FOOTBALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 December 1918, Page 1

FOOTBALL.

A GREAT GAME. [run crush association. —copyright.] LONDON, December 28. The football match at Swansea on Boxing Day proved a great attraction. The result was a win for Wales by 3 points to nil. A crowd of thirtyfive thousand people watched tlie game, which was played in a slight drizzle. .Many New Zealand officers were present, including General Stewart. There was great cheering when the great “All Blacks” made their appearance on the field. The game throughout was a fast and open one, and was a spectacular exhibition. The play resolved itself into a duel between New Zealand’s aggressive forwards, who' maintained a constant series of attacks and mostly do-, voted themselves to dribbling, with excellent foot work, and the superb trickery of the Welsh back play. The Welsh got most possession.of the ball. They handled it better than the New Zealanders. At. half time there was no score. There was not sufficient policing on the ground and tin's permitted the crowds to invade the field. The invasions necessitated several stoppage's of play in the second half. After a splendid passing rush, in which the hall passed through nearly all’ the Welsh backs. Wales scored, a try at the corner, the scorer brushing against tlie spectators in gaining it. The try was not converted. The New Zealanders then made tremendous efforts to equalize matters. They hung to the "Welsh goal lines. There was one great passing bout between Brown, Taierei, McNaugltt and Cockroft. It ended in the latter just failing, bv inches, to score under the posts. The game was truly a memorable one, although hardly equal to past international standards. Storey, O’Brien, and McNiiugbt were the best of the New Zealand hacks. Wilson, Fogarty, Moffat and Sellars were the best of the Nqw Zealand forward division. N.Z. V. CARDIFF. LONDON, Dec. 28. In a football match at Cardiff between New Zealand and local teams, the result was a draw, the final scores being:—Cardiff, two tries ; New Zealand, a placed goal and a penalty goal. PUSHBALL MATCH. LONDON, Dee. 28. On Boxing Day there was hold at the Albert ilall,.'London, an amusing pushball match, in which the New ZeiiA land team defeated an Australian team by nine points to nil.