HIGH SCORING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue LXI, 12 July 1930, Page 11

HIGH SCORING.

AUCKLAND MEET THAMES VISITING BACKS OUTCLASSED. PLAY ON HEAVY GROUND. AUCKLAND 21, THAMES 0. Old rivals met once more at Eden Park this afternoon, when Thames took the field" against Auckland. The teams were: — Thames. Full -hack.—R. Buchan. Three-quarters.—F. Moran, C. Darling. L. White. Five-eighths.—A. Goudie, .T. Arthur. Half-hack.—J. Ake. Rover.—T. Dufty. Forwards. —A. Lomas, W. Percy, W. Brunton, A. Winder, J. Strange, G. Pollock, G. Percy. Auckland. Full-back.—Butler (University). . Three-quarters.—Hook (Ponsonby), Lucas (Ponsonby), Minns (University). Five-eighths.—Jamieson (Ponsonby), Haslam I Technical). Half-back.—Corner (Grammar). Rover— Solomon (Ponsonby). Forwards.—Hadley (Marist), Palmer Ponsonby), A. Knight, L. Knight (Grammar), McWilliams (Ponsonby), Finlayson (Grafton), W. Batty (Grammar). Auckland won the toss, and the visitors, with a forward rush, quickly went to attack, but Lucas sent them hack to mklfield, where, on a heavy, greasy ground, the play hung for some time, with even battling between two packs. Thames, with better pack work, evcntuallv worked right to the Auckland line. Batty and the Knight brothers cleared with good footwork, and Thames had a turn on defence. Minns was sent off with a great dash, heating two men before sending the hail infield to •Cornel-, who punted high, only to see the advantage lost. The failure was onlv momentary, for the Auckland backs sprang into action, Corner and'. Haslam handling well, and giving Lucas a chance to heat tixw men before he gave Minns a clear- gallop hehind the posts. Corner -converted. Auckland .... 5 Thames ••• ° Lucas Scores. Fast plav followed, despite the heavy going. Both hack divisions handled well, but gained little against good tackling.. Winder, with splendid kicking, gave Ms: pack a chance, but Corner went down o-amely several times to stop their rushes, and the local forwards retaliated by taking play to the opposing twentyfive, McWilliams being outstanding in the rush. He whipped the ball out to Jamieson, who passed . shockingly to Lucas, and the latter, unable to take it, kicked ower the line and followed, quickly to score an unconverted tryAuckland 8 Thames •• ••• P Both sides indulged in much speculating, and Hadley and L. Knight profited by it to lead another attack, which was' held up by offside on Knight's part. Then came" the change-over and bright suvshine. With ft came further points to Auckland. Clean handling sent the hall to Lucas, who completely fooled two of the opposition hefor* giving Hoko a try. It was converted by Corner. Auckland 3-3 Thames .... 0

More spectacular football followed, with Haslam emulating Lucas In cutting through' the visiting backs, but Thames relieved the pressure, and from a free Winder iad an ineffectual shot at goal. Thames held territorial advantage for some time, but the Knights, McWilliams and Batty altered conditions with magnificent iootwork. Buchan, the visiting full-back, took the ball splendidly from their foes. Book followed this by going almost through the whole side and sending the ball to McWilliams, who was held on the line. The Thames backs were bewildered by the Auckland rear-, guard, and further handling saw Minns over for "his second try. Butler's kick' was charged down. i Lucas was immediately brilliant again. He obtained from Haslam, and dodged and dummied through the visiting backs to score under the posts. Corner goaled. It was one-sided football, with the Auckland handling completely perplex-' ing their oponents, and the superior weight of the local pack enabling them to get possession almost -at will. Lucas and Minns put in some brilliant interpassing, but the winger's final wild transfer lost a certain score. Halftime went with the score:

Auckland 21 Thames 0 ■More Scoring by Auckland. Early play in the second half indicated that it would be a repetition of the first. McWilliams was the first to increase his side's total. He intercepted a pass, tucked the ball under his arm, and ran clean through under the posts. Comer converted. Thames had the briefest spasm in attack, and then Minns took the ball within two yards of the line, where, despite bad passing by Janiiesou, Haslam • made amends and sent Hook across. Butler missed a hard shot. Auckland 29 Thames 0 A spell of dreary football followed, Auckland taking things easy, till the backs flashed out in more reliable handling, for Minns to be well downed by Moran. "A. Knight next bustled through at the head of a dribbling rush, but the ball was kicked dead. No relief came to Thames, for whom Buchan had a busy tinie at full. Minns badly beat two Thames backs, but inpassed wildly to Lucas and lost another score. The visitors finished the. third quarter with' their one bright flash of the day, Corner savins the situation. Buchan let his side down badly for the first time, and gave Solomon a try at the corner. Butler failed at goal. Auckland 32 Thames 0 The big crowd then began to drift away as Hook finalised another passing bout with a score, converted by Corner. L. Knight next essayed to go through on his own, and reached little Buchan, who downed him solidly. Then came a burst of enthusiasm as Dufty intercepted from Hook, kicked, followed up, and scored. Winder missed the shot. From a scramble in the far corner of the ground after ragged football, Auckland secured its tenth try, the final score being Auckland 40 Thames 3 Mr. M. Kronfeld refereed.