Polo.

Manawatu Herald, 8 March 1898, Page 2

Polo.

MANAWATU v. o:t.)UA. WIN FOR OROUA BY 5 TO 3. On Saturdvy afternoon the Manawatu Polo tftnm visited Foxton aud played a mich ;.n the Herrington ground wit'i a f.-:nm of Mi* Oroua Polo Club. The fact of this match being on caused a much larger number ot visitors to be on the ground, as it was anticipated, as it also proved to be, tho finest gams of the season. The tournament at Hastings will probably be held on the 24th instant and from the Manawatu Club having been so long the holders of the Cap, a general, feeling is in existence that a defeat would add z?st to the sport, though Mr A. S. Baker, the captain of the M-ma* watu'a deserves every credit for keep ing his men so well together. When the Wharerangi team played the Oroua's a week ago it was hinted that they were likely to prove (he dark team which would compass the downfall of the " ever victorious," but the game made it evident that they were not in it, as long as the Oroua's were represented. The g-ime on Saturday has shown that the tussel for the Cup will lie, as it baa done for the past two years, between the Manawatu and the Oroua's, and if the latter retain their dash, and power of hitting it should make the odds slightly in their favour. Ie was complimentary to the contestants to observe the number of ladies who graced the ground, many having travelled by train for this purpo?e. Afternoon tea was dispensed by the lady relatives of the members of the Oroua Club, and as the day was a particularly fine one, everyone should have enjoyed themselves. The rain on Thursday night. made the* ground in capital order and there being no dust raised by the ponies, the game was watched easily and all tho points wero noted and both teams frequently applauded as they deserved to be. Messrs R. Abraham and J. E. McLennan were the umpires, and Messrs Sewell and England timekepperß. The Manawatu team were : — Giesen 1, Baker 2, Snow 3, and Lloyd 4. The Oroua team were : — A. Strang 1, J. Strang 2, 0. Eobinson 8, and W. Strang 4. The play all through the game was very fast and very determined. Fibst Spell. — The game opened particularly favourably for the Oroua's as within ths first two minutes they Recured a goal, the ball having been hit up from the centre by Robinson and carried on by him, and safely put through the posts by A. Strang who had followed him up. It generally is an advantage to draw "first blood " as it inspirit* a team, and this no doubt entered into the mind of the captain of their opponents as his men made a r> j markably fine tus«le to get the ball away from the Oroua's, which at last they succeeded and got it vpry close home when a splendid da3h and hit by one of the Oroua's placed the ball at a safe distance again. Then the Oroua's got the ball in hand and raced it away and would lmve added another score when the Manawatu man interfered and knocked it out of bounds. Having got the ball perilously close to the Manawatu goal the Oroua's kept it there till the end of the spell. The game standing Oroua 1, Manawatu 0. Second Spell. — This was opened by one of the Bights one seldom chances to see, that of one of the maddest gallops of both teams round the ground. * It was intensoly exciting. The ball had only been in play two or three minutes when the Oroua*B hit it to the further stfe of the ground from tho itand, with tut

object of rushing it along to the goal, but when nearing that point the ball wa9 got hold of by Baker who brought ifc past tha goal and up the fie!d past the atand and thence inwards to lha Oroua's goal, with the other seven men raging aa hard as they could either to thwart or help hiiil according to the side they belonged. Baker however suaoeeded in his rush and placed the ball between the posts. The other part of the spell was played more cautiously, though very determinately each man feeling that a great responsibility rested upon /his shoulders. The Manawatu's however succeeded in securing another goal. Game — Oroua 1, Manawatu 2. Third Spell.— lt was some little time before a score was made, and the hits and parries were excellent. One of the Oroua's, we think it wns W. Strang, hit the ball a tremendous skyer right over the cluster of men, but it found Snow alert who very prettily oaught it a hit before it fell to ground and sent it back further than it had come, for which he was loudly applauded. The Manawatu's at last got the ball away to a gral and put it through, making tlvgame lob-sided, being Manawatu 3 and Oroua only 1. Thi9 turned out to be the last score made by the visitors. This spell ended in Oroua 1, Manawatu 3. Fourth Spell. — The opening was a series of movea and counter mms without scores until A. Strang got the ball out of the ruck and quickly following it up, put it through the posts. The ball had hardly been thrown in a minute before Robinson got hold of it and did likewise to Strang, though at the opposite goal. It was a fine piece of hitting and riding and made the scores equal. Game -Oroua 3, Manawatu 3. Fifth Spell. Thig spell opened near the Manawatu goal, the ball having been hit out at the end of the last spell. It was soon near the posts and by some chance all the men were in a bunch when one of the Oroua's hit the ball through and A. Strang very smartly wheeled and gently followed the ball and had it between the posts before the Manawatu men had turned round to see what was the matter. No other score was made in this spell, but the Oroua's kept the Manawatu men close down to their goal acting on the defen rive. Game. Oroua 4 Manawatu 3. Sixth Spell This was one of less than eight minutes. The ball started near the Manawatu goal and on being hit out the Manawa^u3* returned it but A. Strang "rod.-* up and got hold of it and scored. The game ended Oroua 5. Manawatu 3. This is the first time the three brothers Strang and Robin. c on have played together in a club match, and as they hava proved themselves 6uch a strong combination it is most probable that they will be chosen as (he team to represent their Club at the tournament. ,Ifc i 8 needless to say that the Manawatu men played wuil and did their very best, as Bak^ allows no oon?ides'ation to 6tand i.» his way of winning if ho can. Tho winners and losers are however to be heartily congratulated on the game as it was as pretty an exhibi tion of polo as oue could wish to 8f?«». The final tuVsle will be a game worth travelling further than Hastings to witness. ,