FOOTBALL. Hamilton Club v. Huntly Club.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2210, 7 September 1886, Page 2

FOOTBALL. Hamilton Club v. Huntly Club.

The first match between these clubi was played at Huntly last Saturday, notwithstanding the wet and boisterous weather. Hamilton won by two points (one try) to nil. Hamilton members bad been notified to take the 10.20 a.m. train, but, owing to various cauies, only six players started from the Hamilton West station. *ive others joined before the train roached Huntly. Clarken unfortunately missed the train at Hamilton, but possessing the Saxon spirit, he rode d >wn to Huntly, and was i able to play in the second spell, when he did right good work. On arrival at Hundy the Hamilton men were met by the local team. After dinner each team was pnotogra plied by Mr Redfern, of Auckland. The Huntly team were, with one or two exceptions m uniform of maroon colour, and looked exceedingly well. T. Hinton captained Hamilton, A. McNeil Huntly, # and Rev. Marshall umpired. Hinton winnmj? the toss decided to play down hill. The match was played in a paddock close to the railway station. At one end is a mil and a valley at the other. All over were numerous holes full of water. At the start Hamilton had twelve and Huntly fourteen men. Play was very fast, and during the first 45 more in Hamilton a favour. 1 The Hamilton men soon found that their opponents were plucky young men, who meant business. The Hamilton forwards worked their hardest, and ma short time succeeded in forcing down the Huntly men. Play had not lasted ten minutes, when R. Gwynne, in a desperate rush, fell with his leg bent under him, with several players on top, spraining his ankle, and he had to retire. A resident kindly took him into her house, and bathed his foot and bandaged it. Gwynne was playing a rattling game, and was much missed by the Hamilton men. Shortly afterwards W. Odium, T. Hinton, A. Maves, and I. Jolly rushed the ball to the Huntly line, and Napier Murray slipping in like an eel, secured a try, with Harris, a Huntly man, on top of him. T. Hinton tried the kick at goal, but was not successful, kicking straight being impossible, the ball slipping in the mud. The Huntly men were roused, and they pressed the Hamilton men hard, forcing them down several tunes. Besides this, the fifteenth Huntly player, Otway, turned up. The numbers were now Huntly, 15, Hamilton 11 men. Luke and Rot well, two very fast men made some splendid runs, but were unable to get past F. Odium and Guird, the Hamilton backs. Boh well i« one of the best players the Hamilton Club has played against this soason, and should have a place in any VVaikato representative team. (»eo. Mayes the Hamilton " Whiteside " was too well watched to score ; though at times it took two or three men to stop him. When time was called the score was Hamilton two points, Huntly nil. In the second spell Hamilton played up hill and Huntly down. Clarken was a welcome addition to the Hamilton men. Luke, Boswell, Ralph, and Otway of Huntly were very dangerous, arid each nearly succeeded in getting over the Hamilton line. The Hamilton men had all their work to prevent the Huntly men from scoring. In the scrummages T. Hinton, Ar. Mayes, 13. Mclntyre, W. Odium, Geo. Mayes, and N. Murray, winemen made hot work, and kept the Hwntly men in check. About the middle of the spell a Huntly man kicked the ball off side, and the ball waA ordered back, but some of the players did not hear the umpire. Guird, the Hamilton full-back, caught the ball and fell on it, the ball being wet and muddy slipped from under him, when Ralph, a Huntly forward, picked it up and ran over the Hamilton line, cluiming a try. The umpire said the ball was ordered back before it reached Guird, aud a try could not l»e got from off-side play. Huntly had the best of the second spell, although each nide was forced down moro than once. A. McNeil, the Huntly full-back, distinguished himself by his collaring and kicking. Napier .Murray, the Hamilton boy, astonished everyone. He saved his side more than once by falling on the ball wiien charged by the Huntly men.