FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4101, 30 April 1892, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

[By Diogenes,]

The following items, by " Referee" in the Dunedin Star, will be interesting to Mdsterton Footbnllors Tho all-absorbing topic in football circles during tho past week has been iheMasterton* Alhambra match, After tho decisive victory of thu Northerners ngainet Merivale on-Monday, tbe chances of their Dunedin opponents were freely canvassed, and up till within tho twenty-four hours prior to tho galuo the local representatives were not regarded with particular favour, But on Wednesday evening are-action set in, and all day Thursday the Alhambra supporters were confident as lo the issue, The game ended, as I predicted, in favour of the local men, 'owing to their superior combination.,

The points of the game and details of the play having already been commented on at length, it is unnecessary for me to dilate further thereon. It has, however, not been stated in print that at the smoke conoert given in the evening to the visitors Mr Whatman, tbejr captain, speaking with twentyone years' experience ns a football playor both in England and against the best teams in the colony, openly declared that the Alhambra team were, in his opinion, not only the premier club in New Zealand, but that with their combination they were good enough to try conclusions with any of the Rugby Unions, Tho Mastorton men admitted that they wero beaten, at all branches of tho game, but they bad learned a lesson in passing which they would profit from. There was a manly ring about Mr Whatman's remarks which showed that he knew how to take a beating without putting forward lame or impotent excuses, and he was heurtily and deservedly cheered ou resuming his seat. A question I heard asked scores of times on tho Caledonian Ground on Thursday waß how came it about that the Masterton men did not journey straight on to Dunedin and play the strongest team when their full forces would be available? The majority of my readers are doubtloas slill asking themselves the same question, so I'll make a reply. The Merivale Club had agreed to pay tho visitors their expenses, and the Masterton men therefore thought that as a matter of right the first game should be played in Ohristohuroh, The rules of the Otago Rugby Union, on the other hand, prevent any of their affiliated clubs either giving or receiving gatemoney. In this respeot our Union holds a unique position, I believe that it is as good as settled that the Alhambra Fifteen will pay the Masterton men a return visit before the end of this season. The only difficulty will probably be in the way of funds; but 1 feel certain that if the matter is energetically taken up and a concert given in tho Garrison Hall in a couple of months' time, the appeal will receive a genuine response, Among the friends of the north end club will .be found sufficient musical and dramatic talent to provide an entertainment that should be well worth seeing, If the match does even tuato—and there seems to be no other obstacle in the way, as all tho players seem confident of getting tho necessary leave—may your contributor ' Referee' be in Masterton to see it.