SECOND FIFTEEN

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1387, 25 May 1883, Page 2

SECOND FIFTEEN

should play first two spells of half an hour each..'O'Connor captained the borne team and C. Kreeft, the The former won.the toss and took the kick off. The visitors being two' njen short were allowed two members of the Masterton Club to makeup.'The home team were by far the biggest and heaviest men, the ground being favorable to their, play.;.. Masterton jticked off, and it was not long before the leather was in scrimmage, and worked down tp Wellingtons goal a being the resnlti' On-Wellington kicking off, the play was taken to I Masterton end, till Murray by a good kick sent the ball to the contre of the field where some very hard scrimmaging was (lone, the leather was at last sent down towards' the Visitors goal line, and thoy were again forced down. On Burnes kicking off at 25yds some very good, dribbling was shown on both sides, James especially played a good game. The superior weight of the home team told on their opponents. They charged down the field with a loose scrimmage, took the ball over the line, and Ngature secured the first try for Masterton. This was' the subject of dispute/but as no referee had been appointed, the .try'was allowed. 0. l'erry.wns entrusted with the kick, but failed to get the ball behind the line, his forwards were, however, well.on it, and rushed it down and Wahu secured another, try, This Himiona tried, but made a worse kick, merely sending the ball along the ground. Burnes again kicked. off at 25yds and again the opposing forwards rushed it back on him, .and he marked within a couple of yards of his geal lino, On getting into, play .again .Bishop made a dashing run arid passed all but Perry who grassed him in splendid style. This carried the play into the home taam territory, when time was called. Kreeft opened, the second spej) by kicking of, but the Masterton forwards worked tjje ball down, find over the line, foroing them down j ii was again brought out and again they were forced down. The visitors now appeared to go in with renewed vigor, they worked manfully at the scrimmages, and the home team were driven back and over the line and forced down. Murray kicked off and itvwas returned by Burnes, who made a splendid drop for goal, being within a.short distance from scoring. Bishop I 'made another good run, was well collared, and the play wag taken down: to ".Wellington goal line, when James made a pot at goal and missed., .On j Burnes kicking off Pierce smartly followed up, got possession, and looked like getting a run in, but fell. Again the.jball menaced the visitors line, some very determined Bcrinimages being fought near it, till at last Ngature secured another try for his side. This was a, very difficult kjck, and^did'n,qt go behind, agajn the forwards rushed it down, and Kohu obtained another try, but on account of some offside play the ball was called back and scrimmaged off. Burnes made another mark:.close to his line, but the kick was stopped by the forwards and the visiters again forced down. Burnes and Felling returned, from whf/lpfereeft markod. He sent it well up field when no side was called,—Result, Masterton 3 tries to nil. The play was not very brilliant on either side, there was too great a desire to pick up the ball whether in or out of scrimmage, and the off side play invariably stopped the match at its moat interesting point.

, iU . FIRST FIFTEEH. This of course was the event of the day, .and, when the two teams faced each other, it was evident the visitors were the biggest and heaviest, Firth and Thompson being well up amongst them. .The home team looked 1 welt in their new uniforms, and appeared to be in good condition. A. Welch was not able to take his place as half, back, so Holmwood .was placed .there, \ and C. Perry full back. The following are the teams and their respective places.;— Wellington: back, Burns; half-backs, Luxford and Robinson; quarter-backs, Roberts, Smith, and James; forwards, Firth (Captain), Thompson, Udy, Peat, Goodall, Clifford, /W; .Holmes, 0. Kreeft, and VSrnham ; Mr Difmbell Masferton: back,- jC, Perry j half-backs,' J; ; Perry and Holmwood;; : quarter-backs, fillers, De Castro, and W. Perry;, forwards, Morrison (Cap- 1 \ tain), Harvey, McLachlan, Ross, J. and H. Bannister, Jamieaon, and B. Perry; umpire, Mr W. Rapp,. Mr E Hirechbefg officiated as referee It was decided to play two spells of forty minutes Morison won the toss and kicked off,. James stopped it, but could not hold the leather. Burnes got possession, and punted it in touch. Alto, j up;, ,of ; visitors was ?very ! . indmerently rdone, and McKenzie was able to gain about'a dozen:yards 1 'through it, as no one was marking the flank, TheMwk

'' tertofffo jwards gradually priced their . back till they Were within $A dote in lucked/'dut;. at 1 25 ;:;■. 'yaws,;,jiid.,the Masterton!'fonvnrda 'Bgams,TOrked:.the leather i back,! De • Castro\iuadaa doshitig run, antigained a few yards before he was collared. Roberts made a smart.'mark close up .tp a acriramage, and from his kick: the ' pky Was taken up to Masterton's 25 •'' ; yards lag, the ball going in touch. On being thrown in, the" home team . ■ got,way on with a loose .scrinnnagu, / ,: and cßrriedall before thorn, till' Good! '.all.very cleverly put a stop to.it. I.y • VfalHngon the ball.. A scrimmage .was , formed and some heavy work done, when the bull came out towards Ellers, isJflf-W luckily kicked.it;well up ..ltt.tpuch. The home team continued .;,...to gradually work the visitors back, when Holmes came through with some splendid dribbling, gaining, considerable ground for his side! Scrimmaging was again the order of the day, ~, :whon J. Perry got possession, and by a dashing run and some dodging, gained about a dozen yards. Some good play ~ was. hero shown by the visitors. Thomson got possession, and on being pressed, gave it to Firth,'who on: being ,; 'ditto, passed l to Goodall,.<:who ; by the ■ aid of Firth's protection;-, was able to ■: make a good run, but had. his career shortened by Morisorf "putting him .. into touch. The Masterton men now came to the fore with thoir passing, Harvey, Morison, arid' Perry being the moans of some gain to their side. Smith made a very good .run, and finished up by kicking, into touch well , up. The homo team set to work, and took the play down again towards the .visitors' line, when Smith marked, and -'•sent the leather well back into touch. ..On being thrown in, a scrimmage was .formed, from which James got a mark. 'McKenzie marked from the kick; and ;'■ .Smith marked from- McKenzie's, and >4jigxled tho interchange by dropping it nrco touch. Tho visitors, by some splendid all round play, in which .- Roberts shewed to tho fore, now menaced the home team's goal, but the play did. not atop there long, for the ; opposing, forwards set to work .and : removed the danger. Luxford attemp- ' ted a run,'but was stopped by Elers, and an interchange of drop kicks took '.'place between Perry, Burns, Holmwood, and James; ending in the latter ' : marking and sending it well up. ' Some very determined play was the . outcome of it, when Thomson sent the), ball out of a scrimmage well up in ; touch, near the Masterton goal line. , On being thrown in, both sides worked I . desperately, and the play was taken directly opposite Masterton goal posts, j Here a very determined scrimmage i took place, intense excitement prevail- ; ing, which was relieved by the umpire , .calling time. j Firth commenced the second Spell < .. by. kicking off into touch, This was ■ „ ordered back, and-a-straight'kick up j '.,.; the field followed.- Elers returned it, , ' and a series of Scrimmages along tho ] '., touch line occurred till DeCastro got ' possession 'and:succeeded in getting j ( , pretty well through beforabeingcollared. ( Scrimmages again ocourred along the touch Hue, tul James relieved the : ..monotony by dropping it well down into touch. From 'this the Masterton teap becamo hard'pressed. From a mark made by EeCastro, Morison took ..,. ft plage kick. Firth stopped the ball, and some severe scrimmages took place along the touch line near Masterton's . goal line. Time after time it was thrown out, and worked back without , ; gain on either side, till at last it passed the Masterton forwards, The « backs got hampered by the crowd, and .could not get room to work, consequently Clifford got possession, and "' fell over the line, securing a try for the yisitoi-s. Firth took, the kick, and made a capital shot, just missing • .it. Mere kicked out at 25 yards, Firth returned it, Holmwood followed 5 suit well up in touch, The ball was kept, in scrimmage along tho touch line, till Roberts got a mark, which he sent into touch at right angles. On - 'being brought into play, the Masterton 'team rushed the ball down over their 1 • opponents goal line ; it struck a spectator, bounded into the field of ■ play, when McKerizie. got possession, and by a.terrific struggle succeeded in ,• getting over the jine with it. The ■■■ Wellington umpire,; .objected as he I claimed a dead ball. " The try was al- c - lowed by the ••Masterton umpire and | ... referee. Mckenzie took the tiy and got a poster;'' ! TKtf"Masterton' men a ■ rushed it..dowh,.aiid; secured another from whichi Mr McKenzie kicked 1 a goal. It is only fair to say that from - 'the time the dispute occurred, the f ' Wellington team "ceased to play,, and '[ the match was virtually, at an end, although there was twenty minutes more before time wt& up. The dispute lasted till time "was' called. Cheers ; were given onbott sides, and the teams '.',, left the'field alf dissatisfied with the termination, The game standing, ] ' Masterton 1 goal and 1 try (both disputed), to 1 try,':, t".:.