FOOTBALL.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 211, 18 August 1893, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

HOKIANGA v, WAIROA. Saturday afternoon proved fine and a large number of people turned out. The two steamers were well filled with Kopuru and Aratapu people, and the up-river friends also turned out well so that there were about 400 people present to witness this match. The ground was in a sloppy' condition the tide having evidently been over it. Mr A. E. Harding was appointed referee and Wairoa having won the toss Hokianga kicked off. The visitors were a sturdy lot of more weight than their opponents, and this they' repeatedly made felt. Their style ®f play was guided by their weight and strength and did not compare favorably with that of the Waima team of the previous year. They showed some very' goad dribbling hut the kicking was very inferior. Early' in the game Woollams was severely struck in the face by one of them, and taken altogether the style of play was more rough than fine. The visitors made some good rushes and were at times pretty' near scoring ; ©n one occasion Lionel Hitching fell ou the bail just in front of his own goal and a penalty kick was awarded. This looked like a certain goal for Hokianga but Bonella charged finely' and prevented a score. Wairoa were more fortunate, for on being awarded a free kick on the 25 line, for their opponents’ off side play,|Elliott put the hall over and made the score Wairoa 3 Hokianga nil, and thus it stood at close of first spell. In the second spell Hokianga had the wind behind them, but they did not use it and were kept hard, at work in their half of the field, with an occasional rush out only to be brought hack again. They fought hard and some good runs were attempted hut the Wairoa hacks were good at collaring, and very little escaped Hitching and Rutland. Phelan got a fine show to run in but tried to pot just under the bar aud missed. Henry Lowrie marked wisely and well just in front of the goal aud A. Johnston put the ball over, making the score Wairoa 7 Hokianga nil, which it was when the game ended. The best run of the day was made by Butland who fending two or three opponents got close to the line before tie was thrown, and the pass out was made too late, The visitors were individually hard to distinguish, but the most prominent 1 : were undoubtedly Matthew, Dunn, and William. For the home team Woollam was the pick of the forwards, he was ever on the ball, dribbling, or flooring-his opponents. Molloy, Keegan, Barker and Bcnella were also worthy men. Of the backs H. Lowrie and A. Smith played fine games with their feet and Len Kitching and Butland were kings in tackling; the latter played up to his old form. Elliott was useful, but we have seen him do better. One or two men were winded during the game, and Elliott in juried his ankle, but- nothing more serious occurred. PAHI v. BATLEY. The Pahi versus Batley football match was played at Batley' last Saturday and resulted in a win for the former by' 2 points to nil. It was a very ß fine day/ but the spectators were very' few. The teams were: -—Pahi : Full, E. McMurdo ; three- quarters, W. Alien, Dawson, J. Poraki; halves, W. I-lenry, J. Connell, Brown; forwards, A. Connell, H. Chadwick, J. Hill, MoKormack, Collins, de Labrosse, Mihaka and Sheldon. Batley'—Full, E. Tepina; three-quarters, J. Friend, J. Edwards, G. Linton ; halves, ""‘-’Via, Wm, Pikia, J. Tepina; forwards, W. j. '-»nt.), Smith, R. Friend, D. J. Cricket -Simpson, Tattersall, Linton, Northwood, r. .... and J. Kemp.

Batley' fought hard throughout hue were unable to score. In the first spell Labrosse secured a try for Pahi but the kick at goal failed. Mr Pivott acted as referee and Mr Harris and Mr H. Chadwick as line umpires. After the match all the players adjourned to Mr Ewing’s house where they partook of a splendid dinner; they then started for home. The 'Wairoa Representative team choseu to play 7 Auckland on Saturday next is the same as played against Hokianga and w e need not enter into any further description of them. The team left this morning in the p.s. Osprey 7 and will put up in Auckland at the Royal Mail hotel. They plav in Potter’s paddock tomorrow afternoon and return home on Monday. It can scarcely be expected that they will return victorious, but we look to them to give a good account of themselves and return with honours thick upon them. The Auckland team to be pitted against them is not a remarkably strong one. The teams are :—- Auckland.—Back, Clayton; threequarters, Brady, Kissling and Blewden ; half-backs, Caradus and Edmonds ; forwards, Langsford, Moore, Cole, Rev. Williams, Meliks Otway, Clarke, Williamson and Major. Emergencies, Siddle, Tracey' and Heffernan. Wairoa. —Back, Lionel Kitching; threequarters, Butland, A. Johnson and T. Elliott; halves, Len Kitching, H. Lowrie and A Smith ; forwards, Woollams, C. and F. Molloy, J. Neil, F. Barker, Keegan, E. Phelan, and W. Bonella. Emergencies, Tony Keane and Hammond. Mr Joseph Molloy accompanies the Wairoa team as manager. The Aratapu II team visit Pahi tomorrow to play the return match with that Club. The day promises to be fine and the ground is dry' so that there will probably be a fine game. The Aratapu team is about the same as played in the last match against Pahi and is as follows: Aratapu 11. Back, C. Nield; threequarters, R. Lendrum, F.. Walker, and W. Harrison; halves, R. Masefield, J. Lindsay, and Jamieson; forwards, J. O’Neill (capt.), S. Barker, W. Newman, A, Phelan, G. Elliott, W. hield, Alcock and E. Harrison. The team leaves Aratapu tomorrow morning at five o’clock in the Tangihua, and several friends have decided to accompany them. The Hokianga team are staying at Opanaki where they intend to practice, till they' proceed to Auckland, where they play on the 26th inst. The Pahi football club have arranged a match with the Port Albert Club, to eventuate on the 26th inst. The Hokianga R. IT. representatives intend asking for a return match with the Wairoa Union on their return from Auckland. The p.s. Osprey was not very' largely patronised this morning. She left Aratapu just before seven o’clock. A meeting of the Wairoa Rugby Union is to be held on Wednesday next to arrange the second round of Cup fixtures. On Saturday, August 26th, the Representatives who meet Auckland tomorrow are to play the Wairoa Union at Aratapu. Messrs W. Smith and J. Nelson have been deputed to collect a second fifteen to uieet the reps. It is considered by soma that a team almost as good has been left at home and that the reps, stand a chance of defeat. The match should be a very interesting one, and the Union have decided to make the small ohrrge of sixpence for admission to the paddock on that day.