FOOTBALL NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 10229, 22 June 1883, Page 2

FOOTBALL NOTES

(By Kikhoff.)

The long - looked for PalmerstonFeilding match has come oil at last, resulting — to the surprise of everyone — in a win to the JFeilding team by one goal and three tries to nil. As showing their superior 3trength the J?eilding men are also, credited with a total of fourteen forcedowus to two forcedowna secured by their opponents. This suiaeks, however, of hard and injudicious kicking when near their opponents' goal Jine, for surely otherwise sometbiug like a try might be achieved out of fourteen foroedowns. Judging from the prowess of the Palinerstou teams of last season our Club may look forward to a little hard work if they should happen to meet the Feilding representatives, for, from the newspaper reports, they appear to number many good men .in their ranks. Thomson's drop-kicking and running are particularly noted, and he is eulogised in one paper as a " tower of strength to his side " (Feilding). The Advocate chides the Palmerston men for acting in. defiance of the Rugby Union rule: "When a player having hold of the' ball is' collared, and the ball held, he must immediately put it down aud scrimmage." By this conduct of the Palmerstonians the game was made exceeding rough, and constant disputes and appeals to the umpires resulted. Umpires — Mr A. Smith for Peildiug and Mr Caverhill for Palmerston.

Halcombe and Palmerston try conclusions on the latter's territory on Saturday next.

A surprise comes from the direction of Geeloug, where, in the match South Melbourne v. Geelong, the former club have been successful in signally defeating the far-famed and much' admired Geelong Club by 0 goals. and,o behinds, to 1 goal and 3 behinds. . .. -

In Tixnaru ; y. .Oamaru the Timaru. men wore victorious by a gaol (lrcked from a mark) to a try. A large number of ladies encouraged the leather hunters by their presence among the spectators. At Dunedin the well-known football critic " Forward "is having* a 'warni time of it owing to" the publication, among his notes in the Otago Witness, of sundry reflections upon the style of play adopted by the Montecillo Olab in their recent match with the Union P.O. (both of Dunedin). He stated that the former team indulged in the bull-at~a-gate style of play, that they hacked their opponents brutally, that some of their players wore leather shin protectors, and that the ball was thrown in unfairly from touch, eto. This course of criticism has called forth a string of correspondence from sympathisers with the maligned team, and the publication of these , letters and his own comments thereon have apparently absorbed all of "Forward's" usually interesting "Football Notes " space.

In Scotch v. English of the Pirates F.C. at Dunedin the Scotch numbered sixteen to the English twanty-two, and the "porridge " team were defeated by a goal and three tries. One of the players, Webster, had his -wrist broken in the match.

With reference to the scratch match played on the reserve last Saturday, th-i correct score was, I understand — Smith's team, three goals and one try ; Stewart's team, two goals and four tries. The scoring by points would therefore be rather in favour of the Litter team. The play on that day was certainly a decided advance on the more important match of the previous Saturday. It may be that the more turbulent spirits were not present in such numbers on the ground last Saturday, but I am conceited enough to believe that at least a few of the players take heed of my friendly criticism, and that the fast and comparatively orderly game of the 23rd was, to a certain extent, attributable to these notes Furthermore, there was no umpire last Saturday — that redoubtable functionary having lugged off his coat and mingled in the fray, evidently no longer able to remain a passive spectutor of the fast scrimmages. Blyth, Hassell, J. Lockett, Alexander, Weare, and others, who have rarely patronised the field this season, were again at their posts, and did good service ; a word of praise is duo to the stranger who so effectively discharged the duties of goalkeeper on Smith's side.

The return match of the big local event of the season, English v. Scotch, is announced for the 30th, and it behoves every Wanganui footballer, man and boy, to do his best to make the game a* quiet aud orderly, and at the same time as brilliant and interesting to onlookers, as it lies in his power to do.