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The Spike: or, Victoria College Review, October 1910

Football

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Football.

Another season has just closed, with its victories, defeats, surprises and disappointments, and one is tempted to make comparisons with the results of former years.

Speaking generally, our football has improved. We put four fifteens into the field every Saturday, and each team, though not the champion in its class, has acquitted itself creditably. The first fifteen has undoubtedly greatly improved, and from being the holders of the "wooden spoon," has become a power to be reckoned with. Two of our seniors, Ryan and Curtayne, represented the district, Ryan in A team and Curtayne in B team. As far as can be judged now, our firsl fifteen next year should be able to hold its own with the best of them. This becomes more apparent when one considersthe promising material in the juniors.

Last year our second team, playing third class, won four matches (one by default), losing five and drawing one; this year, playing second-class, they won five by default, Lost five, and drew with the Orientals, who were near the championship. Surely this marks a very great improvement. We still suffer from lack of members, for should any of the first fifteen be injured, the effect is felt even in the fourth grade. This year we played the usual friendly game with Canterbury College, on the Athletic Park. Neither College was represented by its best team, and an uninteresting game, the greater part of which was played in heavy rain, resulted in a victory for Canterbury by 5 to 3, Langridge scored for Canterbury, Marckson being successful with the kick. Stainton scored for v.C., but Curtayne failed with the kick.

First Fifteen

When The Spike went to press last we had three wins to our credit, and three games of the first round to play. Of these, we reckoned that two were as good as won, and the third—Well, it was doubtfuful.

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Our expectations were not realised, because that wreeker of College sports, the term holidays, happened to come along before these games were concluded, and our record was as follows:—

v. St. James. This game, set down for Karori, was, owing to the wet weather, transferred to Miramar. Even here the ground was very wet and extremely rough. We lost by 16 to nil, after a very ordinary game, spoiled to a great extent by erratic refereeing.

v Hutt, at Hutt. This game, played on the first Saturday of the term holiday against the weakest team in the competition, resulted in a runaway victory for us, 25 to nil being the score. This surprised the Hutt, and many others, as the Hutt had. on the previous Saturday, put up a strenuous fight against the Poneke, and were defeated by but three points. Despite the fact that our follows had been frivolling at the Students' Carnival, they played the best game of the season. All played well, but Ryan and Faire excelled. Faire scored three tries, and should have scored another, but the referee's lack of knowledge of the "Laws of Motion" interfered. Faire's fine try was the result of the finest run made by any v.C. footballer. The remaining tries were scored by Phillips (2), Stainton and Curtayne (one each). Only two tries were converted, one by Curtayne, the other by Ryan.

v Wellington. This game, played at the Athletic Park, was the greatest disappointment of the season. We put a weak team into the field, but were confident of victory. Alas! we lost by 12 to 5.

In the second round we played but two matches, and lost both.

vOld Boys. We met this team for the second time, and should have won, but after a month's spell our fellows were out of form, and lacked scoring power. We lost by 5 to 3.

vWellington, at Miramar. The last match of the season saw us again "biting the dust." The Wellingtons were a much improved team, and we suffered defeat by 5 to nil. Here ended our chapter of accidents, for Faire broke his collar bone.

Summary.

Matches played, 12; won. 4; lost, 8. Points for, 84 against, 88.

Second Fifteen.

Towards the latter part of the season the Juniors, despite a large number of promotions to fill gaps in the ranks of the Senior team, acquitted themselves creditably, and their record for the season stands as follows:—Played 11, won 5, lost 5, drawn 1. The following games were played in the vacation and second term:—

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v. St. Johns. A good game against fair opponents. We desreved

the win. and got it. Won 14 to 3. v. Southern. A poor game against weak opponents, most of whom were pressed into service on the ground, and who had the tired feeling very badly. Won 33 to nil.

v. Selwin. Lost 18 to 9. A good hard game against strong team.

v. Melrose. Won by default. v. Wellington. The match of the season. Played with 11 men against a full team. Every back was equal to two, every forward was a hero. Won 5 to nil.

Third Fifteen.

The second lap began when the majority of the members of our team were away for the vacation, and in consequence the only match which we had to play while they were away we lost, but only by a small margin. In this match, a team of thirds and fourths were defeated by Wellington (not the reps.) by 3 points to nil.

Since the vacation the teams have not been up to their usual standard, owing to the laziness of their captain and several other members, who had engagements on several Saturday afternoons. Great praise is due to Melody for the way he cared for the team on the occasions. The result of the matches is as follows:—

v. Orientals. The leading team for the championship. We put in a strong team and surprised them, and ourselves, by winning by 9 points to 6. "Major'' Dobbie scored two nice tries, and Inder kicked an easy penalty, but failed to convert either try.

v. Wellington College. Great was the fall thereof. We were conceited because we had defeated Orientals, and thought, with our team of nine emergencies, we would win. We lost, and the referee forgot the score after 45—nil.

v. Porirua. Our next courageous deed was to go out to Porirua with ten men and be beaten by them by 14 to nil. With a full team we could easily have won this game.

v. Athletics. By this time we were getting used to playing with less than a full team, and when thirteen men turned up at Karori to play Athletics we were not at all surprised to win by 11 to nil..McConnell, O'Shea and Melody each did their share of scoring, and Melody showed he knew how to convert his own tries.

v. Southern. Our match against this team on September 3rd was one that should be recorded. Sixteen men turned up, and if we could have played them all and a few more Juniors, we would not have been defeated by 12 to nil. We still have to play Petone, but perhaps it is as well that we will not have an opood one for practice, and a result of this match.

The season has been a good one for practice, and a good one for pleasure, but for honour—!

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Senior Football Fifteen, 1910

Senior Football Fifteen, 1910

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Fourth Fifteen.

v. Poneke. Won by ll to 8. Tries were scored by Wood, McConil and McCormick, McCartney converting one.

v. Selwyn, Won by 13 to 10. Tries were Bcored by Burridge, Edie and McConnell. Mackay converted two with good kicks.

v. Old Boys. Lost by 10 to nil. Played three men short, which, in conjunction with the heavy ground, tired the forwards before the end of the game.