FOOTBALL. Te Aroha v. Thames.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 61, 2 August 1884, Page 2

FOOTBALL. Te Aroha v. Thames.

The above match was played on Saturday last at Te Aroha. The Thames representatives arrived about 11 a.m. after spending some fifteen hours on board such a miserable steanfor as the Riro Uiro, and not having had any possible chance to get any sleep whatever, the team could not be expected to be in their best form. After being quartered at Warren's Hotel "some of them took the advantage of a dip in our hot baths, in order to put fresh life into the'r system. After partaking of luncheon at Warren's Hotel tie teams immediately proceeded to the race-course, where the match was' arranged to be played in two forty-five minute terms. The home team was stationed as follows :" Verity (captain), and Steel, backs ; Stewart and Bloasdale, ha'.F-bac!cs ; Pa'ker, Tiud 1 , and Whitehouse, quarter-backs ; Lynch, Pur lie, O'Shea, ' jSheelwni, Hawkins, O'JDosiogime, Gordon, and Umtcm, forwards. The Thames won the toss, and taking the advantage of a strong ,wii d jtet't the home team • the , kick olf down.

hill. At the commencement of the first spell the visitors' goal line' Was in great danger on several occasions, and having the advantage in heavy \forwards, -"the local team forced their i>pponents back over tho goal lino. On the ball 'being kicked off Bleasdale made a go >d run, btifc was brought to ground by Irwin. A scries of scrimmages followed close to the goal lin<», when Tru le, gaining possess on of the ball, ran in, scoring the the fi^st try for Te Aroha, which was converted into a goal 4\v an excellent kick male by Hinton. Soon after resuming play Gordon obtained a second try for the home team, which was disputed, but the referee being called upon decided in our favour. The try was ontrusted to Hinton, who, on this occasion, •failed to score. On being again kicked off Steel got possession of the ball, but was unable <o retain it for long, as the Thames backs were too good to be pa%sel, and from t'n's time to the eni of the first spell nothing more was gained. The back play on both si les was really tfood, in fact it would be very hard to say which single player deserves praise moro than another, Treironning never getting -i show to gk»t away owing to the excellent manner in which <he forwar Is followed up the ball. The team changed ends, and shortly after the Te Aroha in i n were forced down, an 1 Verity, bringing the hall out., sent the leather well into their gronn I, where it remained for some time, but by an excellent kick of Wateuc, and the following up of the Thames forwards, it took the home team all their time to stop them from crossing the coveted line, but a good drop kick from Steel saved the Te Aroha goal line. The ball then remained in the mi die of the field for a good while, when Stewart took possession of the oval, and by an excellent run obtained the third try for the home team, which was trusted again to Hinton but was not converted into a goal. Again the ball was set rolling, and with the good encouragement they got from their worthy captain to rush the ball through, caused the Te Aroha nnn to play very loose, and the home team had again to force down for the second time. From this period until the end of the spell the ball was in neutral ground, and when time was called the game stood 9 points for Te Aroha to nil. On the side of Thames they played a faster game than they did in the-previous matches, and those most noticeable were Douglas, O'Sullivan, Irwin, Taupiri. Wateno, t'.ie full-back, did not come out in hn usual form. For Te Aroha, amongst t'te fonv.u-h \l would bo hard t<> pick or ! choose, for the full-bar'^, Parker, Trude, and Whitehome rendered goo \ service, as did also V'eiity, Stewart, and Bleasil.ilf, but ew>ry man nmh-'uo'' hard. Messrs^ (Jleary and Taylor acted as umpires, and Mr J. (Joh'inan as refifrce. At th<* close ot tite statue ihreeehivi"* wi-ro i»xchnngc I between the teams bet ore leaving the groan I.