I am sure you will commend our patriotism in turning up at the Old Boys' match last term, for our whole force played, whereas Cambridge did not contribute a single member of the team.

Our numbers are the same now as last term. W. C. Hall ha s come to Christ Church, and, we hope, will be a shining light there in Schools and Athletics. Still we have to mourn the loss of H. L. Shaw who has gone down. E. P. Anderson has been elected secretary of Exeter College A. F. C., an unusual honour for a freshman. He is in excellent form at half-back; in fact, we have heard on good authority that he will probably be required to fill a higher post than half-back for his college, sooner or later.

A few weeks ago we received a visit from W. W. Chamberlain, who was playing for Edinburgh University against Oxford. Besides being a champion lawn tennis player he is in the first class at Association football We must endeavour to get him to play against you this December for the Old Boys. He will treat your famous backs with a new experience in being completely run round." It was only owing to examinations that he could not play last December.

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The Rugby team of Edinburgh University gave the Oxford fifteen their first defeat for three years early in this term. Among our backs there were five Internationals but they never had a chance, and Wade, the greatest three-quarter back living, only touched the ball twice in the second half of the game. This was accounted for by the Edinburgh forwards keeping the ball so close and pouncing upon the Oxford halves before they could pass it to the three quarters. Curiously enough Edinburgh was the last team which defeated Oxford, and that three years ago.

We decline to pronounce any definite opinion as to the result of the Boat Race. Oxford are very strong and heavy and are distinctly improving now. They must become a first-class crew if they are to beat Cambridge, if reports are reliable.

We

Dr. Barnardo has just paid a most successful visit here. have determined to build an "Oxford Cottage" at his Girls'

Home at Ilford, so you may judge that he was well received.

Excuse more at present, and believe me, dear sirs, to be

CAPTAIN D. H. S. CRANAGE.
SECRETARY: J. E. B. BALL.

Old Boys' Football Match.

HAT is the reason that whenever old boys come over for the Athletics or Cricket or Football matches it is sure to be raining?" On December 13th, 1884, many asked

themselves this question; for this day had been fixed a year before as the day for the Old boys' football match. There is an old saying about " Sports' weather"; but we think that, considering the inevitable rain which comes down whenever old boys' matches are to take place, it would be best to alter the phrase to "Old boys' weather!"

The old fellows' captain had experienced unusual difficulty in raising a representative team, and only brought seven men to the scratch. Perhaps, however, it was as well that no more came to partake in the downpour and slush, which had it not been the occasion of a special match, would have frightened almost any football players. With four efficient substitutes the game was commenced. To attempt a detailed description would be ridiculous, since the only prominent pieces of good play were miss-kicks and "spills," which were too frequent to relate.

The school obtained the first goal very soon after the start, and matters began to look bad for the old boys. Soon however they mended and after a little pressure a slow shot was fired which Maxwell could not stop. These were the only points obtained up to half time.

Afterwards, owing chiefly to the fine defence of Mr. Weston and Mr. Green, the old boys were completely penned. Still very good back play on the other hand by Anderson, Rowland and Webb prevented more than two more goa's being added to the School's score. Never did Time :6 sound more welcome at the close of any game. All scuttled indoors with their uniforms all of one hue which told its tale of falls. The School win of three to one would in all probability have been increased if their captain had not been uuavoidably away at Cambridge. Still, all things considered, the score was not a bad record of the game.

Forward, for the past, Shaw played extremely hard and well but was poorly backed up. Anderson was brilliant at half-back, and Haddon most plucky in goal.

Besides Mr. Weston and Mr. Green, who were as usual to the fore on the side of the present, Buckingham, Lea and J. E. Ball were good.

The following composed the teams :—

PAST.-A. Haddon (sub) goal; J. H. Webb and E. Appleton (sub.) back; E. P. Anderson, A. H. Rowland, and G. Paul (sub) half-back; H. L. Shaw and W. Bidlake, left side; G. E. W. Cranage, centre; E. Miller and W. Appleton (sub.) right side.

PRESENT.-W. M. Maxwell, goal; Messrs. R. Weston and R. N. Green, back; J. M. Buckingham, J. S. Lea and A. E. Ball, half-back; G. W. D. B. Lloyd and H. Davies, left side; Mr. A. J. Knapton, centre; J. E. B. Ball and D. McGregor, right side.

J. S. Lea and H. Davies received their colours after the match.

Old Hall School v. Wellington Y.M.C.A.

Our first match this term, on Saturday, February 14th, was against a team chosen by Mr. H. W. Pooler from the ranks of the Wellington Y.M.C.A. Unfortunately they were not able to bring their full strength and so fell an easy prey to our men, who scored five goals to none.

The match calls for little remark, the most noticeable feature being the number of easy shots we missed. Perhaps this was partly due to the state of the ground, which was very heavy and rendered accurate kicking rather difficult, but still our score ought to have been much larger. Scarcely had the game commenced when Mr. Knapton got possession, and scored our first point. Following up this success Mr. Green got through all opponents and added goal number two. Before half-time a third point was obtained through the instrumentality of J. E. Ball. After change of ends we still had the best of the game, and, though our opponents tried hard, our backs were too much for them, and before the finish Lloyd and Cranage further increased our total.

For the Y. M. C. A. Pooler and Thomas were conspicuous, the latter stopping several hard shots; our play on the whole was fair, but no very brilliant form was shewn, especially among the forwards.

THE OLD HALL.-W. M. Maxwell, goal; Mr. Weston, back; Mr. Green, A. E. Ball and J. M. Buckingham, half-back; D. H. S. Cranage (captain) and C. H. Saunders, right side; Mr. Knapton and J. E. B. Ball, centre; G. W. D. B. Lloyd and T. 1. Davies, left side.

WELLINGTON Y. M. C. A. W. Thomas, goal; C. Chalmers and W. Bradley, back; E. W. S. Pigott, A Fance and F. Cross half-back; H. W. Pooler (captain) and C. Bailey, right side; ..right, centre; W. E'lis and J. Belcher, left side.

Old Hall School v. Newport Grammar School. Our old opponents brought over a very weak team for their match the following Saturday, and they were at a further disa Ivantage, as Howell and Pearce missed their train and did

not arrive till half-time. Mr. Wedge and Shep and played as substitutes till their arrival.

We have rarely seen a more one-sided match; our backs had scarcely anything to do and Maxwell only touched the ball once throughout the game. Directly after the start our men began to press them and after seven minutes play Saunders made a shot which hit the post, and the ball rebounding into play was put through by J. E. B. Ball. Almost immediately Saunders added a second point to be imitated soon after by Cranage. A fourth and fifth followed in quick succession both from the toe of J. E. B. Ball. After half-time, although our visitors were Low reinforced by the late comers, they did not do much better and we were able to add another four goals obtained through the agency Davies, Cranage (two) and Saunders.

The match thus ended in an easy win by nine goals to none. On the whole our play was a decided improvement on that of the previous Saturday. Davies, who has been playing very well this term, put in a lot of useful work, while the other forwards all maintained their reputation. The Newport men were much smaller than ours and although they played pluckily were quite overmatched.

The following were the sides:

THE OLD HALL.-W. M. Maxwell, goal; A. E. Ball and E. W. Appleton, back; G. M. Grace, W. H. Appleton and G. W. R. Paul, half-back; D. H. S. Cranage (captain) and C. H. Saunders, right side; J. E. B. Ball, centre; G. W. D. B. Lloyd and T. H. Davies, left side.

NEWPORT GRAMMAR SCHOOL.-S. Hawksworth, goal; P. M. Ragg (captain), back; E. Evans, H. Beeston and W. Pearce, half-back; J. Beeston and F. Wyatt, right side; Hutchinson and Jones, centre; E. G. Howell and T. Thomson, left side.

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