FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8526, 2 September 1907, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

■WELLINGTON v. TARANAKI. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, August 31. Wellington was to have played Taranaki, to-day, and the match was regarded with keen interest, as the two teams are considered to be the strongest in the field this year. Rain, however, had covered the ground with water, and was still falling in sheets this afternoon. Nevertheless nearly 2,000 people filled the stand, and an attempt was made to play. The men struggled on for one spell of haif-an-hour—their clothes and boots were filled with water, and they were pestered by the icy wind, and rain, but after this experience it was decided to abandon the game, and call the match off. Just at the close of play Wellington had scored a try with the wind behind them, but this was no criterion of actual superiority. Great disappointment was evinced at the result, but it is a wonder players had the pluck to play at all, seeing that they could scarcely move, beir.g ankle-deep in mud and witer, and the ball might as well have been covered with grease. HAWKE'S BAY v. POVERTY BAY. By Telegraph—Press Association. NAPIER, August 31. The representative match Poverty Bay v. liawke's Bay, was played this afternoon, and a very last and interesting game ended in favour -of Hawkes' Bay by 35 points to 8. OTAGO v. AUCKLAND. By Telegraph—Press Association. DUNEDIN. August 31. The interprovincial football match Auckland v. Otago, was played today, the game resulting in a draw, each team scoring 6 points. The weather was fine, and the attendance about 9,000. The game was evenly contested and was fairly interesting. In the first spell Murray and Smith scored for the visitors, neither try being converted, while Eckhold kicked a penalty goal for Otago. In the second spell Macpherson scored for Otago, no goal resulting. Otago secured the ball from most of the scrums, but the backs' passing was erratic, and chances were lost in consequence. The visitors were frequently penalised for off-side play, and the referee cautioned two or three of them for unnecessary tackling, eventually ordering one player off the field for collaring Eckhold after the latter had kicked the ball.