LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 148, 25 June 1928, Page 14

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

CLOSE CALL FOR DEVONPORT

SECOND ROUND STARTS.

NEWTON'S BETTER FORM,

In a gam" in which the two teams • ere evenly n*.itch-d, Newton, on Saturregained .-nine <>[ tLoir laurels i.v d'lVafing Kichui.'iid, after a last, i.neu Uicliniond showed splendid i earn work ;nti*J combination, but the Newion \ a triumphed in the set .-.■ rums, and that proved tlie dominant I'm,'tor to a eel tain extent. A goal-kick-ing duel bei ween Taylor, of Richmond, niitl I uirt.\-. of Newton, was the feature id the Mateh-winners on their ,1 i v, ixith were at the top of their form wlien a came to linding the crossbar. '1 tin I'on.sonby combination triumphed over individual effort in the Ponsonbyi;ll er~lio game, tlie western suburbs team winning by a wide margin, and avenging their defeat in the. opening match of the ,easnii, At Devonport the home team maintained their position at the head of iho League table in their match with City, although they had but the slender margin <>t two points.

WIN FOR NEWTON. R.« hmond opened with a brilliaut passing inn from midlield. Davis got the ball away to Jenkin.Min to llanlon. The latter cleverly cut out two of Newton's bucks, sending to Wheatou to Turton. The wing slipped an in-pass to Hanion, the latter crossed the Newton line, only to be recalled for a forward puss. It was one o£ those rare fragments of concerted back play with the honours to Hanion. The one and only Dufty sent the play to the Richmond end in one of those great rangy kicks that recalled the days of the great Jervis. In scrambling play Dufty »wiing a long pass to Little and the Newton wing, with a line burst of speed, enveloped the "Richmond wing and then circled to scire in a better position. Newton 3, Kiehniond 0. The maroons picked up a free at the Newion end. and Taylor, with a nice straight -hot. -wiped out two points of the deficit. 11 was Newton's turn next. Clark led a raid to the reds' twenty-five, and when a penalty came, Dufty sent the flags up, despite an acute angle. Newton 5, Richmond J. .V free to Richmond saw Taylor again send the hall across. Newton Richmond 4. "Give it to Taylor." called the Richmond fans when another free came the maroons wav at hfimlv range. Timing his effort perfect lv and making light of a difficult angle, Taylor sint the ball sailing over the bar. Richmond Newton •">. "Here we are again." said a Richmond barraeker when still another free came the reds' wav. To Taylor kicking goals was like shelling peas. He sent it truly over in a characteristic effortless way. Richmond Newton 5. In the Richmond twenty-five, Murray whipped a fast pass to Dufty. to Hardgrave. The greyhound of the Newton team -werved out clear of Turton, cut trenchantly to beat a converging tackle and thin sailed across for a spectacular try. Newton 10. Richmond S. At. the Newton end Prentice got the ball r.way to .lenkinsou. The latter cut in magnificently, Hanion gathered the next pass at top pace and fairly flashed over lietween the posts. It was a whiff of real class Inside back play. Taylor added the trimmings. Richmond 13. Newton 1". Strangelv fluctuating was the play. Purd.v led a Newton forward raid that threw the maroons hard on the defence. The attackers gathered a free and Dufty landed an easy goal. Richmond 13. Newton 12. Somers raked cleanly to Cammick and the half ferreted his way across to put Newton ; n ||| ( . lead. Newton 1">. Richmond 13 In the dying movements of the gune the Newton forwards shot through. In front of the posts there was an illegal tackle, a t.enaltv to Newton, and Dufty. in a straight shot, put the result of the game beyond doubt. Newton Richmond

PONSONBY AVENGED

Py their win over Kllerslle on Saturday, lo the tune of -- points to •>. I'onsonby avenged their defeat at the hands of the racecourse suburbs team when they made their debut in the Senior A division at i tie beginning of the season. The first score came fifteen minutes after the start, nnil it was Ellersile who drew the hinoii. Sinter broke nwny when the tricolours were hard on the defensive and passed to Hemingway. The latter short punted through, beat Thompson in a race for possession, and scored handy to the posts Shanrl goaled. Incensed by this re\erse, Ponies attacked strenuously for Gardiner to secure and pass to Payne, to l.rtton. who sailed over at the corner. The blues assumed the lead as the result, of a taetlcnl mistake by 8. < 'rewther. The full-back essayed a grabber kick when hard pressed, when he should have found the line. Letton was on hand, scooped up the ball, and then swung a low puss to Moore, who scored bandy to :he posts. T. Peckham goaled, and made the half-time score: Ponsonby 8, Ellersile 5.

The second spell had barely started wbea Ponies augmented their score. In a passing rush llutt fooled the opposition, and let I slier in to score under the posts. T. I'pckharn missed the easiest of kicks. Moments later I'cckham and Delgrosso v ere associated in a bright run thnt let Home in for an unconverted try. Gardiner, who was playing a sound forward game for ponies, sent his backs away in a passing bout thnt bewildered the opposition. Running on u diagonal line, he passed to Usher, to Hutt. to Letton. who finalised the movement. Just on time, Hutt drew the defence to let Vsher In under the "'props," and lirlgrosso raised the flags. The final scores Here : Ponsonby 22 Ellerslie .................. 5

SHORE S CLOSE CALL. Although they did n<»t win at Devonport i.n Saturday. Cifv put up a jrreat tischt .lU'ilnst the lenders, and Devonport had to strain ev rry nerve to win by tb® slender margin of two points. City a tracked valiantly in the early •ifasros of the game, and on several occasion* were nearly across the home team's line. Shore carried the piny to the t'ity end, n-hrre Ruby >rot the ball away. The lnsid« backs handled cleanly, and. in the end. U S'-ott <werved in and scored tinder the posts. A. Scott, converted. City attacked and at :he end of a passing run Williams got ni'pn<« w lde nut. The try wa< not converted. Before the first spell concluded I'n st.in ?ot across for Shore and registered .wi'itiier try. Tin- play was very even in the second iiiif. ,ind there was u-reat excitement when f'rmi.-h scored for City. It was not conv'• r: ci| 1 1. |r.-ili-ly hard fliietnatlris play saw the -.Mi' .in, the final score being:— I "m inport S «' V 6

JUNIOR RESULTS. SENIOR B. • •i n f Chevalier IT, heat Northcote 3. viiietirs 1.1. lieat Otahuhll 0. Mant-erc .'in, heat Parnell 18. SECOND ORADE. Devonpor' 11. heat Nnwton ft. Remiiera .J". bear Richmond ft. THIRD (iRADE. Athlete* I.:, henf I'i.nsiinliv 7. Richmond JI heat Niirthente O Mourn M 1,,..-! |, n;;f ~,v, B 3. I.Miti i|. I."a i r;|nn Kden tmiri» inti,n\ jI-:DT.\Ti: ill' v 11°' ii ii«>rn 0. Lynn - heat New inn 0. J , ° URr " ORADE. Cltir 1?, o. Pruuera S -