FOOTBALL.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 659, 31 July 1876, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

A match wafl played on Granmer square on Saturday afternoon between fifteen member! of the Ohristchurch Club and a Fifteen from the country, the former wearing red and black, and the latter blue and white. The game throughout was very closely contested, but the rain had made the ground in such a slippery condition that it was a matter of great difficulty either to get away with the ball, or kick it with any certainty. J, B. Evans was captain of the Club side, and W. B. Leech acted in a like capacity for the Country. At the commencement each side was represented by fourteen men, but soon after starting the reds had their full complement, while their opponents continued to play one short. Ohristchurch won the toss and chose the north goal, the ball being kicked off by the Country side from the south end. The ball was quickly carried well into the Country quarters, but Martin got away with it, and after a little scrimmaging the blues placed the Club's goal in considerable danger, A maul in goal took place between F; Barker and W. Chapman, and B. Cotterill. The latter, however, succeeded in obtaining full possession of the ball, and luckily for the Club no point was scored, The Beds then rushed the ball well down over their opponent's goal line, and another maui ensued. F. Barker succeeded in bringing the ball out, when the reds closed round him and some spirited play took place, which resulted in the Club again working the ball over their opponent's goal line, and compelling them to touch it down in self- defence. The umpire now called time, the game so far being in favor of the reds by one point only. After a change of goals, both sides again went at it in earnest, and some close play was again witnessed, the sides appearing to be pretty equally matched. The ball was continually being rushed from one end of the ground to the other, neither side being able to gain any definite advantage. Eventually the reds managed to get the ball down to their opponents' goal line, and a very hard and lengthy scrimmage ensued, the blues struggling hard to force the ball back, and the reds fighting with an equal determination to work it over the line, which they at last succeeded in doing, and thus added one more point to their score, the blues having touched the ball down in self-defence. Again it was taken out and kicked off, and a succession of tough scrimmages took place, both sides playing capitally. The blues, however, were several times compelled to touch the ball down behind their own goal line, but beyond this they allowed their opponents to gain no definite advantage, and often the reds had as much as they could do to hold their own. The match finally resulted in favor of the Club by five force downs to nothing. It is only fair to the Country to mention that they were playing two men short nearly the whole time. At an early stage of the game A. Potts met with an accident, which compelled him to re•tire, and as he is without doubt one of the best forward players we have seen here, the country side was very materially weakened by his retirement. For the blues Martin played capitally, and had the ground not been so slippery he would have made some good runs. As usual Stringer, who was playing half-back for the Club, did some good service, though he was never allowed to slip through his opponents in his customary manner. In the evening a general meeting was held at Warner's Commercial Hotel to consider what steps should be taken in order to send a team round to Auckland, Wellington, Sea. A detailed report of the proceedings will be found elsewhere.