THREE LEAGUE GAMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 109, 9 May 1921, Page 7

THREE LEAGUE GAMES.

GREAT CROWD INVADES PARK. ATOERE DIARIST BEAT NEWTON, i 2,000 SPECTATORS OX DOMAIN. PONSONBY DEFEATS SHORE. "MARITIME WINS FROM FIRE BRIGADE. The three 'League games on Saturday •afternoon, and more especially the Urst meeting of the season netween Marist Hrothers' Old Boys and the Newton Club, went far to demonstrate what an uncertain game iootball can be. This match, played on the Victoria I'urk No. 2 ground, provided more cxelteuicut for something like 0000 spectators than they could reasonably expect from the most thrilling moving picture, and There is no shadow of doubt that |the wearers of the green amply deserved ■ their win from the red and whites. The |iDoma!n crowd was estimated at about 2000 people, who assembled to sec U'onsonby | defeat North Siiore by a seven point margin alter a game that was often Interesting | specially during its hard second spell. The j third senior game of the series was also roiisht out on the Domain, Maritime accounting for Fire Hricade by. the matter of sixteen points to five after a match that was by no means devoid of interest.

But it was on Victoria Park that the | great excitement came. One would never {suppose that Marist Old Hoys were so (•popiilnr as they proved to be when Gallagher, one of their backs who scored three , tries in succession towards the end of the second spell, was the centre of a' dense mass of happy enthusiasts, who held up the game by their clamour, each excited Indi\ldual rushing on the field inslatent upon shnkihj: hands with the hero of the 'hour. J lie game .itself opened upon No. i! ground, aim was delayed for about twenty minutes while some of the League officials endeavoured to get the crowd off the playing area. AVhen the game started, It gave early ev umoe of what way -oming, for It developed a degree of ppeed unusual even in league, while the opposing teams struggled to gain the leading points. Newton were on the big end of a 5-4 score when halftime came, and the rest of the match was played on No. 1 ground, which was then vacated. The scores went to Newton's advantage till some twelve minutes -"before e S £ al,a^llcr KC °red and Singe con-' jerteti. lioth men repeated the perforniSJ * ?i n<l rep , eato « l [t a third time, i lien the excitement of the crowd became unrestrained, for they runhed the fieU and. it was with difliculty that they -were preented from chairing the Tyke try-getter, nnlS a( J if 1 ' 1 ® 11 nm of In °re thnn threeparts of the field, outstripping the meat speedy of hJs opponents.

fw 1 ? 5 °n tl.o Domain was. that between I'onsonby and North Shore. Who drew first blood with a penalty, but J onflonny soon took the n(lvantape, and the first spell ended In their favour bv 34—10. secon / 1 B ] ,ell Snme 'became decidedly spectacular, and good play was UncMetj on both sides'. -Ponsonby were \r*£i y 1? the stro "Wr in combination. McClymont was a tower of strength, and , y rw ™ ]s n wl!0le Plnvcd well. Price aul Godiek starred among the 'North .Shore nacks, while the Johnston brothers were the best of the puck. W el ? ht «na experience /old for .Maritime, who almost invariably had the bj/ter of W»« ir e nsli !R l <,e . l, ? clt - Thc CTmc - however, was well'contested, and although It resuited against tlie firemen bv 10-5. they formalist week lmproT< i mc M "P™ their are:— posltlons oC tlle various clubs now p to t T , Poin ' s ' Champ. City o" ' F ?f- A « st - Joints. Newton .... 3 2 1 u i- 1 W? °' n " 2 2 1 m « 4 Maritime ... 2 l i ie oo Ponsonbv .. 2 1 l •>(] nn ; North Shore 3X2 23, « % I'lre Brigade 3 — 3 13 02

MAR IST BEAT XIJWTOX. .. contest between Xewton and WarlsL P '°-!' s , t Wa5 n ' c " worth "■•i't ,, '»lnc \n 'n,« s I i nas Newton's dollclcnev in the back department that eventually inct -'1° W ' n(! - Ttu " r " llcks <"»• i n comt) l"atlon, but their much l h^ nerC p t °i ' ! " I<l thcro wn " nothing b , et ' rcc . n lll e opposing packs at' any Stage of the game. At half-time the ncores were: Newton 5, Tykes 4, and the rame had been particularly fast and open. ,10xt was even faster, but inp ?nrt Cre <i oi ?VK bulk of the attackI™ J) '5. n 'i°d to score on several tJ,c spectators •HllJpf wlii 11 fl tl,ere WRr ° mfin 3* times *hen all the preen pack, like easer terriers, were trying, their best "to do something with the ball "but did Dotting, because the leather was slipping about like quicksilver. Marist lost several scoring chances In this way, only becaftse tliev did not handle the ball at all well at the critical times. However, their victory, snatched In I the last ten minutes, -was thoroughly well deserved. The game ended: Marist 22, Newton lu.

PONSONBY V. SHORE. 'Ponsonby kicked off with the sun In their faces. Devonport sent the bail down field, r.,£?, nn d "warded In Deronport's favour. E. Johnston took the shot at goal and succeeded in piloting the lentlw between the posts. Ponsonby began to press forward, and from a scramble within Oevonport's twenty-flve, A. Meflrcgor got a hold on the leather and crossed.the line. McClymont failed to goal. Ponsonby continued to attack, and feinting by McClyraont baffled the blacks, and the b.ill passed to .Mormon. Mitchell finally setting the leather, crossed the line and added another 'three points to 'Ponsonby's score. McClymont took the kick, but failed trf goal. iDevonport put in a determined effort to score, but frequent fumbling spoiled their chances. 'Godlck, among the hacks, was , doing good work, getting the ball away to ; enable J. Johnston to register Devonport's .first try. K. Johnston's kick at goaf was Unsuccessful. Devonport improved their I attack, pnd the hall passed to Nicholson, to I®. Johnston, who broke away, passing 'Anally to Wynn, who placcd the ball behind the posts. The goal-klck by Johnston added j another two. Devonport kept up the offensive until McClymont broke through ann punted the ball down field. In a race over the line, Devonport got in on tile nick ot time, and nulled the ball. Ponsonby, however, pressed forward, and the bail main I crossed Bevonporfs line. Edwards' speed | In following up-gave the advantage this time .to Tonsonhy. McClymont goaleil. Ponsonbv i was hard at it, and-Delgrosso, the back,' ■got liold of the leather, parsing to McCivi mont, to Hanlon. to Walsh, who scored. [The goal-kick failed. The second spell saw a quickening In the game, and for a few minutes the hall passed rapidly up and .down field. Dclgrosso spurted near the side- ■ line, Ibut North 'Shore closing in, Nicholson broke away, to be pulled up by Dclgrosso. ■North Shore followed up and penned their '.opponents in the corner, until a free was ! awarded the blacks. The shot failed, and la more open game followed. McClymont sent the ball down into North Shore's territory. where a scrum resulted. The ball ■ passed out to Walsh, and good combination on the part ot McClymont, Martin, and 'Morinan sent the leather along the line to J McGregor on the end. who scored In the comer. The goal kick was unsuccessful. In tlie final stnges of the game play .became particularly spcctaculnr, but desoltc determined efforts on both-stdes no further scores were registered. Ponsonby 17, North Shore 10. Mr. Mann was referee. I

j MARITIME V. FIItE BRIGADE, I Improved Individual form and tetter combination on tile part, of I'ire 'Brigade led to that team putting up a great light against '•the sulicrior weight and experience or : Maritime. Tlic firemen attacked impetu- ■ ou.ilyS rind scored a try n few minutes after the game opened. Thereafter Maritime invaded for the greater part of the match and were greatly advantaged <hy having all •the best of It in the scrums. However, the •game was more closely contested than the scores would indicate, Brndv especially shining for the whites. Final scores were' Maritime 10, Fire Brigade 5. . SECOND GRADE. Maritime 9, beat Otahuhu 2. THIRD GRADE. Point Chevalier O.fyieat Xortli shore ft ; Kingslaud 14, heat Ponsonhy 3. ' > : FOURTH GRADE. City 14, .beat Kingslnnd 7 Manuknu 15, beat "Point Chevalier q Technical College 15, bent North Shore 1 Richmond 12, beat Maritime 0 Hv and (2), Barter and .Bass were the scorers ! •FIFTH GRADE. Manukau 20, heat Xortlicote 5 Otahuhu 3S, heat Ponsonhy o ' 'Richmond 44, heat -Maritime 0 iPonsonby 9, beat Maritime AO rho„ mail, .Wiles and Moore scored. C ap "

'Maritime drew with City, 8 all. Mnnukau 23, bent Xortbcote o. The winning r>corcs included tries 'by Jnmieson (2), «Boag t -Greenland, and Bray, King converted one. 'Maris t Brothers drew with City, S all. SIXTH GRADE. , SIXTII GRADE B. ICingsland drew with Otahuhu, C all. 'Ponsonby 24, heat Ellerslie 0. Otahuhu 23, beat Kingsland 0. OtaCiuhu and Kin&slnml drew, G all. City A IC, .bcn*t Takapuna 0. Marist 'Brothers 21, beat 'Richmond 0. Mnnukau 10, beat Maritime 0. 'Scores were:—Stoupe (2), 'Manning (2), mid tries were converted by -Stoupe and llargreares. TIIE GAME AT 'HAMILTON'. Frankton Alblons .bent City -Ttovers 0. Pirates 27, beat Athletics 3.