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FnnTRAT.U
ADELAIDE V. JN OB WOOD.
Over 5,000 people assembled at tne Ade
laide Oval on Monday afternoon to witness
the match between the Norwoods and Ade
laides, which proved the best contest of the
season. From start to finish the game was
extremely fast, and it was only about a
quarter of an hour before time was called
that it was possible to predict tha final issue.
As both clubs were running for first position
more than usual interest was taken in the
game, and throughout the match the specta
tors were wound up to a high pitch of excite
ment, and when at half-time the result of an
extremely even contest gave both teams the
same number of goals the utmost interest
was taken in the continuation. The Adelaide
supporters after the exhibition of the metro
politans on Saturday put the utmost
faith in their men, while on the
other hand the Norwoods, not having pre
viously sustained a defeat, were looked upon
as almost invincible by their own men.
With beautiful weather and the turf in good
condition both teams commenced at 3 o'clock.
The city team had replaced Pettinger with
Phillips, while the Norwoods lamented the
absence of W. Richards and King. Roberts
'won the toss, but the wind being very light
he elected to kick to the city goal When
the ball was kicked off the utmost silence
'prevailed, but immediately after the partisans
'of the different clubs began to shout, and
continued their cheers as the game alternated.
Rowe was the first to become prominent with
a mark, but Hamilton following suit in the
centre called on Shaw. He overran the ball
and the Adelaides were jubilant. Gwynne,
Roberts, and finally Roachock turned the
tide, and within five minutes of the start, the
ball having gone all over the ground, sought a
resting-place in C. Wood's hands. The
recruit showed his calibre by making a splen
did goal. Sharlard was prominent from the
kick-off, and again the game became ex
tremely fast. Almost every player on the
ground was prominent at times, and as the
spectators gave their lungs no rest the game
was exciting. Several men on both sides
woiked with all their might, but the speed of
the Adelaide players told, and the ball
rapidly traversing the ground R. Stephens
secured and paaBed to Hamilton in the Nor
wood territory, and the game was equalized,
the Adelaides ju&t previously having got a
behind. The city team, encouraged by their
success, played with great dash, and R.
Stephens again coming to the fore let in A.
King, who was good enough for second goal.
Within three minutes 01 the other point
Giles returned the kick-off, and the Adelaides
showed their Bpeed by besieging the Nor
woods. Reid then secured the ball,
and passing to R. Stephens the Adelaide
crack got third goal just two minutes
after King had scored. With two goals
against them the Norwoods set to work, but
the Adelaides having obtained a behind were
encouraged, and neither team had any ad
vantage. All round the game was of the best
description, and it was only through a
specially brilliant performance on the part of
the ubiquitous R. Stephens that Hamilton
was fortunate enough to get the third behind
just before ends were changed at quarter
time. So far the Norwoods appeared to have
been staggered by the pace, but from this
point they had somewhat the best of matters,
although the excitement was kept up, A
Bpell of pretty even but very fast play landed
the ball amongst the Adelaide backs, and the
Norwoods had a couple of chances to get
behinds. They wiBely declined the empty
honour, and finally some nice play between
Rowe, Slattery, and C. Wood enabled the
youngster to keep up his reputation and get
second goal for the red-and-blues. Again
the game was indescribably fast, but
the Norwoods kept a point in hand,
and C. Wood was loudly applauded for a
splendid goal, kicked from a difficult angle,
After some play rather in the Adelaide's
territory had given the old team their first
behind half-time was called, the result being
—Adelaides, 3 goals 3 behinds ; Norwoods,
3 goals 1 behind. ' On starting after the in
terval the Adelaides were first to get in front,
but for a long time they could do no more
than notch a behind. The Norwoods replied
to this by giving Rowe a chance to score. He
was not eucceasf ul beyond a behind ; then
the Adelaides ran in and by using their heads
forced the pace, and Dixon, in his anxiety to
relieve, let the fifth behind be hoisted to the
redand-black. A couple of long kicks trans
ferred the ball to the gate wing, but the Ade
laide's wing men being well placed and show
ing more speed the leather again traversed
the ground and fourth goal came from a good
kick by A. King, The play was then unprece
dently brilliant, but the Norwoods prevailed
thanks to a desperate effort on the part of
Haldane in front of the pavilion, and T.
LiBton evading two Adelaides men caused the
scores to be again level. For sometime the
Adelaides were much too brilliant for their
opponents, and a couple of behinds coming to
them in a short space of time the supporters
of the new club were jubilant. Their joy
appeared to be well founded as R. Stephens
again eclipsed the field by getting fifth goal,
followed Bhortly afterwards by a wonderfully
lucky sixth from a running kick of the Bame
player's. With two goalB againBt them the
Norwoods, urged on by the cnes of their sup
porters, set to work with a will, but the
brilliant concerted play of the Adelaides was
against them, and Warren got a very lucky
goal. This appreciably disheartened the
JSorwoodB, but still the game was most excit
ing, and it only appeared a question of time.
The Adelaides playing a winning game gave
a wonderful exhibition, and although the
Norwoods gamed the applause of all by their
behind. Then from all quarters of the ground
arose cries of ' only ten minutes, Norwoods.'
and 'well done, Adelaides.' These calls
inspired both teams with new vigour, and
there was not a part of the ground which did
not see the play. At length the ball, resting
in the Adelaide's territory got very close to
their goal. Out of a lot of ' scrimmaging'
a ' red-and-blue' managed to get fifth goal,
and, encouraged by their success, the Nor
woods assumed the offensive. Their spurt
was, however, too late, aa time was called
after they had hemmed the Adelaides in and
raised the number of their behinds to 5. The
result of a brilliant game of football was—
Adelaides, 7 goals 8 behinds ; Norwoods, 5
goals 5 behinds. The brilliant and exciting
character of the play may be imagined from
the number of goals kicked, at the same time
while the Adelaides had rather the best of
matters through the greater portion of the
second half, the result waa in doubt until
ten minutes before time. Nearly every
player on the ground did well, but H
Stephens certainly won the gapis for the
Adelaides. For the winners, Reid, Phillips,
King, Hamilton, and Giles were especially
prominent, Roachock, Dixon, McGraith,
GuBter, Roberts, Woods, Bertram, and
Gwynne being about the best of the Nor
woods. At the same time there was hardly
a man on the ground who did not establish
bis claim to be regarded as a first-class foot
baller. Mr. Waldron was a most impartial
umpire. The result of the game places the
Adelaides one point ahead of the Norwoods,
The following is the scoring-list for the
season : —
Matches played. Won. Lost. Drawn.
Adelaides .5 4 1 —
Norwood - 5 S 1 1
Sonth Adelaides 4 1 -2 1
Ports M .. i — 4 —
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