FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5688, 23 June 1879, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

The match between the first fifteen and the next best twenty-five of the Reform Football Club, intended to have been played on Saturday afternoon in their paddock, Hobson-street, was postponed, owing to the boisterous state of the weather. Both teams turned up with creditable punctuality, thus showing the amount of interest evinced by the members in the expected contest. It was decided to play a scratch match, sides being picked by the captain (IV. Sandilands) and the vicecaptain (H. McKenzie). The latter winning the toss decided to kick with the wind, the full force of which was broken by the thick row of trees in the Hon. J. Sheehan’s garden. The game resulted in the vice-captain’s side winning by six goals to three. The play throughout was very spirited, and both sides adhered strictly to the rules, thus avoiding any roughness. The umpire’s decision was but.once appealed to, when a free kick was, allowed, through a sling by Mr. Davis, a' prominent member of the Rugby Union Club of Camara.

The play o£ W. Sandilands cannot be too highly spoken of, for the manner in which he piloted the oval down the wings was a marvel of adroitness. Though his side did not win, the fault could not be laid on his shoulders. R, Kemble and J. Blacklook played with their usual amount of skill, the former from his position of goal sneak succeeded iu kicking three goals, and the latter one, for the vice-captain’s side. The quickest score of the day took place at the commencement of the second half against the wind, for immediately after the kick-off McKenzie placed the ball iu the hands of I. ,T. Salmon ou the right wing, who at once relieved himself of the responsibility of possession by a well directed mark to Wymond, of which the latter took advantage by sendingthe globule between the poles. A goodly number of spectators were present, all of whom seemed to take a great interest in the game. Next Saturday the elub, which appears to be progressing very satisfactorily, will play a match in the Basin Reserve.