OTAGO v. WANGANUI.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 62

OTAGO v. WANGANUI.

VICTORY FOR THE HOME TEAM. OfT h€ i " te 'J? lOTin <»«l match between ! Utago and Wanganui was played at Cul- . ling Fark yesterday afternoon. rhe ground was in fair condition considering j the heavy rain 3 of tffe past week; the ' only bad patches were in the circles. Ihere was a moderats attendance of spectators. Tho teams were: — Wanganui (Blue and Black).— Goal, J E. Marshall; full backs-H. Martis and A Cave; halvcs-G. Fear, J. Smith, and N. Macdougall; forwards— A. Andrews, W llarns, S. Kernohan, J. Soler, and H. Naylor. Otago (Blue and Gold).— Goal, YV Alexander; full backs— T. \V. Johnson and J A. Ryburn; halves— H. Slater, P. Thomson, and R. Chalmers; forwards— A. I Moody, E. Calder, H. Siedeberg, G. | Gower, and R. M. Rutherford. I Wanganui scored the advantage from the i bully, and made a desultory attack, which I Alexander easily cleared. Slater made an opening bj a pass to Moody, who transferred to Calder, the latter hitting over to Wanganui's line. The game hung in Wanganui territory for a while. Moody missed a pass, but Gower, getting possession, scored neatly within the first three minutes of the game. Otago 1 sroal. Wanganui Nil. The visitors then invaded Otago's twentyfive, but Ryburn changed the venue to j tho other end. Some clever passing by the Otago forwards was rosjx>nsible for a few anxious moments for Marshall, tho Wanpanui goalkeeper, who cleared with a fine hit ami set his forwards goinjr in attack. Thomson an<l Chalmers broke up the rush, but hard hitting by the former spoilt a counter attack by the homo teani. Calder initiate! a dribbling rush which looked -full of possibilities until Mart is saved by hitting over his own linf>. The corner hit brought no result, and alternate attacks by both sides occupied the next five minutes. Kernohan had a great chance in Otago's circle, but bad marksmanship spoilt it. Smith, for Wanganui, gave Naylor a chance to draw Otago's backs, after which a pa«s to Kernohan enabled the latter to score from a scramble. Otago .. .. » 1 goal. Wanganui 1 Roal. OtaEo then made efforts to break through rhe Blue ami Blacks' defence, ami Rutherford was prominent In some good work which necessitated a save by Smith. Play | was travelling from cn<l to en<l of the field j at this stage, but with no very gicat ■ amount of * igour in the attacks, the back, 6n both skies having little difficulty in keeping their respective goals clear. A break-away by Navlor "was stopped by Johnson, and the whistle sounded for half time, tho scores beingOtago .. . . . . 1 goal. Wanganui . . ; 1 goal. On changing en-cU Wanganui got the txut of the bully, and quickly inva-ded Otacco's circle, where some hot work necessitated j a save by Ryburn. From the corner Johnfon hit to midfield, but, Wanganui came back again. John?cn cleared with a fine hit, a.n<l for a few minutes the garoo consisted of interchanges hptwocn the backs, the forwards on both cide? failing to take tho ball. An attack L\ Otago locked likely

to end in a score, but Calmer hit tod" straight and the ball went over. Coming back again to the attack, Chahners passed to Rutherford, who transferred to Gower at the right tiniej and the ball was safely lodged in the net. Otagtf v •" -- ... - 2 goals. Wanganui .. -_ :^ -. • 1 goal. The visitors were now getting plenty of defensive work to do, -and Mawhall, Mftrtis, and Cave did good work in this department. A passing rush was nullified by Martis, who saved, and from the corner hit Wanganui broke away Thomson returned the ball to the Otago forwards?, and after some scrambling in the circle Gower got possession and shot his third goal. Otago v-., ...- --3 goal*. Wanganui 1 goal. There was only one feam in it now, and though spasmodic dashes were made by Wanganui the Otago backs were seldom seriously troubled. Naylor had a good chance from an angle, but Alexander took the ball oh his pads and saved like a veteran. JoLnson and Ryburn kept their forwards in motion by good hitting, and Rutherford did a fast sprint down the line, where Martis tackled him and forced him to hit over. Otago still kept on the aggressive, and a pass from Chalmers to Rutherford was centred at the proper moment. Gower took it and again found the net. Otago ... m ..i m wn • 4 goals. Wanganui 1 goal. _, Soon after this Otago were on the attack again, as a result of good feeding by Johnson, but Cave spoilt a shot by Calder, and turning defence info attack sent hie forwards on a final rush for Otago's goal. Ryburn conceded a corner, from which Rutherford got away right to Wanganui's circle, where Martis saved. Calder was next conspicuous for a good dribbling run but his centreing stroke was smothered by Cave. Time was called soon afterwards with the score — Otago , jji 4 goals. Wanganui 1 goal. The game could not by any stretch of imagination be called gcod hockey. Neither 6ide showed any great brilliancy, the combination was weak, the attacks of both teams was completely lacking in crispness. Only occasionally was there an exhibition of anything calling for enthusiasm. The damp and heavy ground may be held partly accountable for the rather ragged display, but still there was such an absenceof the bright- and fast hockey lately seen in Dunedin that it can hardly be held that the condition of the ground fully accounts for it. The score is a fair indication of the difference between the teams. As referee Mr Israel was careful not to use the whistle too much, and he gave generaJ satisfaction. The Gymnastic' representative team journeyed to Oamaru by the first express on Saturday, and played the local team there. The game, although played in pouring rain, was hard and fast throughout, and the local players especially showed splendid form, being particularly fast and always ready to cut off the passing rushes of the Gymnastic team. The result of the game was : Gymnastic, '3 goals ; Oamaru, 2 goals ; but it was only the fine defence of the Gymnastic goalkeeper that kept the score in their favour For the winners, Crawford scored two goals and Hogg one, and for Oamaru, O'Doull and Grenville one each. The local team hospitably entertained the visitors, who returned to Dunedin by the late express, after having spent a very enjoyable day.