The Maoris in Lancashire. (Notes by a Member of the Team.)

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 368, 15 May 1889, Page 4

The Maoris in Lancashire. (Notes by a Member of the Team.)

We played an extra match wifch a Leigh team on Wednesday, and lost it by a goal and a try to a try. For seme time past I ha\e been vainly endeavouring to iathom the reason of our defeats at different times by very second-rate teams. Since our last match (v. Halifax), I have come to the conclusion that '• we can win when we lay ourselves out to do so." The team we selected to play against Leigh was exactly the same as that which \anquisred Leeds St John's, and yet, though the latter team would ridicule the idea of getting " licked " by tho former, we went down before the poorer team. All that I can say about the game is that it was a wretched exhibition on our part. Everyone seemed to play in a " don't-care a- fig " kind of way. It wasn't because they were knocked up that our fellows made such a poor show, but simply because they would not exeit themselves to win a minor match. Many of the spectators were of opinion that we had sold the match, and said so. There were about 8,000 people present, the gate realising £148. In the evening we weie invited to the theatre, and saw " The Silver King " pei formed by a very fair company, returning to Manchester very late. On Saturday we journeyed down to Runcorn and made up our minds to win. We (as is usually the case) went down by a very slow train, arriving a very few minutes before the time advertised for the kick-off. When we arrived on the ground we found a big crowd awaiting us, and were informed that the Runcoinites had engaged a brass band to lead the victorious team (Runcorn, of, roarse) off the ground. We were not very long in starting the game, and before many inir.ute-> had clap ed we had a nasty reverse, the Runcorn full back "potting" a goal from midfield, amid tremendous applause from the spectators and "pounding" ot the big di urn. Our fellows played up well, and v/e soon got a try right between the posts, but after abouo ten minutes' argument the referee decided it wasn't a try ! We played our hardest, but when half-time came the Runcorn team were leading by their " potted " goal to nil. On resumption, the game began to be very fast and rough. Ellison secured a try, but in his attempt to convert only managed to hit one of the uprights. Shortly after this, Billy Warbrick diddled our opponents from a throw-in and grounded the ball behind the posts, before they knew where they were. Ellison successfully converted. Tab Wyn- i yard secured a third try for us, Wil-,| liams failing at the place. Just before ! time, Ellison placed a goal from a penalty j free kick. The game ended in our favour I by 2 goals and 2 tries to 1 goal. Bytheby, when we left the field there were no Figns of any band. Barlow Madigan was rather badly hurt in this match. He and Joe Warbrick aro about the unluckiesb fellows that ever stepped on a football ground.

Versus Oldhnni. This match wra played on Monday last, i and beii-g a ieally •' &olb thing " we lost it. \ Mr Scofcfc lecened a message in the morn- ; ing, informing him that the ground was nob \ fit to play upon. However, rather than j lose the gate, he decided to vi&k the chance of eiippling his men. At the best of times the Old ham tootball ground is a very bad one, and if you imagine a rough, lumpypiece of ground, frozen hard, you will hay an idea of the field on which we= had to play. With such an importantmatch as that versus Halifax (the YorkShire Cup holders, and the team that gave us such a drubbing some time back) on the following day, our fellows could not see theforce of injuring themselves by playing a hard game on such a ground. The Oldhanv team, however, played all they knew towin, and two ot their teams received ugly wounds fiom falling on the adamantine 'i turf. We lost by 6 points to about 40 'i minor?. None of us attempted a run aIL i day, and indulged in kicking only. Once i or twice Avhen by falling on the ball after ■ we had dribbled it over the line we might- j have secu ed tries, we were afraid to at- j tempt it.

Maoris v. Halifax. | On the following day we went to Halifax: | to try a- d redeem our lost, laurels. Wham I we got there we were rather distrusted to- ! find that Halifax (in the absence of some off their cracks) had obtained the assistance ©£' , several outsiders. JBumby (of the AtigloAustralian team), the Swinton "crack" half; Hurst, the best Leitrh three-quarter; Coup, the Leigh full-back ; and two other, strangers. We' complained of this, of' course, before the matcfy but had to put up, with it. The result of the game was very M much in our favour, as we beat them by L,l| goal 3 tries to nil.

Willie Elliott was the hero of the day. He made two- splendid- runs, both of which led up to tries. The first was a strong fending run from halfway to within n couple of yards of the line, when he paesed to Keogh, who had simply to walk over the lino and touch down unmolested. Mac, converted the try to the major point-. Shortly after this we were penned down on our lines. KllioLb broke away, and bowling over several of the opposing backs like ninepins, took the ball within a few yards of our opponents' goal line, and trans ferring to Pave Gage, enabled the latter te secuie a comparatively easy try. Mac failed at the place kick. In the second spell, with the wind in our favour, we had matters pretty much our own way. Stewart and "Tabby Wynyard added t«o tries to our score, Mac failing to convert either. Everyone played well in this match without exception. \Ve were entertainod by our opponents to a grand dinner, and on joyed ourselves very much. We got back to Manchester at 1 a. m