FOOTBALL.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 72, 19 June 1878, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

FeiiiTONO v. Combined Team" Sandon v y AND^BIJLLS. „- A -....<;. This match was, played at Sandon on Saturday, loth inst., hut the weather being unfortunately wet, to a great extent marred the game. "The sides', were skippered by Caverhill for the Combined Team, and Paul for tlie Feilding. Feilding kicked off with the hill, and very sooij obtained a forcedown counting half a point, and towards the end of ,the first spell secured another. On changing ends the Combined Team had i it all their, own w.ay, and. Feilding was obliged "totouoh the -bail down iri their i own" defence. Throughout this, spell, the. ball ' was kept ydangerbusly near'the" Feilding goal. Frank made a : good run', f orf Sandon, biit m trying.to use his head as a ram was effectually stopped by Paul's stomach, and thei;e was a general collapse of players as well as . of, the. ball, y The • Sandon dropr kicking returned the ball as often asFeild- ' ing got it away out of danger, and their Forwards penned Feilding, until time being j called put the latter out of their difficulties. | In the third spell Feilding played up well, H. Lethbridge making some .very good runs* and 1 Holmes, - Edge, and the Forwards generally rushing the ball repeatedly towards their opponents' goal, which was only saved by the . good baok-play and dropkicking of Caverhill and the Hammonds, also by Frank's energetic running and collaring. Paul at Half-back at length obtained the ball, and, eluding the Backs, obtained a try, which H. Sherwill by a fine kick converted into a goal. The sdore then stood, Feilding 7 points, Sandon and Bulls half a point. During^the last spell the game was very evenly contested, the Feilding Backs, Sherwill and Sauhderson, doing good service for 'their side, and E. Jackson making some heat runs just when they were wanted. - E. Jackson and H. SherwiU made a fine rush up with the ball nearly tp their oppo-, nents' goal, and if if h%d not been 'for a' Sandon Baok hitting <the hall- with hia ha^d

(contrary to the rules of tbe game), they would probably have obtained a try. The play — considering the state' of the ground and the wet hall — was very good. The dropkicking of the Sandon side was excellent ; Frank, perhaps, was their most useful man, being strong and fast, and always holding his man. W. Jacfson, Maclean, Smith, and others did their work well as Forwards. On the Feilding side, Shet will was excellent, both as a Forward' and a Back. Saunderaonmade a reliable Back, and X Jackson as Half-back was here, there,' and every- ' where. Of the Forwards, Edge, Holm'ea, Lethbridge, Powell, and Roe played hard and well throughout the game, Horneman doing some good collaring. ... Notwithstanding the bad weather, some Feilding ladies very pluokily drove out to see the match, and when the fair sex show such an interest m the athletic contests of their district, it would be strange if the men did not do their best to deserve it. "We understand that the Return Match will be played m about a fortnight, on the Feilding ground.