FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2892, 7 May 1888, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

MASTERTON v CARTERTON.

The match between the North and South Wairarapa having fallen through on account ofiho backing out of tie Greytown men, a game was ar* _ ranged between the above teams, and was played on the Carterton Recreation Reserve on Saturday afternoon. A largo number of spectators, gilding many ladies, assembled to |eiai the ... match," which was played in two spells At of forty-five minutes each. The visiting team was the same as selected, except that E. Polling took the place of H. Perry, the latter being engaged in the niatch between the Masterton and Greytown schools. Being the first match of the season of the Mastertoa team,and seeing that Cart A. . ton bad first played a drawn gam* , and then beaten the Greytown team, a good deal of interest was taken in the match, with the result that a large number journeyed from Masterton to witness tho contest. Messrs Hirschberg and C. Kemble acted as umpires for Masterton and Carterton respectively, and Mr Nix officiated as referee. The Masterton forwards were a good deal heavier than their opponents, and it was thought they would have little difficulty in carrying; the scrum, but the way the Carterton men stood up to them in the first spell at any rate, both surprised and delighted ... the following of the local men. The visiting forwards, too, appeared to forget entirely that they had backs, v. attempted to do all the scoring themselves,' and in consequence the local men wero forced down seven or eight' times, and the first spell ended without a score, This, of course, put up the spirits of the Carterton kickists, and their admirers, were jubilant. In the second spell, however, the Mastertjjjl forwards altered their tactics, giving their backs a show, and before many minutes had gone, Thompson was over ■ the line. The forwards, too, played • ■ more in unison, and time after time carried the ball and their opponents right along.

Nicholson won the toss from Whatman and played with the sun at his back and right in the eyes of the visitors, also getting the advantage of a slight slope in the ground. Masterton kicked off, the leather being returned into touch by Bamber, and scrimmaging took place on the Masterton side of tho half way flag. Whatman shortly after j[~ marked and gained a lot of ground, getting to "Carterton's twenty-five. Scrummages, resulted inside Carterton territory and the ball was passed to Thompson, who potted, but went wide of the mark, only a forcedown resulting, After the kick out the visitors worked the p'k| down to the coveted line, when BeniWP-— — relieved his side temporarily by a good kick, butjthe oval was soon back in" front of the home team's goal, W, Welch - and Whatman being conspicuous in getting it there. Carterton worked the leather past their twenty-five, but were shortly after forced. down. The kick out waß returned splendidly by C. Perry, and play was centred inside the local team's twenty-five, until R, Komble a line dribble, which took the play back to half way, Eichmond also gaining some ground. Smith made a good run, but this was neutralised by short runs by Bamber and Snodgrass, J. Perry punted into touch, and the Masterton forwards rushed the ball down to and over their opponents' line, and utill another' force down resulted. After some scrums, Polling showed up in a nice dribble, but somo excellent passing by the Carterton backs took the ball into neutral ground. Nicholson made a fine run along the line and touched down, bi)t was called back for going into touch. The balL wa3 thrown in a few yards from tlffi Masterton line, where a lot of scrimmaging was indulged in, until Thompson carried the play past the twentyfive flag. The Carterton forwards worked it back, and looked like scoring, bub Smith got possession and ran to half way before he was stopped, (i, Welch made a splendid rush and J. Perry shortly afterwards marked and placed for C. Perry, but only a force down resulted. After an interchange of kicks by the backs and sciimmaging in tli3 centre, Macartlmr made a grand run, but. lost the leather, and more scrimmaging close to the Masterton line took place. The visitors worked' the play back past their twenty-five, W. Welch assisting materially in tho loose scrum. Kemble made a short dribble, and half time was called with the ball at Masterton's twenty-five flag, there being no score on either side. . w Sides were changed, and the locaL men had thestin in their eyes for a fes minutes, but it soon went behind tile clouds on the hills, and both teams played on an equality in this respect. E.' Polling received the Carterton kick off, , and ran to half way,' Nicholson took the leather off side, and a scrum was formed at Carterton's twenty-fives, where Thompson had but only a force down resulted, .ifter the kick out, Smith and Thompson made a lot of ground, 6. Welch and Day took the play into the Carterton twenty-five, and scrimmaging took place close to the Carterton line, until Baumber got possession, and the play was taken to halfway, Richmond also making a good run. 0. Welch got on another of his dribbles, which was nicely stopped by Baumber. The Masterton forwards, working well together, took the play to Carterton quarters, where Smith made a pass to Thompson, who by a splendijfe run got in close to the corner, making first score for Masterton, C, Perry took the place, and made a good attempt, but tailed to increase the score. After the kick out, Pelling, Day, and W. Welch took the ball along to a few yards from the Carter- < ton line, and somo very fast play eiwued, Uowjisoa nearly jotting iq

again from a pass by Smith. From the throw out Smith got possession, and bsfovo the local men knew what he was up to, potted a beautiful goal. Canton kicked oft', and McKenzie matPsome ground, Whatman punting into touch. Richmond mado n good run across the field, but gained very little. The backs indulged in some kicking, and the Carterton men got into Masterton territory, but were soon back to half way, Eagle ran along the touch line a few yards, but Whatman got away, and some loose play on behalf of the Carterton backs enabled Day to get a try. Perry made another fine attempt, a poster resulting. Smith returned tho kick out and the Carterton lino was again in danger, Hounslow doing good work. Smith had another shot which went very close, and the local men were

again forced to accept the inevitable. By a by Thompson, tho play .was brought to Carterton's twenty-five, Whatman, 0. Bannister, and others took the ball close to tho line, aud from a kick across 0. Perry got a run in, touching down between the posts. From this Smith had no difficulty in increasing the score, but the goal was afterwards disallowed,the ball haviM been brought out between the posJfe. Perry returned the kick off,and punted into touch, and Carterton were again defending their line, which was relieved by Macarthur getting the leather into touch. B. Pelling marked aud Thompson made the run of the day, dodging in and out till be got through the whole of his opponents and within a yard of the line when he slipped and fell. The Carterton men rushed their play to the twenty-five, when Day got through the scrum with the ball, but Macarthur again came to the rescuo and "no side" was immediately after called with the ball in neutral territory, the game thus endding in favor of Masterton by one (bl and three tries to nil Whe chief features of the game were the splendid running of Thompson, the fine potting and passing of Smith, and the tackling of J, Perry. The whole of the Masterton forwards played well, it being a difficult matter to say who did best. For Carterton, Macarthur and Snodgrass played a good game backjigirilo Richmond showed up most consciously among the forwards. Young Bennett as full-back also played a very good game. The match was played with tho best of spirit all through, and hearty cheers were exchanged at the finish, the Carterton men taking their beating with excellent grace.

England v. Canterbury, The English team of footballers continue to pursuo their victorious career and on Saturday defeated the Canterbury representatives by fourteen points to six, The game was fought in good spirit, although there was too much tiling at times, Canterbury had the nest of the first spell, playing every bit as well as the Englishmen, In the second they more than held their own for about twenty minutes, but after this they went to pieces, the fast play and rapidity of the passing bein£j 100 much fffljflhem, They did better than was exfpted, and failed jus l ; where it was expected they would, in collaring. Stoddart and Haslam slipped away from thorn on numerous occasions, and were only brought down at times by the united force of tlnee or four of their opponents.

In a match played at Greytown on Saturday, Natives of Papawai v, Natives of Te Ore Ore, the latter won, Iliere was an unusual amount of energy displayed, and four balls succumbed under the ferocious rallies of the Maori players,

A second fifteen of the Masterton Glut was to have played ft Bed Star fifteen on Saturday, but the former did.not come up to scratch. The '"jwcocious juveniles" say that the seniors were frightened of being beaten. However, the Stars made the best of things and valiantly played " all comers." No score at all was mado in the first forty-five minute spell, tut in the second, C. Ewington secured a try fofo Red Stars just before time was called,

The match Masterton School v, Greytown School played at Greytown on Saturday, resulted in a victory for the former by two tries to nil.

The negotiations for the visit of the English team to the Wairarapa are at present jindeoitled, but it is feared the efforts to get the visitors to come to Masterton will be unsuccessful, Wellington shows a disposition to monopolise both th 3 Saturday and Monday, 12th and Holi May. If the Wairarapa men will go down on the latter day, they will givo way to a match with the country players, but if it is a case of the English team desiring to go to Masterton, they will decline to budge, and make them keep their city engagement on the Monday, There is cer ' a ' D| local players, if tneyarelreated in this way, are not likely fwisit the metropolis in very large numbers to witness their dog-in-the> manger friends' struggle, Tho Railway Department,it may be mentioned, has arranged special excursion fares to Wellington for Saturday, 12th May, with a late return train; and will also issue single tickets available for return between and Monday night, in the event of a second match being played in Wellington on Monday 14th.