed by the Southern men, being on the defensive throughout. At the termination of the first half the scores were 8 to 3 in favor of South .Canterbury, Scott and Morgan securing tries, SpiMuno converting one; while Archie McMinn kicked a penalty goal from near half-way foi; tiie home team. In the second spell Fraser secured a try for tho visitors, which was unconverted, and just on the call of .time SpiJluno kicked a penalty goal, leaving the visitors victors -by 14 to 3. For the Southern men D. Scott (full-back) and Pries and Bradley were the most conspicuous of the backs. Roddick. Build, W. Scott, Smith, and Horgaii were the pick of the forward division. For Alunawatu, Buchanan (half), Stalker (three-quarter), and A. IAIcMinn (forward) played 'Well, but the team throughout gave a very indifferent display. WAIRARAPA DEFEATS SOUTHLAND. [Press Association.] INVERCARGILL, July 29. For the second time in the history of Southland football Invercargill ha? been visited by a representative team from Wairarapa. On the last- occasion (1903) Southland had a very strong team, and the visitors were beaten by 14 to 3. To-day the recent suspension of two local senior teams necessitated tile exclusion of some very fine forwards, and consequently this department of the local representatives was weaker than it otherwise would have been. The result was that Wairarapa wiped out the previous defeat by beating Southland by 12 to 6. There was much interest as to how the local rep. team as reorganised would sliaxio, and between 6090 and 7000 spectators were present. The Wairarapa forwards had the advantage in weight, though not very much. The local forwards held their own well in the early part of the game, while the backs passed cleverly. Soon, however, it became evident that any superiority they had in concerted dribbling and passing was counter-balanced by the greater speed and better line-play of the Wairarapa forwards and by very fine kicking. In loose forward rushes the Greens put great dash into their play and frequently gained long stretches of ground thereby, while the Maroon forwards depended on close, heavy rushes along the lino for breaking ■through the opposing backs. Two or tlireo times the Southland backs missed scores by narrow margins in the face of desperate' tackling, and eventually Pyle scored near the corner. The kick failed. Shortly afterwards the Greens’ backs began to make the best uso of their kicking abilities, and by this means kept the Southland backs at bay. In, a- dribbling rush the ball was kicked over the Southland line, and, though forced by Southland, the referee awarded Wairarapa, a try because of obstruction. O Leary kicked a goal. .Wairarapa 5, Southland 3. There was no further score in the first spell. In the second spell N. McKenzie dropkicked a goal for Wairarapa, tho score standing Wairarapa 9, Southland 3. Later O’Leary kicked a field goal' from a- mark, bringing the totals to 12 to 3. Then the Southlanders livened up. and from a passing rush Pyle scored. The kick at goal failed. Wairarapa 12, Southland 6. From this on the local men bad slightly the best of tile play, but they were never really dangerous, and the scores were unaltered at the call of time.