LEAGUE GAME.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 199, 24 August 1925, Page 11

LEAGUE GAME.

FINAL OF ROOPE ROOSTER.

KNOCK-OUT COMPETITION

PONSONBY'S GOOD WIN.

A GREAT CONTEST

Saturday was "Charity Day" at the League code's headquarters at Carlaw Park, when between 7000 and SOOO followers of the game attended to witness the final of the Roope Rooster knock-out competition, played between City and Ponsonby. After a strenuous and spectacular game Ponsonby won by 10 points lo .I. The Silver Wyandottc bird of the male species will, therefore, go out to its coop in Poiisoiiby for another year. The sum of £212 was collected at the gates. Of this amount one half is to go to public charities and the other to be divided amongst those footballers who were injured during the season. PONSONBY V. CITY. Ponsonby won the toss and City kicked off and a scrum was immediately ordered. Gardiner then held up a strong forward passing bout by the red and blacks. SlcDunald got offside when City again attacked anil Gardiner had an unsuccessful kick nt goal. City came away in a dribbling rush which Gardiner nullified. Gardiner boosted high, the ball falling in front of City's posts, where a serum took place. Maekie then offended by playing offside, and this gave the "Ponies"' a chance. Gardiner this time potted a good goal and opened Ponsonby"s account. Ponsonby 2, City 0.

in maliiuK an excursion into City's twenty-live, T. Peekliam missed n. pass and let B. Davidson got through, but Ponsonby again made up the lost ground. I'eckham, McNeil and t'.oodley b«ii)g prominent in some smart passing stuff. Following some (•lose work in City's half. B. Davidson made n line dash on his own down the line, being pushed out a few yards from Potisonby's line. Through Ward petting- offside I'onsonby hail to concede a free to City, Bass tnking the kii-k, which fell short. Bnss Initiated a brlg-ht passing movement, the liii 11 being nicely handled by Stevens. Brown nnd B. Davidson, thp latter transferrins to Pnkl. However, I'aki missed Davidson's pass, and a certain try wus missed, Good play by Ilerewlni saw the game shift back Into City's area, but the lattor's backs worked tholr way right back to I'onsonby's twenty-live, ii scrum being ordered five yards from the line, Peckhnm pot the leather from the scrum and set off at a fast pace, with Colic, Wuril and Llttlewood in line. After some excellent passing between this illinrtet. l,lttlowond sprinted down the line but fell a few yards out. Howovor, he crawled a lons, then stood up and dived over ar the corner. Gardiner's kick was a pood one. but tin.- bull struck the upright. Not n minute later Goodl'-y pit clean away and, cutting out three City backs, crossed [hi! line, but he lost the ball. Riley whs handy, however, and he registered. Gardiner did lint add the extra points. Ponsuuby S, City 0.

A rush by Stevens. Davidson and Paid looked promising fur City, but once again I onsouby cleared, and Goodley shifted play right up to City's lino. Llttlewnod essayed another try, as .lid also Gardiner, but both men were well tackled by City's backs. For mi It! a spoil Ponsonby remained iv City's half, but they found it hard to penetrate the strong defence. After Mackic had spoilt a nice passing onslaught started by Davidson, the latter, who was playing a great game, made another effort, but was effectively stopped by Ward. Then Crewther stopped a Ponsonby rush and punted down niidneld. 1. Peckhara accepted well and set the forwards going again, but Davidson Intercepted tntl passed to Wardlaw, who wns pushed out a yard frem the line. City won from the scrum, but Cole broke through nnd sent the leather out to Gardiner. When CSawliner wiis forced out iv front of the stand half-llmc arrived with City minus a pnnit , i:l ~),„ scure boa] . d _ I'onsonby *,

ownsend ..shed off. but was not supported, and RiJcy took the pass, to set up a lonsnnliy attack. ThehaU went from f.oodie.v. hnek to lUlpjvaurt t"*- , .! on to (.ardiiiiT, l.ittlewood afterwards a.cepting liass tackled I.lttleivood and cross kic!«.,i f;.r Huby to secure and pass to Maekie ..le, throusii offside play, spoilt a nice I oiisonby otrort, and Trewther kicked a splendid goal. Ponsouhy S. City :.'. Cjtys hacks then brightened up Wardlaw. Davidson nnd Ruby putting in some tine work, which enabled Ruby to cross soMby'T n !y '«r" lel: ' s kick faiied - ro »-

Both sides then bejran to throw tlio hall about more, and tho gnnie moved from one cml of tho lipid to the other, with tho Hioiisnnrts ..f choaring spectators on tip-top with exoltoiruMif. Aflrr being hnrrl pr.'ssofl, n.iss rolievrrl tho preßSlire for ( Ity hv tincliiiß the lino, aiul gaining mnrii Rround. Payne, J. Pnfkham and Wnni lioa.U'd ,T rli-I hllll njr rush, which way stopper. on flip lino by I.itUpwood. City's ba/«ks llisllttitoil anolher passing bout, whir.i lodkeil like ending enocpasfully until Itiley mtPfcppfPfl nnrl dasllPfl iiwnv Brow'u broiißiit Kiley down, and thpn City sot possession. I'onsonby supprewspfl'several Cltv rushes mid kept the rod nnrt blacks hard ilet.Midinz. It was left to Mitchell to endeavour to break through ronsonbvs forwards. This he did risht well, blit Ruby, by givlnsr a forward pass, spoilt the Rood work by the other City men. Both Mltehpll nml Dnvldson nearly KO t over I'onsonby-s line within the next couple of minutes, but Ponsonhv's tackling wis of tho sure and deadly order. Ilerpwin; with a Ion? punt, put his side on the attiirk again, the forwards swoopin™ down on City. Rut City"s backs were equally as safe, wilu the result that, both sides had to fljfht hard. City's forwards, hv Kood passim:, pressed tho "Ponies" risrh't b.irk. and a score seemed inevitable until Ilerewini broke up a very stronc rush and booted down the centre of the field. T Peckham followed up fast and passed to T reokham. After this the hall went to Fμ Sim. Ward, back to Pasran, and ended up in Wards hands as he wna pushed out A City forward, playlnc offside travo Ponsouby n erent chance to add to their score. Gardiner made no mistake with the kick. Ponsnnby 10, City 5. With eiffht minutes to fro." both teams made herculean efforts to score. City"« supporters cheered themselves hoarse as Uuby dashed alons , the line with the bnl! Howpvor lie short-kicked, and a race for the ball ended in n win for Ilerewini. who forced. City kept inside Ponsonbv's twenty-five. Stevens havinp a drop-kick, hnt the ball rebounded off Moore. Forced bark. City made a fine stand on the halfway line, where they were awarded a freekick, lint this did not result in ground being pained. A few seconds later time was called, with the score.:— Punsonby J .... 30 City 5 3lr. Ripley was the referee.

NORTHCOTE V. MANGERE

On JVo. 2 ground at Cnrlnw Park on Saturday, Mangere mot Northeofe in the Stallnnl Cup Competition, B section of the senior grade. It was one of the .semi-final games. From the outset, Mangetp attacked strongly, giving their opponents no quarter. For an infringement in n scrum, Jock Lipscombc took a free kick and landed a good goal. Mangere 2, Xorthcote 0. Flinging the ball about in jrreat style, the men from Mangere indulged in some fine open passing rushes, the result being that J. Hapi scored. O. Isipscomhe added the pxtra points. Mangere 7, Xorthcoto 0. Spurred on. by this reverse, Xorthcote men got going, a certain score being lost by Greening kicking too hard, causing May to force. Xorthcote were on their way towards a score when J. Wilson intercepted a pass in Mangero's twenty-five. Speeding at top down the centre of the field he neatly beat the fullback and scored a brilliant try- Mangere 10, Northcote 0. A little later Wilkie, for Xorthcote, landed a good goal from a free kick. Mangere 10, Xorthcote 2. Just prior to half-time, Mangere again indulged in some fine fast passing rushes. The spell ended, Mangere 10, Northeote 2.

Within half-a-rninute of the kiUc-off Xorthcote went right through their opponents. Green secured and passed to Greening, who in turn sent on to V. Speight. The latter, after making a good run, passed iufield again to Greening, who touched down between the posts. Wilkie made no mistake with the kick. Mangere 10, Xorthcote 7. Again Northcote got going, and Kins scored, Wilkie converting. Northeote 1", Mangere 10. From another fine passing rush initiated by T. Pai. Wilson, after a good solo effort, scored bptween the posts. May added the extra points. Mangere 15. Xorthcote 12. Then Wilkie took .1 long shot, and put Xorthcote's score up two points. Mangcre 15, Xorthcote 14. Mansere's next score was as good as previous!/.

the ball passing through half a dozen hands to M. Paul, who raced over. Mangero IS. Northcote 14. It was now Xorthcote's turn, and V. Speight scored between the posts. \Yilkie made no mistake with the kick. Northcote If), Mnngcre 18. Ten minutes to go and the game became fast and furious. Try as they would Mangere could not increase their score. The ball travelled up and dowu Hold at top. both sides making Ktrennous efforts to add points. Time was up and the ball in play. Mangore bad a shot at goal, and Northcote very sportingly played on, giving their opponents plenty to do. Then the leather went out of bounds, and one of the hardest, cleanest ami most sporting frames seen this season was won by Xorthcote by one point, the final scores being: Xorthcote ] 0 Mangere IS KINGSLAND V. OTAHUHU. The Rlallard Cup competition, in the B division, senior grade, was continued on Saturday. In the match Otnhuhu v. Kingslnnd, the former carried the day by 11 points to 2. This means that otnhuhu will play the final next week with Northcote. The game was plnyed on the Domain, and the result is a good indication of the play. In the first spell the honours were fairly even, but after the interval Otahuhu livened up and dominated the game. The forwards played a great gamp. Kingsland did not play up to" form, and seemed to go to pieces in the. second half.

For Ihe first ton minutes the game was without incident. Both tennis appeared fairly evenly matched, and neither could have been said to hold the advantage. Play was confined to centre, from which position a series of scrums was the rule. Sims received a pass from a scrum, and set Klngfiland on the move. His pass was mulled, but a slight advantage had been gained. Then McDonald, with the ball at his toes, put Kingsland on the defence. He made it beautiful run, and was unlucky to lose the ball on Kingslands line. McManus then made an opening, and fast play on the line followed. Otahuhu were not lacking in defensive tactics, and kept Kingslnnd hard at it. After an exceptionally hard bit of play, Phillip secured, and in a good run took play to Kingsland's line, where two successive rushes almost saw Otahuhu score. A penalty gave the latter a chance, nnd Bllery, taking the kick, put it over. Otahuhu 2, Kingsland 0. Kingsland did not like thnt reversal, nnd in the next few minutes they made a forward rush that took Otahuhu off their feet and saw play transferred to the Intter's territory. r,ist started a passing bout, and sent to Campbell, who was taken on the line. A penalty kick in front of the goal posts was taken by McKoy, who had no trouble. Otahuhu 2, Kingsland 2. Half-time scores: Otnhuhu 2. Kingsland 2.

The second spoil opened with a great run by Phillip (Otnhiihu). whioh took pluy to Klneslnnds twenty-five. Forcing (lie pace, Otoliuhu held the advantage, ami kept Kingslnnd defending solidly. Tho game waxed hard, and was punctuated by numerous casualties, none of which was serious. On two occasions a penalty saved Klugsland from unngcrons positions. From the second kick, List secured, and made a brilliant solo run. Mc lost his balance in Otniiiilni's twenty-five, and. incidentally, the ball. A determined rush by Otaliulm saw the forwards take play back, and from a scrum on the corner Todd slipped ncross to wore. Ellery fniled with tho. kick. Otahuhn r>, Kingsland l!. With three points against them Kingsland livened up, nnd made the pace hot, but faulty pausing gave Otahubu a chance, and Brown made tho most of n clear space, and he raced upfield to score. Otahuhu S. Kingslnnd 12. Otnlinbu were too good and dominated tho game. Just on time. Hart made an'opening, and sent out to Todd who scored. Kirklnnd failed with the kick. The final scores were : Otalnthu 11 Kingsland v Mr. Rogers wns referee. THIRD GRADE. rarnell 5, beat North Shore 3. SOUTHERN MATCHES. CHRISTCHT'RCH. Canterbury 4S, beat West Coast 3,

AUCKLAND REP. TEAM.

TO PLAY NEW ZEALAND. ON SATURDAY NEXT. The following team has been selected to represent Auckland against New Zealand on Saturday, and also to bo on the Southern tour: —Fullback, Herewini (Ponsonby) : three-quarters, Littlcwood (Ponsonby), B. Davidson (City), and Gardiner (PonFonby) : five-eighths. Cole (Ponsonby), ltiley (Ponsonbyl : halfback, T. Ppckham (Ponsonbyl : forwards, O'Brien (Devonport). Townsend (City), Singe (Marist), McDonald (City), Payne (Ponsonby), Bass (City). Reserves: Forwards , Douglas (Devonport) ; backs, Crewther (City), Hargroaves (Newton).

Any player unable to play on Saturday, or to make the trip South, must notify E. Asher immediately. The team will practise at Carluw Park on Thursday night at 7.?0.

JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVES.

The Auckland junior League representatives are as follow:—Backs: T. Allen (Newton), Usher, Wilson (Ponsonby i, Brough, Jenkinson, Davis (Richmond), Lucas (Athletic). Forwards:' Telford Donald (Richmond), Brier (Deronport), Birch (Newton), J. Matthews. J. O'Halron (Ponsonby). Reserves: Parkinson (Newton I, Hales (Devonport). Spencer, (Ponsonby), Sad.srove (Devonport). All players must attend the League rooms at 7.a0 p.m. to-morrewv.