LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 190, 13 August 1928, Page 15

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

ENGLAND'S FAREWELL.

AUCKLAND VANQUISHED.

TOURISTS' GREAT RECOVERY

Framed with 20,000 spectators—a wonderful tribute to the popularity of League football —the sun-flecked arena of Carlaw Park made a radiant and inspiring picture on Saturday. It was quite a League pageant. Tense and expectant the big crowd clustered t'bickly on the banks and terraces to nee the English team once more in action, and witness a match that was packed with thrills and sensations. Brilliant weather, a resilient ground, and the lightest zephyr of a cross wind were the ideal conditions for the staging of a memorable game. And England won so decisively by 2(1 points to 15. that of Auckland only one epitaph can be written —they met a better team.' It was the English backs who blazed the trail to glory and hermetically sealed the issue. They threw the ball about with a glad abandon, showed wonderful sustained speed with clever interplay and the reverse pass. In the second half of the game they ran like racers, and combined like a team of stars to whiz for the line with zip and zest from all angles and distances. It was a razoredged attack which shattered the Auckland hopes. In a maze of speed and elusive running the blue defence wilted, and the outlook became all grey—a dull, drab monotone. True to tradition, the Auckland forwards showed indomitable spirit. The thirteen elite of Auckland were metaphorically cast into the shadows, and near the end of the game they looked a distinctly inferior side, fighting hard and hopelessly with an insoluble problem. The teams were:— ENGLAND (white). Full-back; Sullivan. Three-quarters: Ellaby, Fairclough, Brough, Frodsham. Halve;: Rees and B. Evans. Forwards: Burgess, Bentham, Bowman, Bowen, Thompson, Horton. AUCKLAND (-blue). Full-back: Dufty. Three-quarters: L. Scott, List, Hardgrave. Five-eighths: Wetherill, Prentice. Half: Delgrofso. Forwards: O'Brien, Somers, Hutt, Hali, Payne, Clarke. Referee: Mr. W. Mincham.

Winning the toss, the . Englishmen played with the run at their backs.

Play ewung with bewildering rapidity to the left corner, where Hall swung an outp&M to Hardgrave. The wing showed a fine turn of speed, short punted over Sullivan's head and, following fast, raced ahead to score in the corner amidst great cheering. The crowd rose when Dufty kicked a beautiful angle goal.

England commenced to do everything but score. There was excitement when a clearing kick by Dufty was charged down and Horton was almost in.

There was a spectacular touch to Auckland's next score. Play was in the home twenty-five, when Wetherill broke through at the English centre, just keeping clear of a couple of frantic low tackles that were put in. Coining to the half-way line, he pasred to Clarke. The Newton forward drove ahead, veering to the left with Brough and Frodsham in deadly pursuit. It was a great triangular race that roused the crowd to a high pitch of excitement. Keeping his course, Clarke held on long enough to cros? the English line near the corner. Dufty could not improve the position. Auckland 8, England 0.

The Englishmen launched a series of rapid attacks. Bees starred in another passing run, and the ball quickly worked towards Ellaby on the right flank. There was a dropped pass, but Frodsham came into the movement and sent the ball on as Evans came round on the outside. Crossing at the corner, the English half cirded and scored in a good position. Sullivan missed a fairly easy chance to add the extra points. Auckland 8 England 3 Thw-» tu no addition to the score at half tiiae. When the second spell opened the sun was veiled by clouds, and, without a breath of wind, playing conditions were ideal. Once more the tourists got the ball from a set scrum, the ball going to Evans, to Rees, to Brough. The centre tried to swing a high pass to the wing, But List intercepted and cleared. The home side's next score came quite unexpectedly. Delgrosso kicked to the corner flag. From the resultant scrum Sullivan kicked well down the field to Dufty. The Auckland full-back propped deliberately, and kicked the field goal of his life. As the ball sailed high between the posts the spectators cheered enthusiastically. Auckland 10, England 3.

The game began to swing pen-dulum-like in a fascinating manner from end to end of the field, and the play was intermittent sortie and retreat. In one movement the Englishmen drove in relentless fashion. The passing move came right across the Auckland twentyfive. Bowen finally swung a long transfer to Ellaby. Veering outward the big English wing got clear of Hardgrave and Dufty, and then, swinging infield, went across to score in a good position. Sullivan's shot flew wide. Auckland 10, England 6. The home team drove back to the English end in retaliation. Solo, L. Scott brought the next pointe for Auckland. In his own twenty-five, he kicked alon£ the right touch-line, and got up on Frodsham before the latter could clear. The Shore man got in a long grubber kick, and then followed a great race between him and Fairclough for possession. They _ crossed the goal-line together. Scott diving to get possession sod a try. Dufty kicked a neat angle goal. Auckland IS, England 6. It was England's turn next. There was a scrum in the Auckland twentylive near the left corner. The pack heeled quickly, and Evans whipped a pass on the blind aids to Bees, the little Welshman shooting through to icon wide out

From out near the touch-line Sullivan kicked a wonderful goal. Auckland 15. England 11.

England got into the lead with a sweeping movement which started in their own twenty-five. Fairclough speeded up the rush with trenchant dash, and then shot a reverse pass to Frodsham. With the home defence thoroughly riddled, Frodsham sailed across to score as he liked. Sullivan addtd the extra points from immediately in front of the uprights. England 10, Auckland 15.

The tourists were now outplaying the blues. In a devastating burst, Fairclough let Bowman away, and the big English forward steered away to avoid L. Scott in pursuit, and -cored in a good position. Sullivan kicked a nice goal. -

After a brief attack by all the English back®, swung into motion in electrifying fashion, Recs made a pretty opening and sent on to Brough, to Fairclough, to Frodsham. Then the reverse pass was given. Fairclough coming into the movement for the second time, gave an inpass and sent Brough across with the Auckland defence hopelessly shattered. Sullivan converted, and the final scores read:— England 26 Auckland 15