CITY V. PONSONBY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 162, 11 July 1910, Page 7

CITY V. PONSONBY.

City and Ponsonby were drawn for Uo. 1 ground, the former putting a weak , team in the field, being without R. ilage'e, S. Magee, and Tyler, while Ponsonby were strengthened by the inclusion of A. H. Francis, who returned on Friday, after a trip to Sydney with the __;. team. City won the toss, playing t the first quarter with a fairly strong I _or*-ea_ter blowing down the ground. 1; fT-iC- -set the ball Tolling at ten o minutes past three, the exchange of kicks s ending at City's 25. City broke away, a Barratt heading a rush waich carried c the leather down tie field' and across the c line, D'Audney managing to force in t time. City came back to the attack, C and Entail had a shoe at goal, making -' a good attempt. City's forwards were C playing well, and holding their own with - the blue and blacks, and after a lot of ' loose kicking, had Ponsonby on the de- ' tensive again, but Nicholson broke away, I Jmt his pass was forward and a good *• i chance was lost. A halt was now called 1 | omng to a mishap to a player's nether a garments. On resuming, Ponsonby at- • tacked, Murray marking in a good - position, and D'Audney had a shot at goal, which fell short, and City forced. F Ponsonby w.ere on the.attack again from a %% _——-oS; but City cleared, a mark v ' "by _io_tgomery and a free-kick assist- P ing them. Eventually, City's forwards ° broke amy, and Meflhone kicked high, S Murray stopping progress with a clever ~ marie City were holding their own in * the forward, work, wmeli, however, was very ragged,- and after Ponsonby had firorked it to tbe red and blacks' line, City came away again, Petersen and P Bonella being prominent in a forward Z rush, and, Wynyard joining in, Ponsonby £ were kept busy defending. Gradually the blue and blacks cleared, Nicholson J starting a rush, which put Ponsonby on the attack, and the bell rang to change ends with play in City's 25. The exchange p of kicks ended at halfway, and for some • time play hung between the 25 and half, . The red and blacks rushing down a kick of Montgomery's, the blue and blacks' „ defence was solidly tested. Ponsonby cleared, Wright being prominent in a -p loose Tush, and then, Webb getting pos- p session, kicked high, Estall marking. A spell of loose kicking followed, a free kick sending the ball over City's line, Estall running out, instead of forcing, -n kicking but at the 25. Ponsonby at- f, tacked, but City cleared, and after c , Thomas had gained ground for his side, Sl Montgomery broke away, and then sent c , to Wylie, whose pass was faulty, and a a chance was lost. City kept up the pres- •» snre, Estall having a shot from a penalty kkk, which was a bit short, and PonEtmby relieved. The blue and blacks now took a hand in attack, Nicholson starting a rush which looked like ending -in a score, hut City backs were equal to tho occasion, and beat back the at- ?' tack. Ponsonby were soon back, and ± Francis made a great dash, but was well stopped, and City got relief in a penalty t( for a breach by Nicholson. Ponsonbv -p Tvere having a bit the best of it, but the _ play was very scraggy. The blue and blacks -were making great efforts to _, score, but their handling of the ball was * very faulty, and they failed to make they Most use of their advantage, and the q «11 rang for half-time without score. „ ■ . SECOND SPELL. pSteady rain was falling -when the E warns came out for the second spell, w -onson.y playing the first quarter with _: the rain in their faces. Estall badly mis- e< £ed the kick-oft" by Francis, and the blue B and blacks were on the attack, but their tl efforts were nullified by McGregor kick- ii """g too hard, and City forced. Ponsonby s < ]5F c working the line, but eventually k wty broke away, off-side play by Bonella a pulling them up,, and Francis had a shot B at goal, which fell short, and Stewart a: """toed, sending play -well down the p neld. City set up an attack, but Ponson- r< "y retaliated, and after loose scrambling p ru sh, in which the City backs were ham- lc Pered by the wet ball, the leather went ft across the line, and Darby following up tl last fdi on jt j and scored tne flrst try g , «J the match. D'Audney failed to con- T Ponsonby 3 g, City 0 3/ ,pf e TeTerse woke Cit y u p> and the y b ' ■ "»<*■ a turn at attack, but Francis secur- a to a nice opening, and then sent fi Unght, whose pass was faulty, and ■ W°i nia^T St ' n "' them back " Cifc y attacked *oi V ynyard gating in a nice bit of °ett and .^ >o " ISOm hy were hard pressed, S "_ relief in a force. Play was much g ■"•"• the first ' half ' P lay £roin 2 H •side- c< ! ntre from the kick-off, "both t< p ° Setting a slight advantage in turn, w °nsonby eventually being forced ti ] j .a hard kick by Buchanan. The kkk p i "vent back to Ponsonby's 25," and si I ~?l,' !reTe stacking when the bell rang w •-nange ends. Walter started the last b W_*\ and Cit y attacked, a mark by n jjw stopping progress. City attacked S "Ji and wejs Av>itfy over once or b

twice, but Ponsonby beat them back, and Blakey, kicking hard, play went down field to City's 2b. The red and blacks broke away, Bonella being prominent, J but Ponsonby came back again. At this i stage a Ponsonby player was ordered off the field for kicking an opponent. Ponsonby kept up the pressure, Minchim relieving, and kicking to "McGregor, who drew the opposition infield, and then doubled back again, scoring the softest of tries. Francis failed with the kick. Ponsonby 6 City 0 Give and take play followed the kick out, the failing light making it hard to distinguish the players. Nicholson with a nice dribble set Ponsonby attacking again, "Vlinehlm stopping progress, the red and blacks being forced immediately after. Ponsonby were still attacking, and from a throw-in close to the line, Francis shot over and scored. D'Audney's kick was wide. Ponsonby 9 City 0 The bell rang shortly after, with the score unaltered. _Ir A. E. Freeman refereed.