A CHECK FOR CITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 148, 24 June 1901, Page 3

A CHECK FOR CITY.

(City, G points; Newton, G.)

This match was played in front oi 'the grandstand, Mr Peter Mackie acting as referee. City (red and black) v»an the toss, and Newton (red and white) kicked off, facing the sun. Leading off with a strong dribbling rush, in which both forwards and backs took part, Newton carried the ball within a few yards of their opponents' line, but Smith saved with a ■timely punt, and Asher, by following up, transferred play back to centre.

Here the City backs took up the runjiing. and quick passing between Young1, Asher, Magee, Smith and Thomas brought the ball dangerously xtear the Newton line. A penalty kick to the red and whites brought them relief, and a little later they were back in City's 25. The passing of the Newton backs, however, was terribly weak, and the advantage gained was as quickly lost. Young, Smith and Thomas, with a passing run, carrying ■the ball up the field again, till Robinson chocked the advance with a smart {fickle. Another passing run by the City backs, with the chance of a score at the end of it, was spoiled by Smith hanging to the ball too long1, but a little later Asher, with the help of Young, Mag-ec and Smith, crossed Newton's line and scored the first try. W. Tyler failed to convert. City, 3; Newton, 0. From the kick-off the red and blacks •7/ere the first to attack, but the passing was faulty, Smith being the chief offender. Stanaway crossed the Newton line on one occasion, but in doing so spoiled what would have been a Hcore by off-side play. Following this came a strong attack by the Newton

vanguard, but Stevens was equal to the occasion, and checked the advance. A bad mull by Smith gave the red and whites a footing again, but the centre-three-quarter made amends in brilliant style. Stanaway gave him a pass near City's 25, and Smith, vrith a fine dash, reached the centre, where he transferred to Asher. The quick accurate passing seemed to non-plus the Newton backs, and when Asher sent the ball back to Smith the latter had a clear run-in, grounding the ball between the posts. W. Tyler's attempt at goal was unlucky, the baL striking the post. City, 6; Newton, 0. Newton rallied strongly in the last five minutes of the spell, but the weakness of their passing lost them several opportunities. Just on time, however, they were awarded a penalty kick. It was a difficult angle, just a couple of yards from the line, but A. Wilson, with a fine kick, sent the ball over the bar amidst great applause. City, 6; Newton, 3.

SECOND SPELL,

The second half opened well, the ball travelling rapidly up and down the iield. It was not long before another score was registered. Woods, with a clever dribble, beat both Smi<th and Thomas, and brought the ball within a yard or two of City's line. The Newton forwards did the rest, A. Wilson scoringl. Woods' fine effort was denervedfy applauded. A. Wilson took the kick at goal, but was unsuccessful. Newton, 6; City, C. With the scores now equal the interest in the game became wonderfully keen, and both sides set to again with renewed vigour. City led off with a strong attack, to which their opponents, headed by Woods, with the ball at his foot, respondeu as gallantly. Then the red and blacks worked down the field again, and W. Tyler ha-d a couple of shots at goal, but both kicks were charged down. Fast play followed, and the excitement reached its climax when Thomas sent the ball out just a yard from Newton's goal-line. A great struggle ensued, ISewton trying to rush the ball through, while the City vanguard worked to give their backs an opening. The passing of the latter, however, broke down at the critical moment, and Woods succeeded in clearing his lines. Only five minutes remained, and wlien City penned the red and whites on their" line again excitement ran ]ii"-h, the crowd on the stand rising as°one man to watch the issue of the struggle. Again the ball went out to the City backs, and again a pass was missed and the chance of scoring lost. This was the last time that Newton's line was really in danger, for though City continued to attack the red and whites defended stoutly, and the call of time found their line intact, the game thus ending in a draw—City, 6; Newton, 6. NOTES. The match was one of the most closely contested of the season, and though there was very little brilliant play the game was full of interest. When Newton drew level with their opponents in the second spell till; excitement ran high, and towards the end the spectators rose from 'their seats in their anxiety not to miss a single point in the play. It was primarily a contest of backs versus forwards, for City played to their backs as much as possible, whereas the red and whites owed their salvation to the dashing play of their vanguard. The combination of the City backs was not no good as usual, amd the fault lay

mainly with the centre three-quarter, George Smith. Not only did he persist in running' round and so crowding1 his wings, but time and again he spoilt a line attack by foolishly hunting1 to the ball when Asher was nt his side waiting- for the pass. This fault of Smith's has seldom been so noticeable •as on Saturday. liven the brilliant piece of piny botwe.cn himself and ; Asher, which ended in a score, could not excuse such tactics. Asher, in consequence, did next pet a great mauy opening's, and was, moreover, handicapped with a lame log. Thomas, on the other wing, was steady, though not brilliant, and iMagee again did good work at iive-eigh ths, while Stevens, at full-back, acquitted himself well. Young's pluy behind the scrum was marred by a weakness for picking' the ball out of the scrum. Stanuway played as an extra back in the second spell, but did not use much head. On one occasion he excited the laughter of the crowd by collaring- one at his own men —Tyler—when the latter was claiming a mark. The kicking- of both the City and the Newton hacks was poor, a very small proportion of the kicks finding the touch-line. On the Newton side, Roberts played much better than usual in the three-quarter line, and Woods put in really good work, notably some clever dribbling-. Kobinsou, the other three-quarter, showed very good defence, and the brothers 'Rows, at five-eighths and half, both acquitted themselves well. It is a pity that the combination of the Newton buck division is so poor. If they would Isaru to pass properly they would be a formidable team. The forwards on both sides worked very willingly, particularly the Newton vanguard in the second spell. Though beaten for the ball in the scrums, the red and white pack more than hold their own in the open, and put in some fine loose rushes. Mr Peter Mackie made a very able referee.