FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8519, 26 August 1907, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

THE MEW .ZEALAND PROFES.SIONAL TEAM. FINAL MATCH AGAINST NEW .-SOUTH WALES. ASHEEHER WIN FOR THE •"ALL GOLDS." By Telegraph—Press Association. Received August 24, 8.8 p.m. .SYDNEY, August 24. The third and last football match between the professional footballers of New .South Wales and the Dominion cf New Zealand was played this afternoon, .and resulted, as did the former games, in a victory for the Maorilanders, though in this instance it was only by the narrow margin of a converted try to a penalty goal. The weather was fine, but the attendance fell far below that of the previous Saturday, being estimated at not more than 8,000. Messenger, who played such a fine game against the amateur "All Blacks" Curing their visit, and who recently joined the ranks of professionals, captained the local men ,and fortune favoured him in the spin of the coin. Shortly after the New -Zealand "AH Golds" had kicked off the Welshmen shifted the scene of p;lay to their opponents' territory, and there they penned them for a quarter of an hour, the strain being relaxed fey Wrigley, who kicked into the local 25, and following up smartly was down on his man before he had time to gather up the oval. Messenger, however, was near at hand, and saved a score against his side by kicking out into the dead country. On resuming play was once more in New Zealand's ground, where, for offside play, in their 25, the visitors were penalised by having a free kick given against them, and Messenger successfully piloted the ball over the bar, drawing first blood for the Welshmen.

New South Wales ... 3 New Zealand 0 As the ball was sent in play the Slacks swooped into their opponents' 25, and the Blues had all their work ; cut out to prevent them scoring. j Johnston made a desperate effort Ito get over, and looked like scoring, j but fiedley, the local full-back, who : was potting in some*excellent defen- , sive work, collared him right on the ! line. Hedley gained possession of I the ball, and sent it into the centre !of the field, where play hovered for a time. Th-r. Smith made an effort to break through the opposing backs, but was unsuccessful. The Blues, who were, if anything, more than holding their own, gradually pushed the New Zealanders back and Kelly, being very slow in securing the ball from the scrum, the Bhes smothered the New Zealanders before their backs got to work. Both sets of forwards were playing a hard game. The visitors, with a dribbling rush after a long interval of play in the neutral zone, broke through and got into the Welshmen's 25, where the superb defenee of Hedley once more saved the position. The local men were making use of the line to greater advantage than their opponents, but Turtill, the visiting fullback, prevented anyone invading his ground, and then half-Lime sounded with New South Wales having three points on the board to New Zealand's nil. The "All Golds" started the second spell by at once placing New South Wales on the defensive, and there they kept them for some time, but the visiting backs were unable to get going, though time and again they charged desperately. Often when the New Zealanders had what appeared a chance to score it was spoiled by erratic passing. This gave the Blues a chance to move forward, and charging down kept the visitors hard pressed and battling to save a further score being registered against them. From a free kick Wrigley kicked down the field, and Messenger failed to take it, giving Johnston, who had followed up Wrigley's kick, the opportunity to snap up the leather and cross the line. Turtill was entrusted with the kick, and placed a goal and made the score read—

New Zealand ... ... 5 New South Wales ... 3 Open play, mostly in ths centre of the. followed, until Turtill kicked back to Granville, who worked the game into the visitors' quarters, and securing a mark Messenger had a futile shot at goal. A few minutes later the game ended with the score — New Zealand ... ... 5 New South Wales ... 3 MESSENGER JOINS NEW ZEALAND TEAM. By Telegraph—Press Association. SYDNEY, August 24. Messenger, a prominent threequarter back, has joined and plays with the New Zealand professional team throughout the English tour.