FOOTBALL.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 474, 15 August 1899, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

WAIKATO CAP MATCH HAMILTON V. CAMBRIDGE

Thih match was played on Victoria Square, Cambridge, on Saturday afternoon, and resulted in a win for the home team by 15 poiuts to 8. There wa» a good attendance, and just before the game started Mrs Baker, wife of the licensee of the Masonic Hotel, presented the Cambridge Club with a handsome banner. The tanner is of navy blue oilk with C.F.C. in a white monogram in the centre, and the whole is edged with a silver fringe and suspended from a handsome pole with brass chains. Mr R. Fisher, the President of the Club, in accepting the banner, thanked Mr and Mrs Baker for the present, and expressed the hope that the club would continue to be as successful in the future as they had been this year. He then called for three cheers for the donors, and these were heartily given. The teams were as follows:—Cambridge : Full-back Garland ; threequarters—Stewart, Roberts and Anderson ; five-eighth—E. Armer ; half— Cannell; wings—Brockelsby and Kingdon ; forwards —G. Armer (Captain), Cowling, Gleeson, Montgomery, Mullins, Hickey and Bailey. Hamilton : Fullback—Hamil ; three quarters Bockett, Kirk (captain), Wright ; five-eighth— Hill; half-Johnson ; wings—Dodd and Moore ; forwards—Speight, "Williamson, Holloway, Windsor, Elliott, Coates, W. Evans. In the first part of the game the play was largely confined to scrum work, in which the visitors had the best of it, and from a loose rush Holloway passed to Dodd, who scored. Evans converted. After the kick-off play centred in the visitors' territory, and from a pissing run instituted by E. Armer, who transferred to Roberts, and he to Stewart, the last-named scored. E. Armer added the major points, and the score stood at 5 all. Give-and-take play followed, the ball going from one end of the ground to the other, until Brockelsby, following up a re-bound, scored the second try for the home team, and Stewart converted. Half-time was called just afterwards. Shortly after resuming, Evans kicked a goal from a penalty, and more fast play ensued, each sid« being forced twice. Speight, who was now playing five-eighth, was doing good work and from his openings the backs got in several good runs, but the local defence was too strong. Prom a loose rush, Roberts picked up smartly and crossed the line and scored behind the posts. Btewart's kick was successful. Cambridge 15—Hamilton 8. Time was called shortly afterwards with the p!ay in midfield.

For Cambridge E. Armer, Cowling, Anderson, Stewart and Brockelsby were most conspicuous, and among the visitors Wright, Johnsou, Dodd, Holloway, Speight and Williamson were prominent. Speight was a great success at fiveeighth. Mr R. J. Gwynnc, of Hamilton, acted as referee, and Messrs Tristram and Caruachan had charge of the line flags.

THAMES V. AUCKLAND. THAMES "WINS BY 12 TO 3. The result of the above representative match, played at the Thames on Saturday, came as a surprise to everyone except Thames enthusiasts, who, though not looking for such a brilliant win, nevertheless expected to see their boys come out on top. During the first spell play was very even, and the scores at its conclusion stood at 3 all (try each). Auckland all this time had been playing with a very strong sun in their eyes, which made it difficult and at times impossible to take the ball, and it was fully expected that things would wear a very different aspect after the chaoge of ends had been made. In the second half, however, Thames led off by obtaining a goal from a penalty, a beautiful kick being made by Cunningham. Auckland soon after were awarded a penalty in front of the home goal, and there appeared to be every likelihood that the scores would again tally. The ball rose beautifully with splendid direction and the hopes of the Aucklanders rose simultaneously, but a Thames forward was successful in touching the ball in its flight, thus spoil'ng the attempt. Thames quickly registered another try, but the kick was a most difficult one, right from the boundary, and the ball fell a couple of feet short of the mark. Just before the close of the game, Cardno, the Auckland fallback, failed to take a ball driven along the ground by R. McGregor, and the latter following up smartly drove the leather clean between Cardno's legs, and running round him scored without trouble. This try also remained unconverted. The play of the Thames men was superior to that of the visitors in every respect, and about half the team must he includi d in the next Auckland "rep " fifteen. The number in all probability will include Geo. Gillett, who played a sterling game as full-back for the Thames, aud cannot be kept out of the coutingcut. This is the third year iu succession that Thames has defeated Auckland, and though the city scribes have been inc'incd to deal with the previous wins as a huge joke, we have little doubt that they will in future treat the goldfieldV contingent a little more seriously. The return match between the Paterangi and Te Rore schools combined v. Ohaupo school was playtd in Mr nermann's paddock, Paterangi, on Saturday, and ended in a win for Te Rore and Paterangi by IS points to 0. Ohaupo could only muster 11 boys, and was therefore at a great disadvantage, as their opponents had a full team and several of them bin hoys. At tlie previous matcli the figures were reversed, Ohaupo scoring 14 against their opponents 9. Tries were obtained by Robinson, C. Oermaun, J. Sing and McKini.nn, but no goals were kicked.