Polo.

Manawatu Herald, 29 December 1896, Page 2

Polo.

OBOUA v. WELLINGTON. On Saturday afternoon a match was played between the first teams of the above cluba on the Oroua's ground at Herrington. The day was a beautiful one for the players as the fine breeze blowing made it cool for the ponies. There was a very large attendance of spectators many coming from the Carnarvon and Levin districts besides the num- i ber of residents. The game was unfortunately a very onesided one as the scores show, Oroua 10, Wellington 1. The Wellington men played well but unavailingly against the great spurts and dashes of the home team. It is very hard in a I sorimmage to distinguish the players by the onlooker on the flat, and a stand is very much needed to observe all the fine points of the game. The Wellington team were, curiously, all lawyers, and some irreverent bystander remarked it was a match between the •• Devils Own " and the [•' Cockatoos," anyhow the former failed. For the Wellington men Mr Cooper played the best, but Mr Tripp was a good back, and in the last spell Mr Skerrett got away well at times on his thoroughbred pony. There cannot be a choice made between the Oroua men, as they were all playing remarkably well and have evidently learnt by practise (o play well into one another's hands and thu3 avoided much needless racing about. The Messrs Strang as the two forwards worked well together and took the ball op and down tho field in grand style. The game was much enjoyed by players and spectators, and were these matches properly announced there would sure to be a good attendance. The Wellington men arrived in town on Thursday night by trail*, ' and were the guests of the Messrs Strang's. The teams were Wellington— P. Baldwin, 1: A. Cooper, 2 ; P. C. Skerrett half- back, and L. Tripp full-back. Oroua— A. Strang, 1 ; J. Slrang, 2 ; 0. Robinson half-back, and J. McLennan full-back. Mr B. Gower wa9 umpire, and Messrs F. Robinson and Cbarlton timekeepers. The game was played in six spells of ten minutes each. THE GAME. Fikst Spell. — At the very start the- Oroua's got the ball close up to their goal, and after a little mapoeuvreing McLennan carried the ball to the posts when A. Strang hit it between the posts, making first score, 1 for Oroua. Directly ihe ball was on the ground again another fine rush was made and the ball landed just by the side of the goal posts by the Oroua men, but it was foroed out by the Wellington men who worked the ball well up into their lines, when it was again captured by their opponents and taken down the field and then hit out of bounds. On the ball being thrown in there was a good rally and the ball raced down to the Ocoua goal but just missed scoripg when tne whistle blew. Second Spell.— A smart run at the start and a good sorimmage at the Oroua's goal marked the com mencement of this spell, and Cooper, for the Wellington's did some good riding on his grey. At last the ball got into the centre of the field and by a grand blow from one of the Strang's was hit well towards home a little over half-time, and being quiokly followed up was converted into a score by Allan Strang, making Oroua 2, Wellington 0. The next try was a well meant one by Skerrett who hit well and raced along to his eooring point with every prospect of success, but at a critical moment | ! was foiled by the intervention of McLennan. On the ball being thrown in a grand hit by McLennan sent it flying towards the Oroua goal and J. Strang following it carried it between the posts thus making Oroua 8. The ball was just bit outside the posts by the Oroua's on time being called. Third Spell.— This spell had not been longer than two minutes playing when A. Strang secured another soore. making Oroua, 4^; Wellington, 0. Within another few minutes 0. Robinson got a score with a tremen dous hit which sent tho ball flying over the goal post 3 and the fence some way beyond. This made Oroua 5. At the end of this spell Wellington only missed scoring by a piece of hard luck as Skerrett got a splendid drive in the right direction which he and his team well followed up but just at tbo post the wind caught the ball and landed it on the wrong side. Fourth Spell.— A. Strang commenced by taking the ball along- with tremendous nits and hard riding to

the posts v but the ball went on the wrong side. After further fighting J. Strang got the ball and scored a goal— making Oroua, 8 ; Wellington, 0. The ball was no sooner on the ground than it was hit up to their posts by the Oroua's and 0. Robinson hit through, making Oroua 7. Fifth Spell — The Wellington's made a desperate battle at the start, but McLennan hit the ball along and up to the posts when J. Strang put it through—making Oroua 8. Then came another rush out of which J. Strang carried the ball up the field and 0. Robinson gave it its final direction between the posts — making Oroua, 9 ; Welliugton, 0. Sixt h Spell.— This was the only spell Wellington scored in, which they did at the start by doing some fine hitting and racing when Baldwin secured a goal. The score being Oroua, 9; Wellington, 1. McLennan seemed determined to make up for thi3 and by grand bitting and riding took the ball down t^ the Oroua's posts, but just there one of tho Wellington men very cleverly stopped a score. Just before the end of the spell A. Strang secured the last score in the match, making Oroua, 10 ; Wellington, 1.