MARISTS V. PONSONBY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 133, 7 June 1926, Page 10

MARISTS V. PONSONBY.

Marist? were in the ascendancy in the opening stages, and botn oae£ divisions mau e big efforts to get going. Peckhaui started an enterprising move, and the oan weut via Delgrosso to Riley to Goodley. The centre cut an opponent out neatly, uut the next pass was intercepted. Delirosso was hurt, and replaced uy LangleyT Tue Ponies* backs were rearranged. Donovan coming up to the five-eight line. Marists' opening score came from a set scrum in the Ponsonby twenty-five. Nicho.son got tbe ball awny to Crewther to Hansen to Kirwan. The centre gave the dummy sweetly, and left two Ponsonby backs lamenting, lie then crowned brilliant opportunism by neatly sidestepping the Pon. son by fullback and scoring behind the posts. Singe converted. Marist 5. Ponsonby 0. Ponsonby rallied and invaded the Marist end. Nicholson Intercepted the ball and put in a short stall kick. Bursting through fast, be retrieved the ball and passed to Noble. He then got into position for the retur_ pass, and sent the ball wide to Kirwan ou bis right. The centre gathered tbe hall beautifully at top pace. He turned out on a diagonal line, and capped a nice piece of combined play by scoring wide out. Singe landed a pretty angle goal. The half-time scores were: Marist 10. Ponsonby U.

Ponsonby rallied when play was resumed, but Marist struck back iv- .spirited style. Near the Ponsonby end Sweeney snapped the bail out of Moore's hands close to the sideline. He made a few yards swiftly, and then sent to Singe, trailing in support. The latter, with a clear field, burst straight ahead and scored. The shot failed. Mnrist 13. Ponsonby nil. Suddenly, in the midst of intermiteent sortie and retreat, Ponsonby rose to great heights. In his own twenty-flvp Riley burst through, bugging the touchline. He gave a swift infield pass to Littlewood. and then the ball went to Moore to Allen, who chimed in to support. The Marist backs fanned ont desperately to repel the Invasion, but then the fifth pass was civen. nnd. amid a scene of great enthusiasm. Hutt -Ided Hie H-t^f,f nv ..„,,.>, .„ ~ I. r |l|i.,nT niece of comhined play and snnerb teamwork by r.ieinc ar-nt* at the corner. The angle was too hard for LittiPwood. Marist 13. PnpKonbv 3

The closing stages of the' game was a -onflnniT.s wb'-l of exrif"~<"nt 'or fh° spectators. Ponsonhy pulled themselves to-rether. .mt t»"»v were met hv magnificent defence. The <-ime finished in the d-rt- *„ _)_p mnr V W.-. ttnU n f, O Mirist line and scored. and PecVham raised the flags with an accurate kick. Marist 1?. Pon snnby R Ponsonhy made one Inst desperate rally, hut Marist drove them back, and the end came with the scores unaltered.