FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4094, 22 April 1892, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

EowarotMsMFFeta?

[By Diogenes,]

The match in which so great an interest has been centred of late, botween the Maßterton team and the Alhambras, of Dunedin, was played on the Caledonian Ground at Dunedin yesterday, .and resulted in a win for the Dunedin cracks by eighteen pointß (two goals and four tries) to four (one potted goal). Great excitement was caused in Masterton when the first telegram arrived at a quarter to five o'clook and was issued in the form of an extra by the Wairabapa Daily Times, announcing that Masterton hod secured four points to their opponents' nil, It was thought at first that this was tho result of the game, but many could hardly credit it, A few minutes later a second wire announced that the Albanians had secured nine points, and it was. then learnt that the earlier telegram referred to Jhe first spell. At five o'olock the final result had errive.d, and was published in the windows of the various tobacconists, the scores being—Alhambras eighteen points, Masterton four points. ■ The reßult was not unexpected in Mas. terton when it was known : that P'Arcy and several qthep players wers disabled. The Alhambras deserve grpat credit for having defeated perhaps the Wrongest forward team eyer.spnt frqm the North Island, They have earned the obampionihip, . Ourspeoiai reporter wires as follows regarding the match; The match Masterton v, Alhambras took place at the Caledonian grounds at B.Bop.m.yesterday. Theday was very fine, but a fair breeze was blowing down the ground, There were about 5000 spectators to witness tho raatcli, The betting, which seemed very prevalent hore, was in favour of the Alhambras. Masterton was without the services of D'Arcr, besides having several men disabled, J, Perry especially being Very badly crippled tjjrojjghopjrijnjy to jjis leg'; 'Mastertotf won tho to|s"ind Slooted }o play with' the wind! The first spell .Was a', jerripo struggle, 1 Neither side ha'ving'any 'advantage as far as'actual play was concerned,' though towards the f)f)(i pf it Hap-J Perry pfipped throug)i and pojifejj'a spjeAdid gojii, the spelleo'dingMasterton four poinis, Alhatnbra nil.' In tho second spell Mspteiitpi! segippf} to fajt to pipcesi The Albpmbrft team put on noleps than eighteen points, Alhambra played with great combination, The Masterton team was last night entertained at a smoke concert' given by their opponents, A musical enter* tainment has been got up for to-night by the Manager of tho prosderi Pianoforte potojlany.' ©ieleara leave Dune'din'oh Saturday" piornine; and oatgfi tjje boat'a't Lyttejtop op day night, reaching Masterton by the midday train on Monday, [BY TELEGBA fII, —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] ■W3" DuNEpiy, April 21. The football matpli between Masterton and the Alhamlp Club was played on tlie Calgdopn Grpund tgday ip the presence of five or Bix thousand spectators. TheweatiWr was all that could be desired. Whatman winning the tosß, played with a stiff breeze wbioh was blowing, The visitors were forced down shortly after starting by a iick from Kestieux, the ball just striking tho bar. This was from a penalty kick. Masterton, with a good vrush,'took the plfiy tp tlm Aftinlbra's' twenty-five lag, where H. ' secured., the ball • A Mtii's'of lrffejW! and specul'ut* ipg, pottef |n.jt|most impossible goal; This roused up tho Alhambras, and

they looked dangerous many times, no score was recorded, Noel missing V - at least two good passes when ho was •; ; almost certain to have scored,: The ■;! -: general opinion was that the loual . ' men Lad pumped out the visitors, and when ends wero chanM, they would walk over them. This • proved to be the oase, for though the breeze died away to nothing, the visitors were on the defensive for almost the whole of this spell, and ' though they struggled hard the Alhambras scored six tries, two o( which Restieux converted, bunging tho total up to—Alhambraj 18 points; Mas'erton, 4. The Masterton for- ' wards played a: fine game, and ,'we wonderfully quick on the Ally ibra - backs," but 'the local team ha/jtaft. combination, and held their in the scrum j 'in faot, they tho ball almost every, time. They were also superior in tlie open. Perry, half-, back, and Thompson,, three-quarter, played a splendid'gamo, saving tlieir side time after time. For tho local j*? team 0. Crawfurd was as' brilliant v arid trioky as ever, but the other backs were not up to. last year's form. 0. B. Bowler waß referee, and gave general 1 satiefuotion. The crowd was very impartial in its applause.