FOOTBALL.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 895, 8 May 1877, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

MERIVALE V. CHRISTCHURCH. The newly formed club at Merivale played their opening match on Saturday, when a picked team of their Christchurch friends met them on Cramuer square. The following are the names of those who took part in the game: Christchurch (colors, red and black) —W. Hartland (captain), C. Bolton, E. Chapman, T. Chapman, J. J. Collins, Field, E. G. Hawkes, J. Martin, Gr. S. Mathias, H. McCardell, L. M. Ollivier, Gr. J. Parker, W. Potts, H. H. Secretan, and R. T. Search. Merivale (colors, blue jersey and red stockings) —H. S. Paul (captain), Brewster, Champion, D’Emdcn, Cordon, H. W. Moore, Nalder, H. E. Peter, M. Smith, Stringer, T. Taylor, and J. Wilkin. The Christchurch captain having won the toss chose the south goal, and Moore was deputed to kick off for the blues from the north end. At the end of the first spell the result was slightly in favor of the reds, who twice compelled their opponents to touch the ball down in self defence. After a change of goals, and the ball being again kicked off some remarkably good play was shown by both sides, the Merivale team getting slightly the best of it. A series of tough scrimmages took place in various parts of the field, and eventually E. Chapman took the ball close in front of the blue’s goal, but by some good play on the part of Smith and Wilkin it was removed to a less dangerous quarter. Potts then got hold of it and tried to dash through the blues, but though his attempt was a very plucky one, he did not succeed in getting far before being collared. Smith again took the ball well down injthc red’s ground, when Field and T. Chapman rushed on to it, and quickly placed the Merivale goal in considerable danger, a tough scrimmage taking place "close to the line. On the ball coming out, Stringer got hold of it, and made a fine run for a considerable distance, and on being collared passed the ball to Wilkin, who succeeded in taking it close down to the red’s goal, but neither side obtained any definite result during the remainder of the spell. Just after the commencement of the next spell Paul got hold of the ball and made a fine run down close to the red’s goal-line, where he was well collared and held by Parker. Both sides were immediately on to the ball, and some hard scrimmaging resulted; but the blues eventually succeeded in rushing the ball over and compelling their opponents to touch it down behind their goal-line, Merivale thus scoring their first half-point. The ball was again kicked off, and Hawkes, by a fine piece of play, took it nearly the whole length of (ho ground, and well down to the

Merivalc goal-line, and a deal of close play resulted. Moore then made a run, and the ball was quickly sent well down in the red’s ground, J. Millton, by a smart bit of play, following up the advantage with a touch-down between the posts. The try —-which was an easy one—was entrusted to Moore, but owing to the ball being wet and slippery he failed to kick a goal. The Christchurch forwards were immediately all on the ball, but after a little a little scrimmaging the blues again rushed it between the posts, and w r ould have scored a force-down had it not been for a very pretty and well judged bit of play on the part of Mathias, who caught up the ball and ran smartly round the blues and well into midground before being collared. Immediately after this he made another good run, and on being collared some good passing back play took place between the reds. At the end of this spell the game stood—Merivale, 3t’- poinfs ; Christchurch, one point. After a change of goals, and without any unnecessary delay, both sides again went earnestly to work, the blues now and then appearing to gain a slight advantage. Moore kicked the ball well over the Christchurch goal line, and the reds were again forced to touch it down, Merivale adding another hardly-earned half-point to their score, making a total of four points. Up to time being called, no further advantage was obtained by either side, and at five o’clock a capitally contested match was brought to a close, Merivale being victorious by four points to UJpoints. Though a few slight mistakes were made, we have seldom seen much better all round play than was exhibited by both sides on Saturday. The success of the Morivalc team was mainly owing to their back play, which was much superior to that of their opponents, but taken as a whole, the game was capitally contested by both sides, and the Merivale Club may be congratulated on the success attending their first match.