CLOSE OF THE FOOTBALL SEASON.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 701, 18 September 1876, Page 3

CLOSE OF THE FOOTBALL SEASON.

The Christchurch Football Club wound up their season on Saturday with a capital match between a picked twenty and the fifteen who so successfully represented Canterbury in the recent interprovincial contests The former wore blue and white, and the latter the club colors (red and black). Considerable interest was felt in the game, and the day being fine a large number of persons assembled to witness the represent tatives of the province do battle with the team chosen to play against them, and we are pleased to say that the visitors to Cranmer Square on Saturday afternoon had the pleasure of witnessing some really good sport; the match altogether being a capitally contested and most enjoyable one. The ground was in capital condition, and everything seemed in favor of rendering the last match of the season a decided success, The reds won the toss and chose the north goal, Hartland kicking off for the blues from the south end. Some lively play immediately took place, and the ball was worked into the Fifteen’s quarters, when a smart bit of work on the part of Booth resulted in a touch in goal. The blues seemed to have the advantage, and for a time kept the ball pretty well into their opponents’ ground ; but G. Potts got hold of it and made a fine run into the blues’ quarters. The ball then fell into the hands of B, Cotterill, who made a good drop and narrowly missed kicking a goal. Again the blues carried the ball into their opponents’ ground, and seemed as though they would eventually prove too strong for the representatives. The red and black, however, were working well together, and returned the ball to the south end, when Moore made one of his fine kicks, but again the ball fell a little short of the goal rope. Soon after this time was called and the first half-hour ended slightly in ravour of the twenty. Play was again started by Moore kicking off for the Fifteen, and from this time the red and black held their own very successfully, working the ball into the blues’quarters continually, and eventually forcing it over the line and compelling them to touch it down. The representatives followed up their advantage and again forced their opponents to touch down in self-defence, and almost immediately after A, Potts secured a touch down, lb was, however, disputed, but afterwards allowed, and E. Cotterill took the try, which was unsuccessful. Before time was called the reds had scored another force down. Goals were again changed, and Hartland kicked off for the Twenty, the ball being quickly returned by the Fifteen, and a good deal of sharp play took place in the blues’ ground. D. Potts got behind the ball, and by a good ground kick narrowly missed securing a goal, the ball unfortunately striking the rope instead of going clean over it. The ball was still kept well into the Twenty’s quarters, andJE. Chapman kicked a goal for the Fifteen. The blues now played well together, and carried the ball into their opponents’ ground, when Johnson made a good try for goal, but missed. After this a very desperate scrimmage took place on the Fifteen’s goal line, but gradually the Twenty were forced back, and the reds carried the ball through. The blues, however, sent it back again, and just before time was called carried it over the line, and forced the representatives to touch it down. After a short interval both sides went at it again, Moore kicking off from the south end, and each one seemed determined to make the closing spell of the season an exciting affair, the reds especially working together splendidly. Another force down was scored by the Fifteen, and soon after the ball was kicked off again Evans took it over the goal line and secured another touch down for the Fifteen, The try, which was entrusted to B. Cotterill, was unsuccessful ; but G. Potts, who, as usual, was always on the ball, kicked a goal soon after. Hartland again started the play, and the reds quickly rushed the ball back over their opponents’ goal line, when B. Chapman secured a touch down, which Moore converted into a goal. Soon after this a maul took place in the Twenty’s goal between Sweet and E. Chapman, the latter succeeding in gaining full possession of the ball and securing another touch down for the Fifteen. G. Potts was entrusted with the try, and by a good kick sent the ball flying high over the rope, the red and black thus adding another goal to their score amidst loud cheers. Time was now called, and the last match of the season resulted in a decided success for the representative team by four goals and eight points to the Twenty’s half a point. Though the match resulted so much in favor of the Fifteen, the Twenty played remarkably well, Hartland, Bolton, A. Anderson, and Field doing good service and especially distinguishing themselves. The Fifteen played beautifully all round, and the result of the match on Saturday, together with those played at Auckland, Nelson, and Wellington, must be sufficient to convince the most sceptical that the team chosen to represent Canterbury maintained the honor entrusted to them in a most creditable and successful manner. Even our friend “ Red and Black,” who, previous to the departure of the team for the North, wrote a letter to a contemporary and spoke somewhat disparagingly of our representatives, must readily acknowledge that there was no real cause to fear that the honor of Canterbury would not be creditably maintained by the team that had been chosen to do battle for her on the Northern football grounds. The Dinner. In the evening the representative team were entertained at Warner’s Commercial Hotel, when about forty sat down to a capital spread. Mr R. J. S. Harman occupied the chair, and after the usual loyal and other toasts had been disposed of, the chairman proposed the health of “ The Auckland Team,” and spoke in eulogistic terms of the hospitable manner in which they had entertained our men during their stay in Auckland. The toast was drunk with great enthusiasm.

Next came the toast of the evening—“ The Canterbury Representative Football Team,” coupled with the name of iheir captain, Mr J. Anderson. The chairman remarked upon the successful manner in which the honor of the province had been maintained, and complimented each individual member of the team on their excellent play, commenting specially upon the conspicuous part the Potts Brothers had taken in the matches, the mere mention of whose names was received with loud and prolonged cheering. After a few further remarks upon the late tour, and the game of football in general, the chairman asked them to drink the health of " The

Canterbury Representative Football Team,” which was done most enthusiastically, and with musical honours. Mr J. Anderson briefly responded, and thanked them for the hearty manner in which the toast had been received. The chairman then rose and stated that he had watched the result of the matches with very great interest, and had come to conclusion that one member of the team particularly was deserving of some slight token of esteem from him, as president of the Club, for his very excellent play. He scarcely need tell them that he alluded to one of the Potts Brothers —G. Potts —[Loud cheers] —and he had much pleasure in asking him to accept it in the shape of an appendage for his watch-chain, Mr Potts then came forward, amidst deafening cheers from the rest of the company, and the chairman presented him with a gold model of a football, bearing the inscription, “ Geffory Potts, Interprovincial Football Team, 1876,” and also the donor’s monogram. An itinerant instrumentalist having found his way into the room during the course of the chairman’s remarks, the health of Mr Potts was drunk with both vocal and instrumental honors. Mr Potts, who had been taken completely by surprise, expressed bis sincere thanks for the honor conferred upon him, and strongly protested against his right to such a mark of distinction. “ The Nelson and Wellington Teams,” “The Umpires,” “ Captain and Crew of the Hawea," “ The Potts Brothers,” and “ The President of the Club,” &c, were proposed and responded to most heartily, and at eleven o’clock the Licensing Act compelled the company to break up, after having spent a most enjoyable evening. The Christchurch Football Club thus brought their season to a close in a most agreeable and harmonious manner, and each member took away with him many pleasant reminiscences of the past season’s contests.