FOOTBALL MATCH.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 196, 20 August 1877, Page 2

FOOTBALL MATCH.

Ddnedin v. Nelson. Owing to the steamer being compelled to sail for the South at 4 p.m., this match had unexpectedly to be played iv the morning, the consequence being that there was but a. very small number of spectators. The two teams drove over together in a four horse coach, and when the players stripped for action any hopes that might have been entertained of Nelson success at once fell to below zero, their opponents being far the heavier men. Shortly after eleven, the teams were in their places, the Southerners in red and black striped caps, jerseys, and 1 stockings, and white knickerbockers, fche Nelson colors being blue and white. From the fii*3t it was clear that Nelson, four of whose best men were unable fco play, was overmatched, nevertheless they fought a good plucky game, against hopeless odds Two minutes had scarcely elapsed from the time the ball was kicked off when ifc was in dangerous proximity to the Nelson goal, and Dixon, the captain of the Southern team, soon became known as a perfect terror f rom the way in which he laid hold of the ball and ran with it, and in fche third scrimmage he managed to secure it and made a rush which could not be stopped until he had passed the goal live and secured a try. Rose kicked the ball but did not allow ior the wind and just missed the goal. Shortly afterwards Murray got hold of the ball and once again it was to the rear of the goal but again was the "try" missed, each of them however, scoring two. Another scrimmage occurred near the Nelson end, where McKellar by some very active play just prevented a touch down, aud a few minutes later a desperate afctempfc was made by C Hodgson to collar Rose, who had secured the ball, and just on the goal line both came down with a tremendous crash, which resulted in Hodgson being temporarily stunned, from which, however, he speedily recovered and was to the fore again, but his plucky play had not saved his side, as Rose had " touched down " the ball and obtained a "try," off which Dixon kicked a goal. This brought the first bout to an end, the score being— Dunedin, one goal and two tries; kelson, 0. After a few minutes rest, play was resumed, and ifc must have been somewhat discouraging to the Nelson team to see the spectators at once makiug a move iv the direction of their goal in the anticipation— a correct one as it proved— that all the play would be at that end. This bout cousfsted of a series of scrimmages, in all of which there was ample demonstration of the superior weight of the visiting team, the Nelson men, though bravely struggling, having to give way inch hy inch. But ifc was not only the greater weight but fche superior play of the Southerners thafc produced this effect the remarkably quick way in which they passed the ball to one another, their swift running, and the clever manner in which their " backs " handled the ball when it came near them being noticed by all who were watching the gome. There was some real hard play during this bout, and when twenty minutes of the half-hour had elapsed the I

ball, which afc fche time was near the Nelson cad, was cleverly slipped out of a scrimmage, and almost before the scrimmagers knew that the object of their contention was missing ifc was sen. flying over the goal by A. Cargill. A few minutes later and yet another goal was scored by Dixon, so that when time was calied the score was— Dunedin 3 goals and two tries, Nelson 0. The third bout was a repetition of those that preceded it, Dunedin having it all their own way, and scoring two ' more goals, one of which was obtained by Sweet by a splendid kick, and the other out of a scrimmage by Dixon. Score— Dunedin 5 goals and two ties, Nelson 0. A few minutes spell and bout No. 4 commenced, and resulted in one more goal and three more tries being scored to Dunedin, who thus won by six goals and five tries, or, reduced to figures, by 46 to Nelson's 0. The play of the Dunedin men was excellent, their handing of the ball from oue to the other being their specialty, although they were good in all points of the game. Dixon, Rose, A. Cargill, and Sweet specially distinguished themselves by their remarkable activity. On the Nelson side Hole, W. Scaife, and C. Hodgson showed most prominently in their successful endeavors to collar their opponents when running with the ball, while of alt ifc may be said that they did their best under most dispiriting circumstances.' They have, however, had fche advantage of 'playing with men who thoroughly understand fche game, and the lesson they have had the opportunity of learning will perhaps stand them in good stead in future matches. After the game was over each team heartily cheered the other, the captains, and the umpires, and the late opponents then sat down toa capital lunch afc the Nelson Hotel, and at 4 o'clock drove down to the Port, where the Dunedinites embarked on board the Taranaki for the South.