FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 465, 10 June 1890, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

FIRST OF CUP SERIES-TURANGANUI V. POVERTY BAY.

Thb series of cup matches arranged has awakened a new life in football matters in the district, and Saturdaj’s game was anticipated with a large degree of interest. The Turanganui Club were unfortunate in net being able to place their best team in the field, on account of some of those selee ed finding that they could not conveniently attend. The Poverty Bay team was composed rolely of Maoris and halfcastes, and also Buffered a sight disadvantage in having to find substitutes for one or two of their be-t players. Messrs Bourn and C. L wis acted as umpires, and Mr G. Staite as referee. The following oomnrised the teams of th respective Clubs:—Turanganui: Bull back, C. Priestley; three-quarters, J. M.ugan, E. Matthews, and L. Maude ; halves, H. Maude (captain) and A f. Wa.ie ; forwards : Mitchell, ling, Featon, Bobineon, Leslie, Marshall, A. Thompson, Nesbit, and Hepburn. Poverty Bay: Full back. Butane; three-quarters. Rua (oaptair), Teeke, and Pahiwani; halvas, iruera and Moses; forwards, Pakn. Herewini, dape, Biki, Dick Heeds, Te Burn, Hamahona, and Tuahine. The game was a very fast one, and crested a substantial amount of interest on the part of the spectators. For the first five minutes of the game it appeared as though the match would be a walk-over for the Maoris, but Robinson and Matthews on the opposite side soon made themselves coa spicuous by their dashing play, well backed up by the rest of the mon, and made one or two runs, which helped the side to turn the tables and take the danger to tho Poverty Bay twenty-five, Marshall made a good attempt to score, and on being collared passed carelessly, and spoiled a good chance t f obtaining a try for his side, instead of which the ball was forced down. Both sides were very deficient in their passing, and showed very Btrikingly their want of practice. The oval being in motion again, Biki made himself very prominent by a neat dribble down the field, followed by a short run, in which he was stopped by L. Maude. From this the ball was played dangerously close to the Turanganui goal line, where tho Maoris made a desperate but unavailing attempt to score, the smartness of the Turanganuis carrying the ball to the centre of the field, and then into the Poverty Bay twenty five, where the ball was marked by Mitchell, from which Featon made a good attempt at goal, but failed, upon which the ball was smartly followed up, and the Maoris forced down. Being set in play ; again, the oval waa worked tn mid field, where j it was loosely played until half time, leaving ; the game without any score for either side. | th ugh play had been somewhat more in favor : of the Turanganui team. In the second spell the Turangenuis rushed the play into Poverty Bay twenty-five, where it was loosely played for some considerable time, when it was steadily worked back to the centre of the field, where the ball was marked by a Mauri player. Little or no advantage was gained by this, for the ball was met with judgment by the junior club reps., amongst whom Matthews, H. Maude, and Mitche l were specially noticeable for their emaitnesg, while at the same stage Morgan’s want of practice was demonstrated, as it also was at other points in the game, Rua was soon again to the fore by a neat run, which relieved his side’s goal line, and placed the ball well in the Turanganui twenty-five. The leather was then rushed from one end of the field to the other two or three times in succession, during which several good chances were lost bv the Maoris through their want of practice, Teeke being especially clumsy in his attempts to s’op the ball. From a scrummage in about mid field, the oval was played into Featon a hands, and carried by a clear run into touch. From thjs L. Maude kicked * neat g° a *-_ No further score was made during the remainder of the game, although a few good runs were made on the Maori side, who were, however, acain steadily worked into their twenty-five, where they were being hardly pressed when time was called. The Turanganui team thus won by a goal to nil, Rua did not play up to his usual form for the Maoris, and whenever he tried to dash away he was cleverly collared, Harry Maude being very sure in his grip. Biki played up surprisingly well and was the backbone of his team. He usually prefers letting some one else do the work, but he did no shirking on Saturday. Rutene, as full-back, though his kicking was very poor, proved a great source of strength to the natives, who were oftan hard pressed at close quarters. The other side were also well served in their full back, Priestley always returning the ball with mt a mull, and being smart in averting the rushes. Matthews made some dashing rune, and was always in his place when wanted, which was no easy matter when so much weight had to be fought against. The mistake made all through by the Turanganui team was in not trying to make the game an open one, when the fleet lightweights could have played to much better advantage, for there was no comparison in weight, Had it not been for the poor play of one or two of the Maori team, always at critical moments, a very different result would have been the outcome of the close play permitted. When it came to a dribbling rush the natives seemed quite at a loss, but the little bit of smart passing there waa fairly nonplussed them. Len Maude made one or two clever runs, and one smart attempt to pot a goal was not far wide of the mirk. Leslie and Wade also made use of any chance got, and Nfcbett was occasionally conspicuous, while Robinson was always on the ball. The Clubs could not have been favored with better weather for the match, the temperature being pleasant, witbout there being a breeze to favor either side.