FOOTBALL MATCH.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 141, 16 August 1876, Page 2

FOOTBALL MATCH.

The match arranged to take place between the team chosen to play against Wanganui next' Saturday, and a team of twenty othef gentleiriefl in the district, came off at Manutahi last Saturday. The day tifrned out fine and clear, but the wind Was rather too strong for football playing. Oil neither side did the!till number of players turn up, the fifteen mustering two short.of their number, and the twenty three short. After the usual preliminaries; play was commenced about a quarter to three; the fifteen in consideration of the comparative weakness of the numerically larger team e!ectmg~togrive the latter the advantage of the wih(t\ Riddiford was the first to obtain a “ touch down,” and the captain of his teain (Bayly) scored a goal off it for the fifteen, "After a considerable time Bayly again scored a goal by a splendid drop kick. Score, 12 points to 0. The fifteen then changed' sides, but after a short space had elapsed they again elected to give their opponents choice of goals, but despite many-dashing efforts on the part of the twenty, two more t: touch downs” were obtained (Inman and Hargood) for the fifteen, off which, however, no goal was obtained. The game was concluded about 5 o’clock, the score standing at 20 points to 0 in favor of the fifteen. As this match was arranged mainly with a view, to afford an opportunity for the fifteen to play together • before going to Wanganui, and to fit them for taking their allotted places in the field on. Saturday next, we are glad to learn that this object was effected, and that our local warriors appear to have every chance of making a good stand against the Wanganui “ cracks” on that date. We hear that a great acquisition has been gained to the fifteen by the addition of Mr Helps to their number, as he exhibited some first-rate play on Saturday last.