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ATHLETIC SPORTS.
FOOTBALL NOTES.
BY FARE KICK
There were few matches of any interest
played on Saturday last, the principal being
that between the St. Kilda and Melbourne
clubs, on the St. Kilda ground. The St.
Kilda and University clubs have lately joined
their forces together, but, as l believe many
of the latter club object to the amalgamation,
I fear it will not greatly improve the team
The Melbourne, having won the toss, elected
to kick to the south goal, but with the ex-
ception of having the sun at their backs no
other advantage was gained, as no wind was
blowing. Immediately after the game was
started the Melbourne men rushed the ball
down to the St. Kilda goal, and Marshall, by
a neat piece of play, scored first goal for the
metropolitans. Nothing daunted the St.
Kilda men played up, and when half
time was called no other goal had been
obtained, though the Melbourne men had
the ball frequently close to the poets, but
owing probably to the ball being very
light and slightly out of shape, the kicking
was not so true as it might have been. After
half-time the game became a very one-sided
affair the Melbourne having it all their own
way, the play of Sillett, Johnson, Kneen, and
Loughhnan being especially good, whilst
M'Donald, Anderson, and Murray, for St.
Kilda, did their utmost to avoid defeat, but
without avail, as three more goals were
secured by Melbourne, being , by
Towle, Freeman, and Sillett. Just at the
finish of the game, Towle again sent the ball
through the posts, but the central umpire
decided that he ran too far without dropping
the ball, so no goal was allowed. Mr. Andrew
Loughnan acted as skipper for the Melbourne
team, with Mr. Freeman as vice, whilst St.
Kilda was under the captaincy of Mr. Green-
wood. Mr. H. Budd, as central umpire, was
decidedly out of place, displaying not the
slightest energy or interest in the game, and
he often seemed at a loss when appealed to
for an infringement of the rules.
The match arranged to have been played
between twenty of the Carlton Club and
twenty-five of the police force, captained by
Mr. John Conway, fell through, owing to the
latter being unable to get their players to-
gether, but in its stead nineteen of Carlton
met twenty-three players chosen from the
Clifton and Hawthorn Clubs, under the
captaincy of Mr. Prevot. The game needs no
description, the old club winning easily with
six goals to their opponents nil, Dedman
being credited with four, Newing and Nudd
kicking one each.
On the Albert-park ground the East Mel-
bourne and Albert-park clubs tried conclu-
sions, the game terminating in a draw.
Bracken, the Albert-park captain, won the
toss, and the ball on being kicked off was
immediately forced behind the East Mel-
bourne posts, Murphy missing an easy chance
of scoring a goal for the Parkites. The ball
was soon set rolling again, but only
to be rushed back to the East Mel-
bourne goal, several chances being massed
during the game, and when time was
called neither side had succeeded in kicking
the ball between the posts, the goal seeming
to bear a charmed life. Messrs. Baker,
Bracken, and Spence played hard for the
Albert-park club; Dalton (captain), Blair,
and Gunn showing up well for the East
Melbourne, the last, in particular, playing
brilliantly. Mr. F. Allan acted as central
umpire, and his decisions gave entire satis-
faction to both sides. Before the game com-
menced Mitchell, one of the East Melbourne
players, was objected to, on the ground that
he had played before this season with the
Richmond Football Club; but, after a deal
of wrangling, he was allowed to play as a
substitute—rather an unwise decision, as this
is a rule that should be strictly enforced.
The members of the Melbourne Football
Club mastered in great force on Monday
evening last at Oliver's Cafe, Collins-street,
the occasion being the presentation of a
handsome gold chain and locket; suitably
inscribed, to Mr. Benjamin Goldsmith, the
late captain of the club, on the eve of his
departure for China. Dr. Ford, the presi
dent, in making the presentation, referred
in feeling terms to the universal esteem in
which Mr. Goldsmith was held by every
member of the club, and the severe loss the
club would sustain by his departure, to which
the recipient appropriately replied. Several
songs were sung doting the evening by the
gentlemen present Mr. Goldsmith left for
Sydney, per Barrapool, on Tuesday, many
members of the M.F.C. being present to bid him farewell.
The quarrelsome disposition displayed by
the members of the first twenty of the North
Melbourne club on one or two occasions
appears now to be extending itself to the
second twenty. The match between the
second twenties of that and the Albert-park
clubs, on Saturday last, very nearly termi-
nated in a general row. The ball, it appears,
was kicked by one of the Albert-park men
through the posts, but in going through hit
one of the spectators, on which the North
Melbourne, immediately objected to a goal
being allowed, being ultimately, after disputing
some 20 minutes, gave away, and allowed the
goal. This system adopted by some of the
younger clubs of disputing the umpire's
decision on every possible occasion is rapidly
spreading, and requires to be put down with
a firm hand;
At a special general meeting of the Mel-
bourne Football Club, on Thursday evening,
Mr. Chas. Forrester was elected captain, vice
Mr. Goldsmith, resigned; Mr. W. F. Free-
man, secretary for the first twenty, vie Mr.
Angus Cumming, resigned; Mr. Alex Munro
secretary to the second twenty; and Mr.
Robert Sillett treasurer.
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