FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2202, 28 May 1908, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

Tho following havo boon selected to represent the Thursday players against tho Saturday players in tho match on AVednesday, Juno 3rd: Full-back, 11. Puilott; throo-qunr-tors, Campbell, Dustin, and Smith; live-eighths, Thompson and Kaipara; half; Grinlinton; forwards, J. Newton, Nicolas, AA\ AVilkinson, Scott, Sovmour, Winter, Higgs, and Morse (-fiaijg). Emergencies: Holden, Cramp, R. AA'ilkinson, Bragge, and B-ayley. The Thursday representatives will play in tho colors of tho Gisborne Club (Royal blue), and tho players aro requested to obtain tlio loan of jerseys from members of that club.

A match will bo playod at To Karaka to-day botwoen teams representing Motu and To Karaka. .Tlio Koiti-City team to play against AA'ost End next Saturday is as follows : H. Puilott, Mullanoy, McKay, Gillies, Rowo (captain), Grinlinton, Abidance, Nicolas, Delaney, Grant, Scott, Lowe, Morso, AA'intor and Stagpoolo (wing); emergencies, Grenfell, Dustin, Brnggo, and McPherson. WELLINGTON V. BRITISH TEAM.

THE VISITORS DEFEATED

(Pross Association.) AA'ELLINGTON, May 27

Tlio Anglo-AA'elsh team mot tho Wellington representatives at Athletic Park this aftornoon, and was defeated by 19 points to 13. The weather overhead was fine, but tlio ground was on ■ the soft side, and a faint northerly breeze was in ovidenco throughout. Tho attendance was officially given as 18,000, and tho takings amounted to £ll2p. Tlio gamo was fiercely - contested on both sides, tho forwards in particular giving a fine exhibition of their nippiness and strenuousness, nullifying tho efforts, to a material extent, of the rival rearguards. The smashing tactics of the scrummagens was felt so keenly and strongly by the backs that the latter were barred repeatedly from exercising passing and running tactics. There wero inaccurate 'manipulations of the leather on numberless occasions by tho back divisions, and the passing was infrequently inaccurate -and ill-timed. This remark applies to both sides. At times the visiting backs gave ovidenco of slicfcness, quickness ,and speed, and only tho hard and sure tackling of the AA'ellington forwards stopped their chalk-mark from being crossed oftenor. In scrum work neither side could claim to have a material advantage, tho Britishers being slighly superior ill tight work, while tho local vanguard wero seen -at best advantage in open play. The visiting players gained repeated stretches of territory in throwing out tho ball on the line owing to the home team leaving sev.mal ° f ,,. tllcir opponents unmarked. Iho Wellington forward brigado shapbetter than was expected, and worked cohesively time after timo, and m the end of the spell drove homo an attack with telling force, bjj* over-eagerness caused them to get olt-sido, and tho visitors were enabled to clear their citadel from danger by penalty kicks.

The Britishers were handicapped for some time by the loss of their lull-back (Jackett), who received a nasty knock on the head in stemming a fierce AA'ellington forward onslaught. Dyke, who was taken out of J the forwards, replaced him and did fine saving service. Jaokett came on again when tho Britishers had notched 8 points, playing in the threequarter line. A stubborn fight among the forwards was responsible for players on both sides being temporarily disabled., .The pace was made a cracker by tlio rival vanguards, and a suspension of hostilities, owing to a playor being knocked out, gave them an acceptable breather. Wellington, playing with tho wind and sun behind them, in the first spell notched 11 points, Roberts and Hardham being tho try-getters, AA'allace converting the latter’ try. In the succeeding spell Thomson, for Wellington, notched a try, Roberts adding the major points. Then the visitors got to work, J. F. Williams, L. Williams, and McEvedy - crossing the home team’s chalk-mark, Dykes converting on two occasions. A few minutes to no-side, Green slipped across the British goal-line. AA'ellington won the toss, and England kicked off. The latter was soon aggressive, Thomson checking a dangerous rush on his own line. AA'ellington worked the ball into the visitors’ territory, and from a scrum Green secured possession. He beat Davy and Laxon (halves), and passed to Roberts, who eluded the full-back and touched down. AA'allace failed at goal. The visitors indulged in two fruitless passing mslies near the quarter'flag. Roberts then got possession and ran through the opposing cordon of backs, and gave a timely pass to Hardham, who burst over the line. Wallace -added tho major points. Shortly after, Hardham broke away, but neglected to pass to Greon, who was lying handy, and throw away a splendid scoring chance. Strong counter-charges among tho forwards was followed by a pretty piece of concerted passing by J. A. AVilliams and Gibbcs, the latter being bowled into touched when looking dangerous. Jackett at this stage retired temporarily, liis place at full being filled by Dyke. ’The Wellington backs opened up tlio play, but indecision and fumbling on tlieir part "failed to gain much headway. From a scrum near the visitors’ line, Green cleverly baffled bis opponents, and slipped across the line, Roberts failing to notch the extra points. The first feature of tho second spell was a fine bit of passing between Mitchinson and Wallace. The latter lost lM>3session of the ball, but recovered himself and drove it up the field. Thomson raced down at a great bat but over-ran the ball when within a couple of yards of tho goal-line. Another passing rush was set in motion by Mitcbinson, who transferred to Wallace, who ip turn sent the leather on to Thomson, who showed a clear pair of heels to his opponents and raced behind the posts. Roberts converted The visitors now. put plenty of energy and. ginger into their ivork, and the sequence to a strong assault on tho AA'ellington citadel was Evenson making a miss-kick and tho leather being smartly grabbed by J. F. AA'illiams, who touched down. Gibbes failed at goal. Encouraged by this success, the Britishers made a succession of liot attacks in AA'ellington territory, where from a 6cruin Davy got possession. Ho baffled Roberts and transferred at tbe right moment to J. L. AA'illiams, who went clean through tho AA'ellington three-quarters and full-back -and oyer tho goal-line. Dyke converted. The visitors -still kept up the pressure, ami tbe local men’s hands wero full in repelling the invasion. At length AA'ellington assumed the offensive, and tbe Britishers were called upon to exercise tlieir best defensive abilities to ward off danger. On successive occasions the AA'ellington forwards, aided by Green and Roberts, penned tlieir opponents on the latter’s goalline, but over-eagerness caused them to infringe tlio rules, and tbe Britishers bad acceptable saves per medium of free-kidks. Dyke ' distinguished himself by robbing Wellington ot two seeming scores by sound tackling anu smart kicking. The struggle was suspended at intervals owing to Green and Roberts -and then Down being laid out. A brilliant, rush by the British vanguard downfipld wound up with McEvedy getting possession of the leather. lie finished up with a splendid sprint by going ovel '„wf AA'ellington line. Dyke was successful at goal. '•The excitement was now intense, -and both ' te “™ s ..P*‘3 et * deadlv earnestness. AA'ellington gradually shifted play into tlieir opponents’ quarters, and Roberts, up in the loose, cleverly transferred to Mitchinson, who sprinted across the line and scored a clever try, which was not converted- BJaS! .WP in tho Britishers’ quarters when the whistle sounded for lio-side The Anglo-AA'ales team was the same as that played -at Masterton, excepting that Harding and Sroitg wero’ replaced by Down and Dyke. 'ffigre wag go gUoratwri in two '*

lington team -as originally published. Groen was undoubtedly tlio hero or tho match, and on his showing proved his undoubted claim to a placo in tlio Now Zoalaud team. Roberts also So d Ur"iU.l. back, Davy, Gibbcs, McEvedy, -and, Dyke did sterling service. All tho forwards in tlio rospcctivo vanguards did oxcoHent work, and no player txmld bo singled out for special excellence on oitlioi side.