LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 107, 9 May 1927, Page 15

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

CITY DOWN DEVONPORT.

CLOSE AHD EXCITING GAME.

WINS FOR MARISTS AND NEWTON,

The League competition games were commenced on Saturday, when there was an attendance of 9000 at Carlaw Park. The City v . Devonport match resulted in a strenuous contest with the issue in doubt to the last minute. City won by 23 points to 19. Marist had no difficulty in accounting for Grafton Athletic, winning by 20 points to 8. With a much stronger team than they had last season, and reinforced by C, Dufty, Newton sprang a surprise by defeating TUchmond on the Domain by 13 points to 8. The primary schools competition tvas started, and the good play of the boys augers well for the League future.

CITY V. DEVONPORT. Shore had the better of the play in the early stages. A passing run sent Seagar across close to the posts, and he improved his try. The seasiders completely dominated the play, and further tries by Scott and Beattie gave Devonport a lead of 11 points. The City backs began to get a few chances, and Brown and Davidson, in turn, got across the Shore line, Bass converting one. O'Brien added a converted try for Devonport, but as the outcome of a second try by Brown, the first half finished with sixteen points for each side. In the second half. Bass, with a penalty goal put City in the lead, and converted a try, scored by Perry. Beattie, as the result of an opening made by K. Scott, scored for Shore. , ?re rallied in a wonderful manner in the last five minutes of the game, but frenzied efforts to cross were frustrated bv desperate defensive play by City. -The final score was:— City 03 Devonport 18

MABISTS VICTORIOUS. Considering It was the first cluD game of >? season, the exposition of the code provided by the Grafton Athletic and Marist thirteens as the minor attraction on Carlaw iu £ w 1?, well up to expectations. While tne Handling of the players was erratic at times and movements both fore and aft lacked characteristic thrust, the play was punctuated with flashes of brilliance, that kept the spectators interested throughout, kicked off against a slight breeze ana after preliminary exchanges in neutral ™l° ry ' G ™ fton £?«ied operations into The greens were hard i J? # more inex Perienced opponrelief eventually came when Han sen was sent away on the right flank from the loose, to be grassed by his vis-a-vis Anderson, when a score looked likely. DOW combining better, but, although they were getting possession from ?nK-^r UDlB ' spoiling tactics of Grafton's ! penetrated.^ 6 6d the defence from being h.',T b L? h rB Li pell . P"> m ised to be pointless, w 'th minntes to go. Hansen sailed across for the greens from a passing rush commenced at tbe base of the scrum, and another try as the result of similar tactics. Gregory could not find the posts with either of his shots, and. at the next time out, Marist led bv 6 to nil On the change over. Noble and Brisbane were responsible for increasing ttie total to 12 points. At this stage in the proceedings Grafton revived, and, good following up by Austin, Ailowfd him t.o dive over near the posts with several opponents hanging on to him. Avery made a nice opening some minutes later for Hudson to race along touch and outstrip the opposition. Longville added the minor points from a handy position. Marists 12. Grafton 8. Scores were now coming in quick succession, and before the game ended, Sweeney scored from a scramble for Marists, while Brisbane got over under the posts as the result of a nice opening made by Kirwan. Hansen converted the latter try. The game ended shortly afterwards with the telegraph reading: — Marists 20 Grafton 8

ELLERSLIE V PARNELL. On the Ellerslie ground Parnell and Ellerslie fought out a hard and interesting game, which resulted in a narrow win for the latter by six points to five. Ellerslie were leading by six to nil until a few minutes before the end, when Parnell registered ond converted a try. R. Johason and Grogan scored tries for the winners, while for Parnell, Lawrence scored and Perry added the extra points. Mr. Emirali was the referee. ELLERSLIE V. PARNELL. On the Ellerslie ground Parnell and Ellerslie fought out a hard and interesting game which resulted in a narrow win for tbe latter by six points to five. Ellerslie were leading by six to nil until a few minutes before the end, when Parnell registered and converted a try. R. Johnson and Grogan scored tries for the winners, while for Parnell, Lawrence scored and perry added the extra points. Mr. Emirali was the referee.