NORTHERN UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 148, 23 June 1919, Page 8

NORTHERN UNION.

» MARITI»rE»S NARROW WIN. SHORE BEATEN BY THREE POINTS. NEWTON 10, PONSONBY 3. A DEFAULT BY MARIST BROTHERS. Tlie Auckland League championship games were continued on Saturday under conditions which were rather against the best kind of football, though calculated to search out individual weakneHses in the essentials of fielding, handling, and kicking. The game set down for the Richmond grounds between City and Mariat Brothers did not eventuate, as the latter club did not put a team in the field. j A keen, and even tussle marked the meeting of North Shore Albions and Maritime on the Devonport grounds. North Shore were without the services of two of their best forwards, Griffin and Pullen, but despite this handicap their pack put up a splendid exposition of the forward game. Maritime, secured the initial advantage, but before half-time the scores had twice been evened, and the interval saw Maritime three points ahead. The second half was characterised by fine forward work on both sides, but the superior handling of the Maritime backs gave them the advantage, and a fast nnd well fought game ended with Maritime the winners by 15 points against 12. After a strenuous open game, before a crowd of about 5000 spectators on the Domain, Newton defeated Ponsonby to 'the tune of ten points to three. The game was fairly even in the first half, the only score at the end of the snell being two points for Newton, a goal drop-kicked by Newdick. In the second half Newton held the advantage practically all the time, and tries were scored by Kiernan (2), one of which Castles converted. Rae scored for Ponsonby. MARITIME V. NORTH SHORE. Following the preliminary exchanges, n round of pausing amongst the Maritime backs brushed aside the Shore main defences, and Davidson fieetly travelled alone the left wing to get within an ace of scoring ere he was collared by McAneny. The teams had a warm spell close by the Shore line. and. getting into their stride, the Maritime quarters, where Bouvaird paved the way for McAneny to make a bee-line for the posts. He was brought down, and a minute later had equally hard lines in missing by f«>et an attempt at goal from a penalty kick. Maritime forwards organised a dribbling rush to the North Shore half, and at this point l.mm jrot possession nnd nicely fed Davidson. The Maritime flyer made a great nin nlnng the line, and. beating Roberts, crossed for a try. wide nut. to which the goal points were not added. From the kick'tut the Albions threw out a strong challenge, and at length the equaliser came when McAneny snapped up the ball from a general scramble nnd slipped over for an unconverted try. Ultimately the ball went dead: but the'kick out only resulted In a

Rrr!nimH£p back, and the attack bore fruit when Robinson dashed over on the right. I nun failed to convert. Tor five minutes Hip game spp sawed from end to pnd. hut iit length Itouvaird. tho Shore right threenuartpr. broke through, to rpgister tlip Alhlon'K second try. Just bpforp the Interval the Mnrltlme liacks set up a henutifullyhandlcd passing rush. Robinson, the epiitre-thrpp-qiinrtpr. spt Ui o Inii croine. and Ilplanfy. Limn, nntl -Davidson handled in succession. Hip "-ing ninn HpHntlnc over'ln the i-nratT. The seo*e. unaltered at halftime, read — Maritime 0 North Shore (! . lv the opening stapes of the second half tln> North Shore forwards, headed, by lielander, rendered excellent service to their side, and the big forward all but crossed the line in a solo dribbling movement but he was held up on the line. time backs nullified an excellent opportunity, when the ball became loose and the defences were scattered, but ultimately Hogg flung out a long pass to Delaney. who tronsrerred to Robinson. and the centre-three-quarter went over for another ungoaled try. Maritime soon set up a long and determined attack. Events took a better turn for North Shore when the pack carried play to the other end. A short lightning race ensued between McAneny and Davidson, the fastest goers of e-aeh side, and the North Shore man. amid the cheers of the spectators, reached the line —or rather, was pushed over it—to scorp a brilliant try. With the light failing an-d rain setting in. Maritime took up the attack, and Davidson went over in the corner. The closing scenes were enacted In senii-dnrkness. piny was open nnrt fast to the end. and play was of the kick and rush order. Just before the whistle went a dribbling movement nmongst the Shore forwards brushed aside all opposition, and Mr. Pullen awarded a try for obstruction Result:— Mnrltlme , 11 North Shore 12 Mr. rullen was referee. XKWTOX V. POXSOXBY. A spell of interchange play was broken by Manson making a lone-lianded break, which placed, the yellow ami blacks at their opponents' twenty-five. The pressure continued until from a scrum the bine and blacks worked their way to the midline, where the attacking backs put up a fine attempt to register, the ball from a punt being forced. A -dash by Kiernan and forward play in front of "Ponsonbv's goal, livened things up. Newdick coming in fast from the outside, whipped it an and placed first points to Newton with a nippy dri>p-kick. Newton went close to scoring several times, the strenuous defence by the blue and "blacks keening them out. The hold up was hroken by a good run by Bryan, but lie failed to. send the ball on. and was grounded within a few yards of the line. Half-time was sounded with no change. supporting hack to Rae. who put'Tn n°fine sprint, and when confronted by seveTal de fenders kicked over the line. "and. following up. made good. Norgrove's kick failed. The yellow and black kept up the pressure, and _from the ruck Kiernan whipped it up. and. showing a pair of clean heels, registered Newton's first try. Castles added the major points with a beautiful goal. Newton 7 Tonsonby 3 Once into Newton territory. Ponsouhv attacked solidly. TonsonTiy's vanguard kept up the pressure, fine passin"- bouts trying the defence almost to breaking point The defenders worked the blue and blacks back foot by foot to close on the mid-line and lies, snapping it up, put in a fine run' followed by McGregor, who grounded his man amid much enthusiasm. TJie <-ame continued fast and strenuous, the advantage going to the yellow and blacks. TUy worked across to the other corner, and in "i light that was quickly fading, and a heavy downpour, continued in Newton's favour .From a scrum Kiernan whipped it up and dived across. Castles failed -with a good Newton 10 Ponsonby 3 A ferv minutes later, with play still in Newton's favour, the bell sounded. Mr \V. *Murray was the referee. SECOND GRADE. Otahuhn 20 (tries by Keenan 3. Kimbal! Murray, Ryan, O. and goals by c' Martin 2. B". Martin, and Murray) 'beat 'Maritime 6. FOURTH GRADE. Otahuhu 3 (Stephens), drew -with City 3 (Clark). Post and Telegraph 6 (Cliffe and Sharoe) heat Northeote 0. " FIFTH GRADE. North Shore S CWeb-b, Rogers, Boyer) beat Otahuhu 0. " ' Manukaa 13 (Bag, Bray and. Bull scored tries, two ol -which iKicimoaU iCoarerteU), beat-<Pon»>Bby

j SIXTH GRADE. i City 9 (Keenan 2, Peters 1), beat Manu- ' kau 0. \ North Shore 27, beat OPoet and Telegraph 0. Ponsonby 13, beat Kichmond 3. Tries were scored by Jensen 3, "Norgrove 1, and a goal was kicked by Jensen. NEW ZEALAND TEAM. AGAIN DEFEATED BY NEW SOUTH WALES. ; 39 POIXTaS TO 31. ! ______ ; SYDNEY, June 22. I There were 20,000 spectators present at the League football match, New Zealand v. New South Wales. From the commencement, New Zealand forced the game, but a I rush by Xew South Wales a few minutes later resulted in the home team scoring , . I'rom a rally. Xew Zealand Becured the ball and crossed the line. Xew Zealand conthe first half, the scores at half-time being: New Zealand in Xew South Wales 8 From this on, though the Xew Zealanders were , attempting to force the game, the h«mi' team took the attack from their hands. The final scores were:— New South Wales 3!> New Zealand 31 The scorers for Xew Zealand were Ifwersen 2 tries 3 goals, Mitchell 2 tries, Rukutai a try, Davidson 2 goals, and Walters and Walsh a try each.—(A and. N.Z. Cable.) 1 . —-■ I