THE LEAGUE CODE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 193, 17 August 1925, Page 10

THE LEAGUE CODE.

THE ROOPE ROOSTER. CITY BEATS DEVONPORT. A POOR GAME. NEWTON DEFAULTS TO PONSONBY. For a fine day the exhibition of football given in the City-Dcvonport match at Carlaw Park on Saturday was decidedly poor, and in the two 46-minute spells there was not more than ten minutes of interesting play. With strong counter attractions the crowd did riot attend the Park in the usual thousands, but the game even did not warrant the attendance present. City won by 22 points to 11, which leaves Ponsonby and City to play the final on Saturday next. Newton failed to field a team against Ponsonby, and the latter won by default.

CITY V. DEVONPORT. The opening stages were characterised by poor football, each side indulging in altogether too much kicking. G. Davidson 'had an unsuccessful shot from near the half-way line, while E. Brown also tried a "pot." For fully ten minutes there was not a movement worth recording, and the play mostly was in the centre of, the field. Scrummed inside the Shore twentyfive, Mitchell sent the ball to R. Crewther, to Brown, to B. Davidson, who ■ had a clear run in, this being the only time he had handled the bail without kicking it. G. Davidson failed to convert. City 3, Devonport 0. Julian, Haddon, and Greig brought off a fine bout of passing, but the last pass, which meant a score, wns missed, and theu half tho City team came away and threw the ball here and there, and it was only through over eagerness on their own part that they failed to score. Tho blacks then made an Invasion, and Yardley, following up a short kick, opened Devonport's nccount. Scott's kick fell under the crossbar. Score : 3 all. P.. Davidson got the ball from Julian (Devonport), and found the opposition everywhere but in front of him, so be ran down the field to score, but a gQOd try went to Hawkes when a relieving kick by Richards was smothered, and the player named seorrd under the bar. . S. Crewther goaled. City 11. Devonport 3. The blacks attacked, and the ball, being scrummed near the City line, GreLg tipped it with bis boot to K. Scott, who went over between the posts. Yardley converted. City 11, Devonport 8. A brilliant try, easily the best up to that stage, went to Wardlaw, who finished up a bout of passing between Mitchell, R. Crewther. Brown, and Davidson, ant] then neatly sidestepped Richards. S. Crewther failed to convert, and City led by 14 to S at interval. When play resumed Godlel. replaced K. Scott, who had been injured. Shore attacked till Cleal camo awnv on bis owu with the ball at toe. Richards playing for safety by kicking into touch. Veart offside, saw S. Crewthef make a good attempt to goal. Play was uuinteresting, and the ball coming to City near halfway it was bandied in turn by Mitchell, Mackle. Brown, and B. Davidson, the latter kicking. The bounce beat Richards, and G. Davidson gathered ln to run in .unopposed. S. Crewther goaled. City 19. Devonport 8. Hardly had tbe score 'been altered when Richards «■»» again beaten by the bounce of the ball, which favoured Cleal, and the latter put on another try. Shore forwards now began to show some of their best form, and the game became interesting. They tore down tho field, but could not break down the defence, although -O'Brien was almost across. They would not be denied, and the crowd began to get some value for their money. The blacks had City defending when Douglas made a short run before passing to Veart. the latter scoring. Yardley just missed goaling "by inches. There was little interest in the game, and the bell rang with the score : City 22 Devonport 11 Mr. Taylor was referee. ELLERSLIE V. NORTHCOTE. Through losing the game played at Victoria: Park on Saturday, Ellerslie drop out of the senior B grade competition. .Northcote gained a victory by three points .to nil, after a game that was not by any means a spectacular or interesting exhiMtiqn. Better combination was perhaps the reason that Northcote carried the day, but it was unlucky that Ellerslie did not score. Northcote set the game in motion, nnd after a short tussle at halfway their forwards instituted a forward rush that took play to the Ellerslie line. A penalty kick saved a dangerous position, and following the kick Ilettett secured and made a great run down the line, to be forced , out in Northcote's twenty-five. Desultory play followed, and the game, although fairly fast, left a lot to be desired. Faulty l handling of the ball accounted for a mini-! her of lost chances, snd both teams erred! In this direction. After twenty minutes' j play Ellerslie seemed to liven up and set a hard pace. Northcote were not wanting in defence, and play was fairly even, being confined mostly to halfway. The next ten minutes was without incident, and there was little or nothing to choose from among the teams. The whistle went with play at halfway. The second spoil saw Nopthcote assume the attack, and a willing pace was sot from the start. Green and Thompson shone out and did a great deal of the work, making numerous openings that gave Northcote many chances. From a hot scrimmage on ihe line Wilkins (Ellerslie) secured and fell over, but he lost the ball and Hettett •forced and saved a certain try. There was a brief spoil of fast play, and then Speight started a rush. He passed to Thompson, who slipped through n bunched field and scored. Wilkins failed with the kick: Northcote 3, Ellerslie 0. The advantage was sustained by Northcote, and although Ellerslie were trying hard they could not maintain the attack for more than a few minutes. It was had j luck that Northcote did not cross tbe line again, and they were forcing play when the whistle went, leaving the final scores at :— Northcote 3 Ellerslie 0 . Mr. Bull was referee. SECOND GRADE. r Ponsonby A 9, beat Dcvonporl G. THIRD GRADE. •' Athletics 6, beat New Lynn 0. Ponsonby A 20, beat Suburbs B 3. Kingsland 2, drew with City 2. FOURTH GRADE. Richmond 11, beat Parnell 3. Ponsonby 23, beat Takapuna 0. SIXTH GRADE. RICHMOND CHAMPIONS. By winning their game this afternoon, Richmond maintained their unbeaten record and won the season's championship. AUCKLAND V. SOUTH AUCKLAND. NEXT WEDNESDAY'S MATCH. THE TEAMS. The selectors have chosen the following teams to play on Wednesday next nt Carlaw Park in the match for the Northern Union .Cup, now held by South Auckland: Auckland. —Full-back, Herewini (Ponsonby); three-quarters, B. Davidson (City), Gardiner (Ponsonby), Littlewood (Ponsonby); five-eighths, Cole (Ponsonby), Grenniug (Northcote); half, Poison (Newton); forwards, Singe (Marist Bros.), Townsend (City), O'Brien (Devonport), Payne (Ponsonby), .Douglas (Devonport). Bass (City). Emergencies: Backs. Peckham, List. Hargreaves; forwards, McDonald (City), Nathan Stormont, S. Crewther (City), and Riley (Ponsonby) were not available owing to injuries'. , . oopth Auckland.—Full-back, D. Johnston-three-quarters, 5 Bert Jackways, J. Hemmingl way, A. Finlay; five-eighths, S. Raynor Paki; half-back. G. Raynor; forwards R Stevenson. L. Hutt,- C: Glcson, J. Menzies J. Dufty, T. Wilson. Reserves: F. Jackson' C. Davies, Timms, and P. Miki.