County Football Match.

Patea Mail, 13 July 1880, Page 3

County Football Match.

WANGANUI v. PATE A

Tin’s match, which was arranged only at the beginning of last week, and has caused much speculation in football circles, came off on the Wanganui recreation ground on Saturday last, resulting in a clear win foi Paten by one goal and one try, against nothing. This victory was mainly attributable to the superiority of the Patca hackplay ; their forwards only being able to to hold their own against men averaging 9 pounds each heavier. The scrimmages were however very evenly contested, the Patoa forwards neutralizing the opponents’ advantage in weight by strength and by linking together; .The game throughout, was fast, and a rare treat for the large crowd that witnessed it; At some parts of the game the spectators could not bekeptonG side the lino of play, ami consequently some good runs were spoilt. The tries were obtained by Hetman and G. Nicholson. An objection was raised to the former, but over-ruled by both umpires ; and G* Bayly converted into it agoal. Nicholson’s was a difficult kick, but might have been more direct hail the spectators not got in his way. As it was, Bayly’s kick was veiy near. It being arranged that each side should play 1G instead of 15 men, lliddiford,of liawcra, and C. Turner, of Foxton, wore added. The names wore :

Piitca : Backs:, 11. Contis anil -I. Nicholson ; half-hacks, G. Bayly (captain) and Ilcanan ; quarter-backs, J. I\ itching' and G. Nicholson ; forwards, Lysaght, Mason, Turner, F. Powell, Gibbons, Robinson, Thurston, W. .Sa'ngster, R. Sangstcr. and F. lliddiford.

Wanganui : Back, W. Montgomery (captain); half-backs, 11. Hole and.W. Broughton ; quarter-backs, J. Walker and G. Marshall ; forwards, C. V. Powell, J. Allison, W. K. Barton, W. Smith, W. Taylor, F. Holdick, J. Thatcher, W. Alexander, P. G. Smith, W. Wilkie, anil G. Turner.

For the wiiining.team the play of Bayly and Ilcenan was faultless, ami of the most dashing kind. Bayiy’s piny is well known. This is Heenan’s .first season witli Paten, and it was refreshing to see him staving off his opponents’ repeated charges. They were acknowledged to be the best halfbacks iti thejuistriet. Ki tolling and Nicholson were most active behind the scrimmages ; and H. Coutts had evidently found his proper place, full back, as he dropped ami collared with great coolness and judgment. His companion, J. Nicholson, had the mouse’s share of the work to do. Itiddiford, Turner, F. Powell, and Gibbons were the most conspicuous amongst the forwards, the first securing the touch in a severe maul in goal, in which seven were engaged. Montgomery was a good kick, and allowed few to pass him. H. Hole and W. Broughton were both in favor with the public for their half-back play, particularly Broughton, who several times brought down Bayly ; and the quarterhacks, Walker and Marshall, played in dashing style. Walker took a deal of stopping, and Marshall was twice threatening the Patoa goal when stopped. The latter’s play, however, was disappointing ; more was expected from him. Amongst the forwards Powell, Barton, and Smith came to the front, and occasionally llolditch, who, however, is not so active as he used to be. Barton tried on his favorite game “diibbling,” but Thurston watched him too closely. , The Patea County team loft here on Friday, and returned on Sunday, most of them riding.

At 3 p.rn. Powell kicked off for Wanganui. T. Nicholson failed to return the ball and scrimmaging- took place in Patea territory. C. Turner was well stopped in an attempt to rush over the line. Patea forwards came with a combined rush and did not break till''the ball was lauded in neutial ground, linns from G. Bayly and Kitching, both well followed by their side, resulted in Wanganui being forced to touch-down in self-defence. Montgomery again set the leather going from the 25, and this time it was well returned. From a scrimmage it. fell into the hands of Hecnau, who, resisting several determined attempts to foil him, passed through all his opponents and landed it behind the Wanga'nui goal posts. An attempt was made to annul this try on the ground that he had run into touch, but the umpires were unanimous in sustaining the point, and G. Bayly kicked an umuistakeahlo gaol. Shortly afterwards time was called, play beihg'rt'eaf'tlie centre. " ' Soon after commencing the second halfhour, Marshall made a good run, and was stopped, by Thurston. Scrimmaging followed, of which Patea made the best use and forced the ball dangerously near the Wanganui goal line ; C. Turner, however, relieved the dangerous position of his side by a timely run. Bayly partially stopped him, but getting foul of Barton’s knee*

the !'aim! was Tor a vVry shad time suspended to let him • recover. Wanganui came tbis! time, -with brilliant' <rusb, the hacks passing when collared, and scrimwas f'oiii”; on within the Patea 25 vvlion time was called.

Powell kicked off again, and Bayly sent it flying back past lim. The Pa tea forwards got as near ns they eonid, and Broughton’s run was brought to a sudden conclusion by Riddiford. A scrimmage, and Bayly was away with it to the verge of the Wanganui line ,when Walker came to the rescue. Seeming the ball, lie made a useful kick, which, for the time, relieved their lines. Coutts here made his mark, got a free kick, and twice in rapid succession was Wanganui obliged to touch-down in self-defence. On their mettle, Wanganui determinedly drove their opponents hack past the centre, and Marshall dashed through, and just got over the goal line, when a severe maul occurred between seven. Marshall was underneath, and managed to crawl out much exhausted, and nearly suffocated, leaving Wheeler and another to finish the light with Songster and Iliddiford. After a severe tussle Riddiford secured the touch, amid great cheering. First force-down against Patca appeared to put them on their mettle for affor sljort runs from Hecnan, Bayly, ami Kitchiug, play was in the neighborhood of Wanganui goal. This was for the time relieved by runs from Walker and P. H. Smith, the former being well stopped by Coutts. The fourth period was commenced by Bayly kicking off, and Patea forwards were on the ball before it could be returned. Marshall, however, made another good .rim, but Herman was too many for him. He passed to Walker, who got it well forward amid great cheering for Wanganui. The cheers of the onlookers, however, failed to have a lasting effect, as Patea forwards very shortly afterwards ran the hall up close to their opponents’ line, across which it was successful!}- conveyed hy G. Nicholson, amid counter cheering. G. Bayly made a good attempt, but the angle being difficult, failed to score another goal. Montgomery kicked off, and a loose scrimmage followed, front the outskirts of which Riddiford made a very good attempt to kick a goal, the ball dropping just a few feet short of the bar. Shortly afterwards Ifecnan had a longshot for the coveted honor, but was also unsuccessful. Walker was making headway when G. Nicholson got in his way, and he passed the ball to Marshall, who travelled very fast till stopped by Coutts and T. Nicholson. Play did not long retrain m strangers’ ground, and G. Nicholson soon had a drop at goal, again without avail. Very open play followed between the backs, and Walker was again observed attempting to pass Bayly. Marshall supplemented his run, conveying the ball to within a yard of the Patea lino, and was grandly stopped by Ileenau. A scrimmage followed, and Patca touched down. Bayly and Broughton exchanged drops, and scrimmaging ensued, first in favor of Patca, then of Wanganui. Heenan and Bayly then made the most brilliant run of the day, conveying the ball nearly three parts of the length of the ground. Broughton, however, managed- to stop Bayly after ho had passed all the others, and scrimmages following close in front of Wanganui goal line. Time was called with their goal in great clangor. The game was thus brought, to a close, the scores being—Patea, nine points ; Wanganui, nil, Messrs Stevenson and Pringle officiated as umpires. Speaking generally of the match, the all-round play was of a high order, and tin* Patea County is to bo congratulated on its well-earned victory ; so, also, is Wanganui, for making such a brilliant stand against a team that must certainly rank as one of the best in the colony. The result has not surprised many people here, as the team could nut have been better selected. The Wanganui players took their beating like men The Chronicle takes rather a peculiar view of it —vide the heading of the match report, and the tone of the latter.