FOOTBALL.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1413, 26 August 1878, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

A match was played on Oranmer square on Saturday afternoon between a picked fifteen and the rest of the members of the Christchurch Club, assisted by ft goodly number from the Eastern Club. The Fifteen were composed principally of the team chosen to represent Canterbury in the match against Otago on Wednesday, and consequently were strong in the back and forward play. The game throughout was capitally contested, and the play was pretty even up to nearly the end of the last spell, both sides haying scored one touch-down and several force-downs. At this period, however, the great weight and superior play of the Fifteen proved too much for the Club side. The ball was continually dangerously near the latter’s goal lino, and two touch-downs were obtained by the Fifteen in quick succession. Both tries, however, were unsuccessful. Beyond one or two force-downs no further change was made in either score till within two minutes of time being called, when the Fifteen secured another touch down, which was converted into a goal by a good kick from Millton, the match thus resulting in favour of the picked team by one goal and two touch downs. The play of the Fifteen was particularly good all round, and great credit is due to them for gaining a decided victory against such long odds, their adversaries numbering about two to one. The Club side showed some very fair all round play, that of several members of the Eastern Club being particularly noticeable. The following are the names of the team finally chosen by the selection committee to represent Canterbury in the forthcoming match with Otago : —Messrs Baker, Bolton, Chapman, Fields, Q-oodman, Hamilton, Hammersley, Hamerton, Lewin, Millton, G. Potts, D. Potts, Beeves, Tavender, and Verity. Emergency —M'Cardell, Jones, and Lack. It will be observed that the names of several of Christchurch’s best men do not appear in the above list, a circumstance which is greatly to be regretted, as the absentees have been training very hard and are in fine form, but at the last moment business matters prevented their being able to obtain leave for the necessary length of time. Though the strength of the team is materially weakened by this unfortunate circumstance, the vacancies have been filled by good men, and our representatives will be very strong both in back and forward play, and we see no reason why they should not make a successful stand against the Otago men. The team left by the first train this morning, and will probably reach Dunedin this evening, thus having one clear day before the match takes place.