LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, 9 July 1928, Page 14

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

ELLERSLIE OUTPLAY CITY,

MARIST JUST GET THERE,

rOXSOXBY'S EASY WIN

It was a flay of surprises at Carlaw Park on Saturday. Ellerslie completelv outplayed City, to win by a wide margin, although the rpic of the day. was the triumph of Marist. The greens rose to it in splendid fashion, to win by the narrowest margin of a single point against Devonport—-the second defeat in succession that the leaders have received this season. It was easily the game of the day. and, although staged on the No. 2 ground, it drew the Unflagging interest of the spectators, who demonstrated their enthusiasm at the end. Ponsonby were a long way too good for Xewton, and won comfortably, much for the reason that Delgrosso took as enthusiastically to the rain as a duck does to water, and as a goal-kicker was superb. Tt was rather a straggling game, and except in patches, was rarely interesting. Richmond had the bye, and hied away to Hikuraneri to carry the League torch into Xorthland, perhaps incidentally to singe some Rugby beards in the process. WIN FOR PONSONBY.

Ponsonby, with fast raiding, had the better of the opening phases of the play. A set scrum went down at the Newton twenty-five line. Stephens raked cleanly to T. Peekham. The ball was whipped out to Delgrosso, to Thompson. As the Newton defence kept fanning out, Thompson cut cleanly through an ever-widening gap, raced ahead and scored close to the posts. The Newton backs were nonplussed and right out of position. Delgrosso kicked a simple goal. Ponsonby, 5; Newton. 0.

From a scrum at the Newton end Peekham a?ain swept the ball to Delgrosso. The flve-eighths ran into a bunch of converging tacklers, shook himself clear, and then raced in between the posts. He added the lesser points and the score was: Ponsonby, 10; Newton. 0. With their characteristic interplay Ponsonby were dominating the game. A free came their way at the Newton end and Delsrrosso raised the flags with a beautiful angle shot. Ponsonby, 12; Newton. 0. Ponsonby were hard on the defence when T. Peekham baffled a trio of reds and got away. He slipped an in-pass and Delgrosso, with trenchant dash, went through to the Newton full-back. The supporting pass msant for T. Peekham and dropped. In a whirl of play Donovan gathered the ball, swerved crisply and cleanly and registered a brilliant try beneath the bar. Delgrosso converted. Ponsonby 17, Newton 0. Near the end Hall scored for Newton. Ponsonby 17 Newton 3 SHORE AGAI3 DEFEATED. The brightest football seen on No. 2 ground at Carlaw Park for many a long day was provided by Marists and Devonport. Despite the fact that both the ball and the ground were treacherously greasy, the teams threw the ball about with abandon and tackled with deadly accuracy. The game opened sensationally, Devonport securing from a scrum In the first minnte of the game, and racing away to the attack. The ball ultimately went to L. Scott on the right flank, and the winger cut ln-fleld beautifully to outstrip the opposition and score in a handy position. Seager converted. Tykes exploited up-and-under tactics, and O'Brien, scooping up nicely, shot the ball out to Cronln, to Brisbane, who outstripped the opposition to ■core In the corner. Marists assumed the lead after fifteen minutes' of play, similar tactics - finding Webb hopelessly out of position. Tykes stormed the line with Brisbane in the lead and Noble dlvsd across In the proximity of the post* for a try. Gregory had no difficulty in adding the extra points. Marists 8, Devonport 5.

Deronport mads a spasmodic dash into enemy country, where Batchelor moiled the ball. The black forwards were up with the piny, and, though Brisbane intervened ana temporarily held up the siege. Rule was handy to secure and dive across to equalise. The kick failed. When the blacks were again on the offensive. Seager trot the ball away to Preston, to Seager, l -who fed the dumimy beautifully, and wormed his way across. A. Scott goaled. Just before tne spell Campbell fielded cleanly and swung a neat pass to Brisbane, who shot across on the diagonal line to rnn In at the corner. Gregory's shot foil short. The half-time scores were: Dp von port 13. Marlsts 11. Using the wind that favoured them in the second spell. Shore kept their opponents hemmed in in their own twenty-five on resumption. After a period of fluctuating ,?!♦?* h , Mt ?S«!S elee ™ Shore's last line resulted in O Brlen being catapulted from the scrum with the ball in possession. He fell across the line on his back, but switched round to ground the ball, and score a welldeserved try. The corner shot was too ™ ncb f °r Gregory. Marists 14. Devon port i? t - The ended in a fadinff llzht with the scores unaltered and readlns: Marists Deronport .!!!"! 13 Mr. T. Chernslde wns referee. ELLERSLIE DEFEATS CITY. Open, fast play characterised the Initial stages of the EllerslieCity game, the ball travelling from one end of the field to the other. City had a life early when a combined Ellerslle rush looked dangerous, but over-eagnerness spoilt a score. At the other end Ellerslle struck trouble and had Hadley taken a pass City's stock might have been up three points. Not to be denied, however, Ellerslle went way la good style. Davis opened up a splendid passing rush, the ball being handled by four others and finally by Hemingway. With a fine burst of speed the latter got over at the corner. S. Crewther failed with the klok. Ellerslle 3. City 0 Then from a melee on City's line Davis got over and Hemingway hoisted the flags. Ellerslle 8, City 0. City backs opened the second spell by throwing the ball about In their usual style. Ellerslle countered attack by endeavouring to keep the ball down with forward rushes. These tactics were of no avail, however, and a brilliant passing ran by City saw them almost over. A minute later Barchard landed a goal from the field. Ellerslle 8, City 2. This reverse put new life into Ellerslle and away they went at top. Speight finished up a good piece of play by scoring a try near the uprights. Hemingway made no mistake with the kick. A free kick was given against WetherlU for passing off the ground and Hemingway again raised the flags. Ellerslle IS. fity 2. Bllerslle were adopting the smothering tactics and keeping the ball close till Littlewood got away on his own and running behind the posts touched down. Hemingway added the extras, the final score being: Ellerslle $0 ClUr 2 JUNIOR RESULTS. SENIOR B. 8 - Kingsland 3. Point Chevalier 8, beat Parnell 5. SECOND GRADE. Richmond 10, beat Deronport 3. MS bfit Poaioani ft,

THIRD GRADE. Otahuliu 8, beat Northcote 6 f^r w,th KJch'mond 3. Athletics i>, beat New Lynn 3 Mount Albert 22, beat Parnell' 0. THIRD INTERMEDIATE Newmarket 9, beat Newton 3. Kiehinond 24, beat Ponsonby 0. •New Lynu 3, drew with Point Chevalier 3. FOURTH GRADE. Akarana 10, beat City 0 , Remuera 11. beat Point Chevalier 3. Richmond 10, beat Ponsonby 3. SIXTH GRADE. Akarana A 3, drew With Marists A 3 oint Choulicr A 6, beat Newmflrkpf' A "» o Point Chevalier B 0, drew wTthMaratl B Akarana B 18, beat Newmarket B 0. City 10, beat Devonport B 6. POSSIBLES V. PROBABLES. TEAMS FOR WEDNESDAY. With a view to selecting the best possible team to meet the touring Englishmen in August, the Auckland selectors (Messrs A. Avery, E. Asher and E. Fox) have selected the following teams to try conclusions on Carlaw Park next Wednesday afternoon at 2.45 o'clock: Possibles. Fuii-back: Dufty (Newton). * h , ree ' quarter 3: Hardgrave (Newton), Wethenll (City), List (Kingsland). live-eighths: Prentice (Richmond), oeagar (Devonport). Half: Delgrosso (Ponsonby), forwards: A. Scott (Devonport), U f. m ( Payne (Ponsonby), Hutt (Ponsonby), St. George (Devonport), and Moisley (Marist). Probables. Full-back: Hanlon (Richmond). Ihree-quarters: L. Scott (Devonport), Beattie (Devonport), Wilson (Mangere). Five-eighths: Gregory (Marist). Brisbane (Marist). Half: Peckham (Ponsonby). Forwards: Jcnkinson (Richmond), J. Hadley (City), Ruby (Devonport), Hall (Newton), Dixon (Devonport), Campbell (Marist). Reserves: Voisey (Athletic), Slater (Ellerslie), Cleaver (Devonport), Lonsville (Athletic).

Any unable to play is requested to notify the selectors immediately. Somers, the Newton hooker, was not available for selection.