NORTHERN UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 159, 6 July 1914, Page 8

NORTHERN UNION.

OTAHUHTPS FIRST WIN. I NORTH SHORE AGAIN BEATS CITY. BY TWO POINTS ONLY. At last Otahuhu Have pulled off a win. Throuzhout the season the Southern team has-c been lighting hard to tind a better place iv the League table, and although Saturday's rive point win over Newton. leaves them still on the bottom rung they have recently shown consistent improvement, and still have an opportunity of climbing further np the ladder. A good crowd witnessed a keen game on Victoria Tark. A record attendance assembled on the Devonport ground, where North Shore met City. The result of nine points to seven still iudicates that at least three of the teams in the senior grade arc very cven'y matched. In the opening half North Shore largely monopolised play, but In the later spell City put up a great battle, aud the local team only pulled off the victory by a penThere was a loose, scrambling game on ••Ihe Domain betsveen (Irafrou and Ponsouby, the latter winning by fifteen points to three. Oddly enough, none of the six tries scored during tiie afternoon was cons-crtcd, and some of them were easy enough. HOW THE TEAMS STAND. Following is the position of the teams as regards championship points:—

OTAHITH" V. NESVTON. Nesvtou won the toss, and played with the sun in their favour. M. Staimaway kicked off for Otahuhu. and the ball was quickly returned into loucb. From the scrum' Hurdgrave secured, and dived for the line, bin was collared, ami Nesvtou backs carried play to Otahuhu twenty-five. A good opening by Breunan returned the ball to Newton territory, where M. Stannaway secured, and scored. Hardgrave failed at goal. Otahuhu ti Newton o From the kick Cool; returned, and Newton's ('nil-back badly missed, the ball going Into touch. Newton backs tried several thces to si„rt passing runs, but the passim; was svild. and there was 110 material ailvautcce gained. Once (ilahulni were ihreateneil. and a lucky kick by SI. Slant-. away relieved the position temporarily, but Ncsvton returned to tbe at tack again, play hangiug in Otahuhtl's twenty-five for some time, and a good rush by Ncsvton backs svas stopped by Baskorville right or. the line. otahuhu forwards then took charge, and Bennett stopped thetn. but hung on too long, and svns penalised, and in a' free kick M. Staunasvay landed a nice goal. Otahuhu l"i New ton 0 Ncsvton rallied again, and from a scramble near the posts Hlra kicked a goal from the field. Otahuhu :"> Ncwtou 2 Play now continued up and down field. Otahuhu pressing the red and whites vigorously. From a good opening hy Breunan the ball went to Cook, svho made a great dash for Ihe Hue. but was collared just in time to prevent bim scoring. From a scramble Cook secured again, anil. smothering the opposition for pace, scored underneath the posts, and taking the kick hluiselt added the majority. Otahnbu K> Nesvton 2 An attempt at goal by Bowen from a free kick svas poor, and Otahuhu. again securing, rushed play back to Newton twenlylivo. when they were compelled to force. Give and take play followed, and half-time souuded svith Otahuhu pressing aud the score:— Otahuhu 10 Nesvtou Rangers 2

SS'hen pi.-y.d resumed. Cook secured, and with another fast run tried to jump over the Newton full-back, but was ill-timed. aud was collared near Ihe line. Play hung lii Newton's twenty-five for pome minutes, ■•mil eventually ihey were compelled to force. Newton were relieved again by a free kick, and from a scramble on the line lle.ilev scored. H'ira's attempt at goal was fruitless. Otahuhu 10 Newton 7> A good kick by A. Stannaw.iy found the line near tho corner, and Newton came assay again, bnt a svild pass by Bosven spoiled a good chance, and Newton secured again, but svere penalised. Otahuhu relieving svi'h a free kick. Newton returned. and svere nosy al tacking visrorously. hut over-eagerness spoiled many chances. Cook, svith a lucks' kick, put the ball out near Ihe corner, but Ncwlou forwards, who svere nosy plnylug splendidly, soon returned play to Otahuhu twenty-live, and, Hita scVuring. just missed a score. Otahuhu svere nosy tiring, svith few exceptions, and when time was called Newton were pressing the blues bard. Cook retired towards the end of the game owing lo a severe kick ou tbe back. The game ended: — Otahuhn 10 Newton Rangers 0 Referee: Mr Whitley. NORTH SHORE V. CITY. Probably the biggest crowd ever seen on the Devonport ground assembled on Saturday to witness tbe match betsveen North Shore Albion and City Hovers. Originally arranged to take place on the S'ictoria Park au alteration was necessitated which resulted in the venue being transferred to the Shore. Upwards of 200U people were in attendance, and the match svas played in ideal weather. North Shore were strengthened by the inclusion iv the team of S'lucent, late of Lower SS'aikato, at half-back. Kicking agaiust the sun City found themselves handicapped, and Shore ssvept down, iv the opening stages to be temporarily checked by a relics-Ing kick. The North Shore full-back returned the compliment, and McCulloch. dazzled by tho sun, dropped the ball for SYalters to smartly suap tbe chance and dash over. From a favourable angle Paul added the goal points. North Shore 5 City 0 From the kick-off North Shore returned to the play with great dash, and a bustling piece of work by SVeston on the left nearly resulted In further score. A disposition to fumble the ball several times nearly proved fatal to the wearers of the red and black, but ultimately City tool; up the running, and an Infringement in the scrum gave "On_i"' Asher a chance. A great kick all but found the mark. Except for a little over-eagerness in the scrum the Shore forwards svere putting in admirable work, while on the left their backs made feverish efforts to pile up the score. SVeston. playing svith great confidence, put in some cous-cientious grafting and svhen at length a penalty for not playing the ball svas given against City, Paul added another two points. -Shortly afterwards off-side play ou the part of the Shore forwards—towards which they more than once showed a disposition—resulted in a free to City, and E. Asher wiped off part of the deficiency by a skilful kid:. North Shore , 7 City .'.'.'.. •; Cp to half-time tilt! local team had tht better of the argument. Now and again the City backs shosved a glimpse of-form, but inability to get the ball cleanly away from the s.emm. and a tendency towards wild passing militated agaiust effective aggressive svork, jwhich nndontnedlv would have been their best defence.

As it was, right np to half-time they were strenuously engaged mainly In their osvn twenty-five, aud though before the interval came a penalty against Shore for not playing the ball enabled E. Asber to further diminish the margin by two poiuts. City had thus far given the impression of being considerably the' weaker team. The tirst spell ended:— North Shore 7 City 4 The opening of play iv the second half was decidedly promising. City threw themselves energetically into the fray, aud svith the spell only tsvo minutes old a clever piece of work on. the right brought tbe equalising try. The elusive "Opal" cutely tricked several Shore backs, and slipped out the ball to SVoolley, who in turn made useful prosress and transferred to Burns. The City tive-cighth dashed over for a line try, and Warner, attempting the goal kick from an almost impossible angle, ouly sent the ball along the ground. North Shore 7 City « Thanks to tbe useful work of the new half-back behind the scrum. the Shore backs frequently got on the move, and several sanguinary melees took place ou the City line. The City defence, hosvever. had gained confidence, aud managed to keep their citadel intact. Once Rogers made a live individual breakaway, but the odds svere too heavy, aud when play had again sec-sawed back to the City line one of the red and black forwards was penalised for off-side, aud once more the score was altered hy goal points, Paul comfortably lifting the ball over. .North Shore '•' City Playing In greatly improved form. City made energetic efforts to again wipe tue dciicit Horn the slate. Mansill, Burns, aud lingers all worked finely, and though "Opal" Asber, oi indomitable spirit, continued to svork wonderful ami almost superhuman feats, he svas too closely marked to very frequently get off the mark. Wriggling aud shaking off sometimes half a dozen opponents the City three-quarter was a rare handful to hob!. | but lie svas. every time overcome hy sheer 'weisbt of numbers. Hence it was not surprising that towards the cud. svhen play sensed fast and furious, the black head of "Opal" was constantly the centre of a frantic, writhing mass of legs and arms melees in which there was more than a suspicion of rough play. A desperate effort by Fox, when SVoolley bad to wildly pass on bis own line, resulted iv what was apparently a try. bin the referee ordered a scrum for a tbrow-on. and once again i ity staved off disaster. To the end both sides made tremendous efforts, but no further score ensued. A willing game, marred by over-keenness, resulted: — North Shore -J City ' Referee: Mr. SS". Murray. TONSOXBY S". GRAFTON". rON'SONBY SVINS. if the •siii'' betsveen Ponsonby and Grafton ssas lo: singularly .eieutine, it svas last ami open, and in the second speH willing euou-li * Ponsonby assumed the aggressive fi-tni the jump, aid the s-auic svas lUt v:-rr old before Lon-gbottora got over from one of a scries of scrambles. McClyinoni missel au easy kick, and Ponsonby opened the riceriuff'wiih three points. SS'ithiu ten minutes the black and whites had Ponsonby back on their osvn line again, and Owen scored a clever t." - Ifsvcrsen failed to add anything i" the score which then stood even between the teams. Savoury fell over from one of the many scrambles on the Grafton line, and again Mci'lymont was not successful in adding ihe two points, and Ponsonbv. with sii. points, had a lead of three. Half-tune souuded soon after. The game livened up considerably when play svas resumed, ami Ponsonby seemed anxious to put tbe result beyond any doubt. Their backs sveut in for a lot of passing runs, which generally came to grief through weak or wild passing. Grafton raised t lie siese from time to time, but tne main burden of play was in their twenty-five. The next score came from Mci'lymont who got the ball just on t lie Hue. He took the kick himself, and it went tbe way nf its predecessors. Pousonby now had an advantage of six points. So.m afterwards Corby with n dashing ruu aloug the sideline scored. Savoury's attempt, though excellent. fell just a few feel short. Ten minutes before tbe spell ended P.reeJiaiu. came along with one of his full lilt runs, and Intercepting a pass added l'oc.sonhy's hfrh try. Webb's effort to retrieve l'onsotiby's reputation for kicking was a failure.

Ponsonby IS Graf ton „ Mr. Fielding was referee. FIRST SENIORS. Newton S. beat Grafton 3. After a keen and fast game played at the Domain. Thomas and Peat scored lor Nesvtou, and ss'illiams kicked a goal. Rutledgc scored for Grafton. SECOND GRADE. North Shore Albion 2s, beat Otahnhn 0. Tries were Scored by Robinson (21, Ratten (21, Mann, and Paul, and goals by Morgan 12), Chatdcld, Johnson, and Conag'hau. THIRD GRADE. City 17, .beat Sunnyside A 12. P.enneit. James and Briggs rented tries, .lames kicked lour coals for City. Remuera 10, beat North Shore o. Tries were scored by Deviue and Dickenson. SVallaee converted one. and kicked a goal from a mark. FOURTH GRADE. City 0. beat Grafton B 0. Edwards scored, and SS". Davidson kicked three goals. Newton 12. defeated Sunnyside 11. For Nesvtou McKtsosh (Mi and ißass HI scored. For Sunnyside, .1. Wheeler and 'Shaughnessy scored. IN THE PROVINCE. THE ENDEAN SHIELD. WIN" FOR LOWER WAIKATO. Thp match for possession of the Endean Shield, betwepn Lower SS'aikato and Rotorua. was played a: Huntly on Saturday, under League rules, and resulted In a somewhat lucky win for Lower SVaikato hy 11 points to 4. For the victors. 11. Peckham scored a particularly nice try, svhile A. Raynor kicked three goals, and F. Littlewood one from the field. p. Moko scored Rotorua's four points, tbe result t.f tsvo goals '"potted" from the field.

Points ("hp P. SS". L. 0. For. Agst.Pts. ronsonbv .. S C 1 1 ill! 4li 1.". North Snore s 11 1 1 70 ::i 13 Citv S 7. ?, o 107 00 10 Newtou .. . s '_' 7, i .",:i lor, 5 Grafton H - >'• » f>8 10S 4 Otahuhu S 1 I! 1 7,0 OS :;