KEEN LEAGUE GAMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 218, 15 September 1930, Page 12

KEEN LEAGUE GAMES.

ROOPE ROOSTER CLASHES. PONIES WIN AGAIN. RICHMOND DOWN CITY. As the result of Saturday's League games, Ponsonby, the championship winners, will have to meet Richmond to decide the 'Roope Rooster knock-out competition. One of the biggest crowds of the season assembled at Carlaw Park on Saturday to witness .the second series of matches for the Silver Wyandotte. Western Suburbs were in good form and defeated Devonport by 10 points to • 5," while Richmond held too many guns for City, and Avon by the comfortable margin of 13 points to nil.

SHORE'S IMPROVED SHOWING. The League management took a risk in staging the Ponsonby anil Devonport game as the stellar attraction of the day in view of the seasiders' lamentably, poor .display against the champions only a few Saturdays previously. This choice, however, proved judicious, for Shore turned up trumps, and were only 5 points on the wrong side of the ledger when time was called. Fielding a stronger side than when they met their Waterloo in the deciding round of the club championship, they made Ponies fight all the way for victory. There is no gainsaying the fact, however, that fhe winners deserved to carry the day, for they showed finer appreciation of positional play, and their work was much more constructive than that of the opposition. They were badly rattled at times, but their defence was usually sound. On attack they missed several scoring chances, but generally speaking,-it was the resolute tackling of the players from across the water tliat kept them out. The outstanding player on the field was the mercurial "Spot" Riley, who, at centre for Ponsonby, led the men who played opposite him a merry dance.. He started trouble practically every time he got his hands on the ball, and his variation of pace and quickness oft the mark stamped him as the most clever centre in' the code to-day, not excepting Brishnnf>. the Marlst

international player.

It is a pity that Riley was-unable to make the trip to Australia with the "Kiwis," for it is certain he would -have made a . good impression. His one drawback is his frail physique. On Saturday he proved his genius time and time again* darting through gaps like a defer, and leaving- Seagar and company standing. Generally speaking the Pony backs worked smoothly. Augelo got the ball' away smartly from the scrum, and Delgrosso did his bit as usual in the fiveeighths line. Pat Skelton was on his game, and, in scoring the first try of the match, executed a fine bit of work. Winters was the better winger of the .two, although Schofield was determined on the move, and had hard luck on occasions. Herewini, the ex-Newton player, staged a come-back after a long absence, and tilled the full-back position with credit. Once he settled down, he defended well, flelded the ball spectacularly, and ran his backs into position in approved style. It was largely as the result of the fast raiding by the Devonport forwards that the champion's score was kept within bounds. Ruby, St. George, Rule and Scott were a quartet of solid grafters, both in the tight and the loose. Of the backs the-O'Leary brothers, Les and Trevor, O'Donneil and Rhodes emerged with honours thickly upon them. O'Donneil, while .he got away with nothing on attack seeing that he was opposing Delgrosso, was gameness personified on defence, and watched the old general like a cat watching a mouse. Seagar did not rise to the occasion or set an example to the young band he was leading. His weakness on defence was very apparent when both Skelton and Riley ran away from him. Smith, on the wing, showed im-, proved form, but he is not the lad he promised to be earlier in the season. Edwards, as the custodian, was not at home, his kicking, fielding and positional play being weak. While game on defence, he let Skelton through when he could have prevented a try. Of the Ponsonby forwards, Pagan, Stevens and W. Skelton were most conspicuous. Gardiner was more in the limelight tban he has been for a long while. His bulk was .an asset in the scrums, and his goal-kicking gave Ponies six points. For once Delgrosso left his kicking boots at [home, and he wisely transferred them to the Maori player.

CLASSY RICHMOND. Showing fine form to a man Richmond made another successful effort in the "Rooster" competition when they outed City by 13 points to nil. Once the teams settled down on No. 2 ground, the maroons made no race of it and City were soon at sixes and sevens—quite a surprise to most people. The departure of George Perry with a broken nose through bumping into an opponent, seemed to throw the live-eighths line all out of gear. The Richmond forwards hunted ruthlessly, and when they were not driving a wedge in front were scouting effectively and handling well.. Jones had the hooking all his own way, so the inside backs were constantly harassing the opposition. Several times ,City, who were without Leek and Clarke, threatened to take the upper hand but there was a lack of understanding and finish in. their play. Seventeen minutes from the start one of quite a. number of varied back moves by Richmond materialised, Mincham scoring. The hooker delighted with his long-range kick. The red and blacks were not given much respite, although Ben Davidson was battling hard to stimulate attack with fair support from W. Perry and. Iverson, with all ' the others just anyhow. Watene, when lie did not kick the ball to the.thankful Riclimondites, was invariably caught in possession. Actually, he' presented the opposition with the next try. Stallworthy had cut through the ccntre and punted over the full-back towards the goal posts. Watene was simply bustled and in his dive missed the ball, allotting the 'fast following threequarter to score. ' An' easy goal went astray and soon afterwards, when the maroons were raiding close up, B. Davis slipped a nice' pass out to Thomas on the blind side and lie popped over the line. G. Davis added another kicking success from near the outline. • City, with W. Hadley, Leii Barchard and Hamilton now exerting themselves, fought desperately and winger Barchard was nearly over at the corner. A drastic re-arrangement of the Rovers was observed when they filed out after the interval, and, although it did not much improve the attack, it tightened up the • defence and prevented any further increase in the Richmond score. The second half was more spirited and City frittered away chances, particularly when the way was made clear for Laurie Barchard,/and later, when W. Hadley smashed through in the loose. Both kicked. Shortland, now at full-back, was playing "ducks and drakes" with the job for which he was too slow, but tricky enough. Watene and Len Barchard —the latter from the pack—were outside Wetlierill, who did not impress, either. Reynolds and Davidson were the best, of the backs and Hamilton, of the forwards, foraged well in the open. He was a failure as a hooker and others tried were ho better. Lee played a heady and steady game as Richmond's rear-liner. The, three-quarters were fast and keen. Prentice and'G. Davis linked up well, but for a little too much cross-field running at times. There was just a suspicion that the former tackled a trifle prematurely on occasions.and on others, v. shade too solidly. B. Davis, behind a winning pack," played with easy grace. He is a very sound little player. It would be idle to, attempt to discriminate with the packmen of Richmond They are a rare and even set, never letting up. Ponsonby will have a busy time next Saturday if they expect to beat the maroons. It will be something to crow about. - GRADE GAMES. SENIOR B GRADE. Point Chevalier 3, beat Otahuhu 0. Richmond 10, beat Mount Albert 4. THIRD GRADE OPEN. FINAL. Ponsonby 10, beat Marlsts S.-I'onsonby was undefeated in the competition. THIRD GRADE INTERMEDIATE. FINAL. Newmarket 8, beat Akarana 2. FOURTH GRADE. City 10, beat Mt. Albert 0. Richmond 14; beat. Ponsonby 2. • Akarana 65, beat Glen Lynn 0. I

FIFTH GRADE. Pt. Chevalier 3, beat Marists B 0. Marists A 2, beat Newmarket 0. Newton 14, beat Kingsland 0. SEVENTH GRADE. Ellerslie beat Avondale by default. Pt. Chevalier 24, beat Marists 0. PRIMARY SCHOOLS. Otahuhu 25, beat Avondale C 0. Ellerslie 46, beat Onehunga Convent 0. City 8, beat Northcote 3. HOUSES MATCHES. A. J. Entrican 3, beat Bond and Bond 0. Avondale 8, beat Wallace Plaster Co. 0. GAMES IN PROVINCE. HUNTLY. Juniors. —Taupiri 11, beat Huntly Pirates .6; Ngaruawahia. Athletics defaulted to Huntly Ramblers. GAMES IN SOUTH. CHRISTCHURCH. Sydenham 19, beat Linwood 11. Hornby C, drew with Marist 6. Addington 0, beat Waimalri 0.