THE LEAGUE CUP.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 195, 16 August 1920, Page 7

THE LEAGUE CUP.

MARITIME UP AGAIN. BEATS CITY BY FOUR POINTS. NEWTON JUST DOWN SHORE. AND ORAFTON DEFAULTS AGAIN. The League championship, now in itsecond round, is in such a state that the firs, game at the .Domain on Saturday afternoon more than Interested a crowd of alKiut seven thousand. Only two games were .played, anil of -these the more attractive was the second cla-_l between 'Mari•tims anil City. This match, contrary toexpectations, was a tine fast exhibition of th.- .-.vie. an.l although the red, white and blue nam. weakened by the absence of "rep." members, was expected to be the losiiii- wide, the event falsified the pronouncements of the prophets. Maritime won to the tune of J5 points to 11. The Newton-Devon-port match was a fairly even game, although in the first half the team from a<-roxs the water had the advantage of their opponents, by 11 points to 4. The second half saw much faster Td.iy. and although Devonport played a good game, Newton pulled up on them Bind ended up with 12 points to theiir credit. In the latter half Devonport failed to add to their 11 points, the final scores being 12—II, After giving notice to the League. Grafton defaulted to -Ma-Lot Brothers Old Boys, owing to their Inability to collect a team. This is the second default this season on the fiart of GT-fton. The cha-urpions'liip table now stands:— Pts. Ch. P. W. D. L For Az. Pts. Maritime .. HI S — 2 142 7- 16 City 11 S -- 3 265 131 16 .Marist 10 6* 13 92 60 111 Newton 11 6 1 4 135 132 13 Pnnsonbv ... 10 2 .2 6 115 132 6 Devonport .. IO . 2 6 85 146 6 Grafton 10 1 — o** 73 215 2 The table shows that the winning chance is with Maritime, for City has lost Its eleventh game, while Maritime has still a match in hand.

MARITIME'- WIN. Maritime* win from City on Saturday makes their championship position a very strong one. They won by 15 to 11. after a game chat was bard and fast rather than brilliant. 'With both a forward and a back away from Maritime with the reps., fity supporters looked forward to a good win, but right from the first the fire of the Maritime tackling disconcerted the red and black inside backs. Maritime had a trifle the best of the game, and earned their win. The pack got away quickly, and all hands made a cult of getting down on City before they could do anything with tbe ball. GRAFTON AGAIN. For the second tl-me Grafton made default on Saturday, and Marist Old Boys therefore won the game thot the majority of people expected them to win In any event. The Leagnie offiej|a_ had been notified that the Grafton 13 would not put in an appearance. _ BVOX-ORT V. XT-WTO-X. On the No. 2 ground of the Domain the match between Devonport and Newton was played. In th<- e*rl__ s-tciS— of the game Devonnort had the advantage over their opponents, and at the conclusion of the first half hnd compiled a score of 11 im-imrs ngains, the four of Newton. The second half saw much faster play, and a rally on -the part of Newton, who pressed hard continuously on Devonp_rt's terrl-toiry and finally pn-ss-ed -their score hy a point. The game thus ended with Newton 12 points to Devonnort's 11.

Amoii-St tho Newton players the .Tamos brothers .put in good work among tihe forwards, and Dufty. Ixvreft and Cloke were the main-hay of the backs. For 'Devonport, Shetland-, the full, played a good game wh'le in the tliree-onart.r line .Incgs and Nicholson were to the fore. Godlek played with his usual dash. Nelson and Vos were to the front amongst the forwards. .

Second Grade. —-North Shore 14, bent 'Marl*t Brothers 12.

Third Grade — Manukan 13, beat North Shore 7.

Fourth Grade.r—Pnnsonliy 31, beat Klngslnnd, o. The. scorers wereT MoWhlrter. Skelton and Ward, and Drew kicked a goal. i*lt.y lf>. beat Maritime 4. For City the rrv-eetters were Simmons. Cole. Verral. and Wtlson. while Richardson kicked three goals. For Maritime Tlord kicked two goals. Richmond 3 (Nnyer). beat Otalmhti 0. Sixth Grade. —Ponsonny met and defeated Manukau by 5 points to nil, and therefore wins the Sixth Grade isbamplonshlp for the second year In succession. Foir the winners, A. Moore scored a try and Chapman a goal. lIA-111/TOX BRATS ;POXSO__T. At Hamilton on Saturday, the Hamilton Rugby il/engtte team beat Ponsonby by 3 pol-t-s to 2. ENGLISH TEAM'S TOUR. • FINAL TEST GAME. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON, Saturday. The English touring, team played Its farewell match at Wellington to-day aenlnst New Zealand's best on the 'Basin Reserve. With two easy test victories to their credit, the whole interest centred in M.c _-«ll l |Ht. «f v.w Z»sl.ll.d l.eiTvr nl vlto put up a good fight airaltwt their redoubtable opponents. The unfavourable weather had nn effect on the attendance, which, however, was fair.

The All . lsvks played with ereat heart, and the termination of tbe game saw the s.ore only 11—10 an-a'lnst them. It ts no biased opinion to venture tho remark that the home team were unlucky in not turning the tide of defeats. Their tally was comprised of two elea. out tries and a penalty, whereas the visitors -Ot across on tliree occasions, and added the poinhs once. - Two of the Enzlis-hmen's scores were touch--nd-go decisions, wti'ilp the third had more than a slight element of luck attached to it. Wellington has been drenched with rain for the past three days end the Basin Reserve was a nnagmire. These oirciimstmr'v.s roiti-ira-ted against the fine open handling That has made the visitors renowned, and. thonsh they were most resourceful In their reari-unrd. the same lacked a lot of the usual startling bouts. It veered about the field, keeping the spectators azoz with excitement. Tbe visitor, tried hard to tret goinit. but the Xew Zealnndera had •learnt that the only wav to break them down was In hard driving tackles, and ; these tactics were put into operation by the New Zenlarders wit h every success.

New .enlan.l hod n srif breeze behind them In the flr«t half, and they m»de th-» most of It. fay was mostlr close, and the forwards did some snlendid erimlilncd. d.ibhllii". This play broiisrht fruit to the home side al*->"t a nan-tir way th-mieh the snell. A rellevintr kick rebounded from Walters, and tho stolwnrt North Sb-ireite pounced on the bal 1 near the line. Ifwersen made a uood attemnf to convert from i.'io line. Still the Englishmen were -kenf. from openini up. and when Thomas, hard pressed, kicked to centre the "-.all "-as marked and Ifwers-en goaled. New Tealand roused further hopes' of the spectators by opening the _anip out and. after a nice 'bout. Ifwer--en dashed round to the wing, secured airaln, and ran round behind M>e posts—a try. whl-h he converted. With double flsures astalnst them, the EJnelishmen tried all schemes of attnek. and after a lonT sernmbte in corner. Rowers hurdled himself bliron. l f-e backs and scored. The kir-k faileri. The remainder of thp snell saw the Rlscl-s making the most of the wind, and when Stormont broke -wnv for the corner a try seemed imminent. Tnfortunately be did not see Grer !n ntfen'ianee. and centred, the ball golnff behind the costs, where it was touched down, the spell ending: New Zealand 10 _ngla _tl 3 In the second half Kngland had the advantage of the wind, and attacked practically throughout, but the dogged, determined play of the home team provided forty minutes of excitement. They were quite a lot of infringements, and the Blacks, through 'Bennett, had -the first likely ehanee of inakinz the best of the penalty, but the kick failed. The Xew Zealand attack wa» maintained for a while. McClymont and Walters being prominent, but a counterattack by England soon after saw a sure try go astral- through faulty handling. Saunders, of Canterbury, then made a splendid run. but thoueh he was well sup"ported on the right wing he cross-kicked, and a touch-in-goal resulted. Then the Englishmen- turn came, and they started to amaze the spectators by throwing the ball haphazard about the field, but alway. to waiting arms. After a free kick Bacon ~ot the ball near the line and bullocked his wav across within inches, of the »We line. ■The kick failed. Poison endeared himself

to the -spectators by his wonderful defence. ! Time and again he rescued the bail from the feet of the visiting rearguard, while his handling of the long fcieks when the ball was like the proverbial eel was wonderful. With about five minutes to go Mitchell. Woolley and Dobsiin (who had replaced Ifwersen) made a spectacular run. but the venue was quickly changed, Clarke kicking out of the ruck across the goal mouth, and before the defenders knew what had happened he was racing for tie bail. He got there first nnd touched down, enabling Gronow to kick the last goal in New Zealand that was to snatch them a desperate victory In the last few minutes. FOOTBALL IN AUSTRALIA. N.S.W. DEFEATS QUEENSLAND. SYDNEY, August. 14. 11l a Rugby League match New South Wales defeated Queensland by 40 points to IS.—l A. and N.Z. -Cable.) At Association football New South Wales defeated Queensland-by 3 goals to 0.