South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Monday 3 August 1885, page 3


LACROSSE.

Noarlunga has been so privileged as to witness the first lacrosse match ever played in the colony. A chosen team of members of the Adelaide Lacrosse Club, with friends,

were conveyed on Saturday alternoon to the pleasant rural town of the Horseshoe, which, to welcome the visitors, waved all its flags and displayed all its people, besides scores from the region round about. The game was played upon the pretty local re-creation-ground, which was only a little rough. Mr. Wainwright was the local captain, and Mr. Paterson was the chief of his city opponents. Mr. H. Conigrave was umpire. The Adelaide team were all clad in their white and navy-blue costumes. The Noarlunga were arrayed in attire of Oriental magnificence and variety; bright scarlet was the prevailing colour, and the effect of the two combining as the players became mixed at exciting stages was very picturesque. The game was, after a hard struggle, withdrawn. The local people got the first goal in the first half, the visitors the second in the second half. It is only just to say, however, that the city players, having had most practice, had the ball nearly all the time close to the Noarlunga goal. Their captain wisely massed his men there, and thus kept the enemy off. There were at least a dozen narrow escapes, however, and the interest towards the close was very keen. Some of the players became strongly excited ; one old footballer so much so that at a critical time he dropped his crosse and began to kick the ball. In this way and in others— especially in the direction of shintying and batting—there were on Saturday several departures from the strict rules of the game, particularly on the part of the Noarlunga men, none of whom had seen it played before they began to play it themselves. Neverthe-less, the greatest good feeling prevailed. At half-past 5 the players plastered up their skinned knuckles and mollified their smart-ing wounds. At 6 most of them enjoyed a cold plunge into the river. At 7 they were seated at a dinner provided by the local club, Mr. Wainwright in the chair ; Mr. Paterson his vis-à-vis. Songs were sung, speeches were made, and toasts were given. Mr. Conigrave proposed "The Noarlunga Club," Mr. Wainwright responded, and proposed "The City Club," whose captain suitably replied, mentioning that he hoped to play the return match on the Adelaide Oval late in August, or on the Kensington Oval early in September. The visitors drew up in Ade-laide at 10 o'clock, having thoroughly en- joyed themselves.