THE LEAGUE GAME.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 203, 28 August 1922, Page 8

THE LEAGUE GAME.

THE SOOFE ROOSTER. FIRST ROUND OF COMPETITION. SOME CLOSE SCORING, j The first round of the Roopc Roostet competition was commenced on Saturdaj in ideal weather. There was a goot attendance at Carlaw Park, the sum ol £111 8/ being taken at the gates. Pon sonby met Marists on No. I ground, the former winning by 10 points to 13 aftei an interesing game. On No. 2 ground at Carlaw Park Athletics and Fire Brigade met in a game which was full of interest although of a see-saw nature, and ended in the former corainjj oil' the field the victors by 15 points to 12. Newton defeated Richmond on the Domain by 18 to 1:1, after as poor a display of football as has been seen this season in first grade matches. It was a perfect ground, on a perfect day, and players should have appeared at their best, but it was a rehearsal for the greater period of the play, there being nothing apart from practice match methods to watch. City met Devonport on the Devonport ground, the game resulting in one of the best and most interesting yet played or the ground. City won by 12 points" to 11 CITY V. DEVONPORT. A large crowd of League followerturned up to see the clash between t'ltv and Devonport at the North Shore ground on Saturday. A good fast and clean ganiK resulted, and City Just managed to suatel the victory hy one [Kiliit. City won the toss and I.aing kicked on for Devonport. "Pip" Webb carried a nlci passing movement up (he line to City'; corner, where they had to force. Mitchell Wetherall, and Wilson were associated ii a tine advancing City movement. Devon port were again pushed back, hut Lain: got possession, and by clover frintin: made an opening, hut he passed to Scot too late. Tlie ball rebounded off his kne, and Wettierail accepted a mark. W Davidson piloted the hall over the crossbai and opened up City's score. Townsend played offside and City wen penalised. Shortly afterwards ' Lain: passed to Clark, who kicked high am Wetherall could not help marking right li front of the posts. W. Davidson goaled City 7. Devonport 0. Devonport instituted a good forwart rush, hut Codick kicked out of bounds City failed to play the ball, and a frei kick resulted. Laing put tlie ball over City 7. Devonport 2. A City player lmmedi ately offended by running round the had of the pack near City's corner. Laing too! the kick and cross-kicked right over ti , "Tip" Webb, who ran over to score ai | easy try. Hand kicked and both line flag! i signalled a goal, but the referee overruled •City 7. Devonport 5. After two minutes o play in which Devonport had the uppei hand Webb gathered in and made a grea I run down-tield. After beating two men hi passed to Wheeler, who scored on thi I corner. Hand's kick hit the post. Devon ! port 8. City 7. Devonport played offside, and once mort City were awarded a free kick. W. DaTid son missing a very oasv kick in front o the goal. Wetherall and I'aki xuccredpi in transferring close to the blacks' line but I'aki slipped as he was striding over and half-time came without further score. On resuming. Devonport forced the play but City's three-quarters held fast. Ceorgi IVjvidson made one of his characterlstli sprints down the line, but Laing got hin and saved a certain try. An exchange ol line kicking was succeeded by a Devonpori attack, until Godick threw forward. clt\ cleared with a kick. Clarke broke througi at the head of a Devonport onslaught an, gave it to M. Scott, who was tackled or the line. Devonport offended about mid field, and George Davidson took the kici near the line. He followed it up. Un,: picking up smartly ran like a deer, scorin; a brilliant try under the posts. Wetheral converted. City 12, Devonport 8. Play became more exciting and interest Ing than ever. Harrison nullified a stroiis City excursion, and carried the ball wel down, hurdling over two men. A scrim resulted. Harrison marked and Laing took the chance of kicking across field. Clarke took the hall, passed to Godick. »-h» passed to M. Scott, who scored ou the corner. Hand's kick from a dlllionlt ancle did not succeed. City 12. Devonport 11. Clarke marked in a good position In front of City's goal, aud Laing missed a comparatively easy kick. With only a few minutes to go Devonport made herculean efforts to get the lead, hut City were too hard. The game ended iv favour of City, the final scores being: f'ity ' 12 Devonport 11 Mr. Murray was the referee. PONSONBY V. MARISTS ronsorrby kicT.ed off aud play settled lv Marists' tweutytlve. where Cole took a mark and A. McGregor landed a goal. A passing rush between the Marist backs saw Lynch stopped in I'ousonby's quarter, the forwards relieving, l'lay returned to midfleld. where Stormont secured from the ruck, and, after a good run. got over. He failed to Improve on bis try. Ponsonby then attacked, and good work by Md'lyinont and Littlewood had Marists on the defensive, and, from a penalty to Ponsonby, A. McGregor was again successful in putting the ball between the posts. Ponsonby maintained the pressure, and MeNainara being collared in possession a scrum followed near the Marist line from which .McNeil forced bis way over. A. McGregor failed with the kick. After Marists had been forced Hanlou gathered up through Gallagher misflelding. aud ran round to score between the posts. Delgrosso was unsuccessful in adding the extra points. From a kick by A. McGregor, a little later. Lynch was iv trouble. A scrum ensued near Marists' line, from which McCljmiont opened up a passing rush, , Littlewood being stopped a few feet from the objective. He. however, recovered possession, and crossed. Dclgrnsso was unsuccessful in adding the extra points. : Half-time sounded shortly afterwards with the scores: Ponsonby l.'l. Marists :t. tin resuming, good work by Ghent. Duane and Singe allowed Marists to attack, but a free kick and a passing rush removed play to midfleld. Here Ponsonby were penalised, but A. McGregor who took the )>all failed to get rid of it before the opposins forwards were on him. Bad tackling, however, allowed him to get away, and, with a good run and a kick, he transferred operations to neutral territory, where Loveridce Fathered up and kicked, over. Williams just failing to reach the ball before it went over the dead ball line. Ponsonby then attacked solidly, and were only stopped hy a free kick. They maintained the pressure. Cole eventually kicking over, a force resulting. Nelson immedlatel) headed a rnsh to Ponsonhy's twentv-flve rand a little later A. McGregor was collared in possession near his own goal-posts, Uan lon relieving. Play was ouick-lv trans ferred to the other end. and William! gathering up kicked toward the cornet flag. Littlewood followed up fast, and picking up got over. He failed to add th« extra points. Ponsonby were soon attack ing again, and a passing rush between Williams. E. McGregor, and Littlewood saw the last named pushed Into touch a rew feet . from the line. From the scrim McClymont endeavoured to get over and just missed, a force resulting. Just before time Gallagher opened up a passing rush with MoNaimara, Dang, Stevens, an. Lynch, play eventually settling in Pon sonby's twenty-five. Lane was collared ir possession, bnt sent the ball to Singe, whr sent on to Stevens, the latter crossing fot Loveridge to convert. Ponsonby 16 Marists : 13 NEWTON DEFEATS RIC«TMONT> With the exception of a fairly lively spell commencing about ten minutes before the finish of play, the game between Newton and Richmond on the Domain ground was almost entirely devoid of interest, though the weather conditions and the field were all that could be desired. Players on both sides were cither out of condition or out to make an easy afternoon of it. for they played aimlessly and leisurely up to halftime, when the scores were 8 to 3 in Richmond's favour. There was a period of eoms little activity when the second half opened, l but this soon expired, and though there was some Bcoring it- was without much effort. Richmond showed some of its youthful dash when play was drawing to a close and scored and converted, but this, too, was a comparatively lifeless effort, and only succeeded heeause Newton's- defence was ineffectual. For Newton Gregory, Briggs, Knox, and Poison played the least badly, and S. McLean, Austin, Carroll, and Hanlin did a little more than the rest for Richmond.

ATHLETICS V. ITKE BRIGADE. Open play characterised tbe initial stages of the match between Athletics and Fire Brigade. Prom the tick off the former team assumed the role of attackers and. although Fire Brigade frequently recovered and diverted play to the other end of the Held. Athletics eventually succeeded hi breaking through their opponents' line of defence. Brien set Athletics' backs in motion from midfleld, and an onslaught in Fire Brigade's corner saw McGregor cross the line tn score. Athletics maintained their offensive and following on a success- - ful shot at goal by Dnfty for an infringement by Eire Brigade, Avery picked up the bull near the goal line and, although hard pressed got over the line to register a try. ,On going back to midfleld Fire Brigade rallied, and were seen In a series of passing bouts, which unfortunately broke down I when a score seemed Imminent. Two attempts at goal for- infringements by Athletics were also without result. Athletics diverted play aud bore the game ou to Fire Brigade's goal posts, where from the serum Nicholson dived through and scored. Dufty goaled. Fire Brigade were , buck in Athletics' quarters from the kick- . off and an infringement by the latter team near their twenty-flve gave a shot at goal which was successfully taken by Warelng. Iln the last moments of the first spell Athletics were the attackers, and a free kick , in their favour was successfully taken by Dufty. | Fire Brigade assumed the offensive, on i I resuming for the second spell. In Atti- | j letics' twenty-flve Avery dribbled the hall, , but a decisiou of off-side play going against j the defenders, Warelng gained two more : i points for Fire Brigade, with a successful fr'hot at goal. A spell of fast open play followed, in which the hall was freely thrown about on both sides. Fire Brigade forced the Issue into Athletics' corner, where from the scrum, the hall passed to ; Henderson, who tried bard to get through, but was stopped within striking distance of the goalposts. A keenly-contested scrimImage ensued. Gray eventually lifting the pressure off _their line of defence. The relief, however, was only temporary. Fire | Brigade pressing hard once more. .T. ' j Woolley picked the ball up from the loose and raced for the corner'passing in to Henderson, who slipped through to score. Warelng goaled. Vardloy and Gray were prominent In n rallying move for Athletics, imt Warelng came throush and made a fine solo spurt down the side-line from midfleld. and got over to secure A try. The i game ended: Athletics 15, Fire Brigade 12. THIRD GRADE. Toint Chevalier 16, heat Ellerslie 2. SIXTH GRADE. City ft. beat Marist Old ITtoys 4. Richmond 11, beat Ellerslie 0. CADET COMPETITIONS. 22nd Company S, beat 30th Company i>, Kindley and another secured a try each, ' and Kindley converted one. for the winners. R. Osborne scored a try, and . Nicholson kicked a goal, for the 36th. I