GRAFTON V. NORTH SHORE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 131, 4 June 1900, Page 3

GRAFTON V. NORTH SHORE.

(Grafton, 4; Shore, 3.) Graf ton played the North Shore team on the Devonport Domain, and "won a hard fought game by the doi--xcnv margin of one point. Shore won Ihe toss, and kicked off with the sun at their backs. The visitors were at once put on the defensive, the forwards working- the ball down the field. Jfrom about the quarter line MeClusky got possession, and a splendid passingrun, in which Wynyard, Gerrard and Frankham also took part, ended in the Jatter scoring. Neighbour failed to jponvert. North Shore 3, Graf ton 0.

The black and white then assuill6^ the aggressive, and carried the ball along to the other end of the field, a pas^iny \ run just being stopped in tim* fj"ul- j ton continued to press and a tO'-'ch in | goal followed a forward rush. ike.for- j wards again carried the ball)-0 the line, and from a scrum in front of the : goal Che visitors' pack heeled otit, and Kiernan picking up potted a nfJ-t goal. Grafton 4, North Shore 3. A. bad return from a kick saw Graf ton again | on the defensive, but a smart forward ■ rush relieved, carrying- the kali to | Shore's 25, and after play in tjt'ir territory Shore were again eoinjifl'i"d to force. Store opened the second speli with i : determined rush, carrying tie ball : down to their opponents' line, where, i from a mark by McKenzie, ffynyard i had an ineffectual shot at goal, and the ball went in Graf ton's territory. A run by Kiernan, Campbell anil U. Hay carried play to Shore's 25, .Gerrard stopping. The Shore forwards carried back to half way, and a poor return by Stewart saw the leather out in Grafton's 25. The black and whites then returned the play to the other j end of the field, Gerrard running i behind the line a. scrum ensued five, j yards out. The home team carried the balL back along the line, and McGregor followed up by a long kick, and spoiled J Gerrard's return, a score being averted | by his going out of bounds. From the | throw in a force resulted. rflie blacks were kept on the defensive, ai'ree kick relieving a very dangerous position. On the call of time the Store team | worked the ball into Grafton's territory, but could not cross the line.

NOTES

The play was mainly of a forward character, and was fairly fast. The home pack played with a good deal of combination, and were smarter at getting round the bail than were the

Graftonites. MeClusky and Bakewell were the pick of the front row, the former being particularly good on the line out. Neighbour played §■ hard game, but was off-side far too much

for a seasoned player. Of Grafton's front division Brady. McGregor and Wooler were the most conspicuous. McGregor shaped well on the line-out, and was always well ahead in the rushes aud the following up. Kiernan played a good game behind the pack, and Campbell and the two Hays were good in the three quarter division, Campbell's pace beingpartieularly valuable, on one or two occasions. Stewart, at full, got in some good line kicks, but was times rather slow at getting rid of the oval. Wynyard, Gerrard and Frankham were the best of the Shore backs. Wynyard, who runs straight and passes after beating his man, promises to develop into a very good five-eighths.