PONIES' SUPERIORITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 224, 22 September 1930, Page 15

PONIES' SUPERIORITY.

Richmond made their worst showing against Ponsonby this season when they, met the club champions in the final of the knock-out competition. In their previous games they were defeated by the slender margins of 15 poinls to 14 and 10 points to 9, but on. Saturday they could not do better than hold the western suburb to a win by 15 points to 7. The champions had the game well in hand from bell to bell, though they were hard put to it at times by the young and virile pack of the opposition. There is no gainsaying the fact that, on the day, Richmond were beaten by a better side. It was their unlucky day and nothing seemed to go right. As a feminine supporter said in registering her disgust at their exhibition, they played like so many hacks. They lacked that match-winning understanding and collaboration Iso necessary to wear down a team with combination such as Ponsonby have developed. Visions of Richmond repeating their performances of the 1926 and 19127 seasons and carrying off the poultry championship Receded in the distance in the first spell, when Ponies profiting by mistakes by the opposition, piled on 15 points. Firstly G. Davis nus- ' kicked and Gardiner got up to forge a passage through the defence, and then Riley caught his opponents hopelessly out of position and sent W. Skelton in with a centring kick. Things looked dismal at this stage,' but they reached I lie hopeless stage when the Pony scoring machine functioned with unison and Scliotield finished off a fine passing bout by scoring in the corner. Fine kicking by Delgrosso did the next, and at the interval the champions walked off the field nursing a lead that had put them yell on the high road to . success. The second i spell was more evenly P contested, and from a | scoring point of view Kiclunond turned the tables on their opponents. The latter, however, th oug it bustled at times, were usually in the ascendant, and were unlucky not to add to their score. The failure of their iusides was attributable for Richmond's defeat. The usually reliable Prentice found his match in Delgrosso, his vis-a-vis in the five-eighths line, and bungled things time and time again. In trying to cut in, he always came up against a brick wall, but despite his repeated failures he did not learn his lesson until too late. Then he tried kicking for the gap, with little or no success. The only time he got the ball away to his supports, Mincliam sent it nlong to Thomas for a well-merited try. As the result of Prentice's tactics, the rest of the Richmond backs were seen in a subdued light, although they got through-a tremendous amount of defensive work. B. Davis, behind the hard-Strug- j gling pack played soundly nnd well, making the most of the ball when it trickled his way, while Lee gave another good display at full-back. Although the latter lias'not yet learned to run his backs into position, lie fields well and kicks with good judgment. The three-quarters—Mincham. Stallworthy and Thomas —were not impressive, and lacked match-winning determination. One of the most solid displays of the day was given by Wilson, the young Ponsonby custodian. He hardly missed a ball all day. Besides fielding cleanly, he found the gap, and ran his chain into line when the opportunity offered. He played his best game to date. Winters and Schofield both emerged with honours for their speedy work on the wings,' while Augelo was good in patches. Riley was in form and,his brain work in the five-eighths line helped his side along to victory. Delgrosso combined sweetly with the former and, in addition to holding the chain together with his masterly generalship, defended as he lias rarely defended before. Moone did some good work behiiul the pack, but put his forwards off side all too frequently by attempting to burst through them from behind. As usual he got mixed up in a good deal of rough stuff, but he was not the onlv one at fault in this 'respect. So tense was the struggle that now anil again tempers were roused, and lists new m merry fashion. At one sta&e about Juilt a dozen players had a merry, set to, and they were lucky to get away without one of their number at least being given Ins inarching orders. Referee Les Bull was all together too lenient. Of the forwards } Ponsonby had the better sextet. They usually won the ball from the set scrums, and excelled in the tight stuff. A preponderance of weight gave them a decided advantage. The light Richmond pack fought with commendable tenacity, and it was no fault of theirs that the result went against them. Ragg, W. Jones,-Lenme and Ritchie were the most conspicuous grafters. For Ponsonby, Dunn, Gardiner, W. fekelton and Stevens were the best.