GRAFTON V. PONSONBY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 168, 29 July 1901, Page 3

GRAFTON V. PONSONBY.

(Grafton, 9; Ponsonby, 0.)

Grafton continued their victorious career by defeating Ponsonby on the No 2 ground. Ponsonby won the toss and defended the northern goal, Graf ton kicking off in steady nun. Central play confined to the forwards followed tine opening until Francis neatly dribbled down to Graftons quarter. The black and whites returned to centre and with a loose rush swept down to Ponsonby's 25. Here for an unfair put in Grafton were awarded a free kick, McKenzie'a shot going just outride the post. The blue and blacks then rallied, Und with a nice rush transferred the scene of hostilities, Francis making' a poor shot at goal from a penalty kick. Directly after Grafton were penalised, and from the kick at goal Marshall forced. Playing up well the blues kept their opponents on the defensive, McKenzie relieving by a fine kick, well followed up. From open play Taylor picked up and after a nice run passed out to Hay, who crossed the line, but lost the ball, and Ponsonby forced. At midfield Upton kicked up to Graiton's quarter, and following up waß almoat across the line, but the defence was too sound and the pressure was relieved by a mark by Kiernan. This was followed by a scrum at the quarter, from which Kiernan kicked out to Hay, who, making a very clever run, scored near the corner. McKenzie took the kick, but the angle was too difficult. Grafton, 3; Ponsonby, 0. At the opening of the second spell play was dull and uninteresting, a little relief being afforded when from a scrum Kiernan threw out to Taylor, who sent on to McKenzie, but the latter in dodging slipped when a score looked certain, and Hay sent the ball across, but it travelled over the dead ball line. Grafton continued their attack, and from loose play Campbell picked up and passed to McKenzie, who beat a couple of men and scored Grafton's second try. Thompson made a poor shot at goal. Grafton, 6; Ponsonby, 0. From central play Campbell kicked -well up the field, and following up just failed to cross the line owing to the slippery ground, a dead ball being the result. The attack was kept up for some time, McKenzie making an unsuccessful pot at goal, and a straggling rush, in which Doran figured prominently, carried the ball tio Grafton's half, where Lendrum made a dangerous run, but was stopped just in the nick of time, and the ball went into touch in goal. Tbe black and whites again attacked, McGregor kicking well up the field from centre. Following: up his kick he dribbled right to the line, but his long sprint in the mud just about "cooked" him, and Stokes was able to beat him in the final dash, and the ball was carried back to midfield. Continuing the aggressive, the easterns worked the ball to the goal line, where Cucksey carried across and registered another try. Stirling took the kick, but failed to increase the score. Grafton, 9; Ponsonby, 0. The whistle sounded no side soon after.

NOTES,

The ground, as has so often been the case lately, was a regular quagmire, and decent football was out of the question. Some few score of enthusiasts followed the fortunes of the game, but they were forced to be content with very occasional flashes of interesting play. The Grafton forwards as a whole played much below their usual form, combination being practically an unknown quantity, while on the line outs they marked anwhere and anyhow. Individually Shand, who has been improving all along, was one of the most prominent, while McGregor was also conspicuous in the open.

Kiernan at half got in some smart work, but Taylor did not play up to his usual wet day form, and Campbell wa? also a bit patchy. Bug Hay played his usual clever game, his try being the result of a particularly smart piece of work. _ The losing vanguard showed better combination than their oppononets, and got on some fine rushes, in most of which Doran, the winder, was handy to the ball. Dunlop played a •rood game, and Francis was responsible for some good line^ kicks Among the backs Upton and Lendrum both played solid, useful games,

the latter showing1 some of his old form in a streaky run made in the second spell. Stokes, at full back, kicked well and tackled fairly in the muddy ground. Some of too onlookers were rather loud in voicing their condemnation of the referee. If that gentleman did occasionally let the game go on after the commission of a breach of the rules, well, none of ns are infallible, and the most violent partisan could not say there was any one-sidedncas exhibited. Peams should surely sen that the line umpire nominated by them in familiar with at least a few of the fundamental principles of the game so that a side may be spared the pain of hearing that a ball hitting a flag- is not out of bounds unlesii it strikes on tho outer part of the stick. Thiß is what occurred on Saturday, and the mistake very nearly resulted disastrously tor Grafton, for the Ponsonby forwards continuing fl rush which should have been clicked earned the oval to within a few yards of the line.