FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1695, 27 May 1884, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

■. (By Goal Post,) The Masterton 'Club had another good practice on' Saturday aftern.aou, about thirty players turning out.' Messrs Harvey ati,d W. Perry piclied sides' iind after a tough game the latter's team proved the best by two goals (one of which was neatly dropped from the field by 0. Perry) to a try gained by Harvoy after a fine run. The play all through", was rather an improvement on that of the Saturday before, the passing at times being very good. The dribbling, too, was better Harvey and F. Perry moving the leather along nicely. The tackling was rather bad, all going too high, and the tackier more often than not coming to the grass himself. I .would impress on players that if they wish to stop a man effeotually they must .go low. The following up (a department in which Masterton has hitherto been decidedly slow) was very good, W. Perry getting his try by well backing up. This player would ,do better if he did not hang to the ball so long. The quarters should also think of their back when they are in front of their opponents goal, for 0. Perry gave undoubted proof on Saturday that ho can make things very rough with his "potts," as besides the goal he got he kicked a poster from a' rather difficult angle. Bethune kicked well and made some good runs, while A. Thompson and James made some fine dashes. The two Bannisters and Campbell worked hard forward, Day also doing , good service for his side. This player, too, should get over the fault of going too high for his man, as otherwise lie is the making of a fine forward. Though his first practice, Sleeman showed up veiy well I had almost forgotten to mention the tackling of A, Thompson, who several times brought his opponents down in fine style, showing what can be done when things are gone about in a proper manner. Taken altogether the play has greatly improved, being at times very fust, MoLachlan has not yet bsen out, and Boss has been laid up with h bad shoulder, buG when these players get' among the forwards they will take a lot of rubbing out: Hawke was on the ground, but I was sorry to see he was not. playing, .us he would be a decided acquisition to the quarters, In the next few practices I would like to see the fifteen play all comers, and then we will have an opportunity of judging of the merits of the team, I would suggest that a fifteen of the Club challenge all Comers for next Saturday. The season is getting well advanced now, and it is time some foreign matches were arranged: t TE ORE ORE V. MASTERTON. A fifteen of the Masterton Club were to have played all comers yesterday afternoon. Only a few of the Club turning out, a scratch match was talked of, but as a fifteen of the Maori Club, specially to play, were on the ground, they did not care to be divided, so about seven of tho Club, witn two or three others who had never played before, elected to tackle the natives, and after eighty minutes play the Maoris won by two goals to two tries. This was rather hard luck for the Masterton Club men, as though both tries were rather hard, Bethune managed to get them over the post, and, besides this, Campbell got over the line, but unfortunately fell into touch-in-goal; Ngatuere, too, got his try through C. Perry being taken with cramp. For Masterton, Bethune and Hawke played splendidly behind the scrim., the latter getting both the tries. Campbell played in grand style forward, being always on tho ball, while Kibblewhite, J, and 0. Bannister, J, Williams, and Pelling also did good work. Ellors made one or two punts, but he is in nothing liko his old form. One or two practices, however, will put him straight. For Te Ore Ore, Rauginui played a fine game, his dropping being especially noticeable. Kuku and Natuere played well at quarter, while Murray made some good kicks, Simeon spoilt the game by picking up and hangingon to the ball too much. He evidently presumes on his strength to carry him through. Tho Maoris did some very neat passing at times, and the Masterton men ought to congratulate themselves, considering the team they were playing against, that they did not get a much worse "slopping." With one exception (when Kuku lost his tomper), the game was played in a most friendly spirit, The Te Oro Ore captain, with very good sense, turned Kuku out of his team. I hear the Cup matches will be started within the next three weeks, so it behoves our footballers to get out to practice as much as possible, and from the way a few played yesterday, a full team is likely to give a good account of themselves,