LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 166, 17 July 1933, Page 13

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

NORTHERN UNION CUP.

WAIKATO HOLDERS' VICTORY,

AUCKLAND WELL BEATEN IN THE

The first challenge match of the many to take place this season in the quest for the coveted Northern Union Cup, held by South Auckland, was staged at Carlaw Park on Saturday, when the visitors created an emphatic surprise by registering a clear-cut and •creditable victory by 14 points to nil. The ground surface had been churned up as the result of a heavy shower of rain just as the curtain-raiser started, and when the cup teams took the field it was soou in a veritable lather of mud. South Auckland forwards, as of yore, played with devastating dash from the outset, and it was soon evident that conditions suited the team as a whole. Auckland prevailed in but one department and that was in hooking the ball from the scrums, but the visiting forwards nullified that advantage by their quick breaking-up and bustling tactics. It wae a fine, fast and open match in the circumstances, and the visitors were popularly hailed for their valiant display. After the game Mr. G. Grey Campbell presented the beautiful trophy back to the South Auckland team, and congratulated them !on their success. Mr. M. 13. Glasgow, manager, acknowledge the compliment and the teams exchanged cheers. Southern Forwards Prevail. There can be no question about the merits of the South Auckland team, for it beat the metropolitan side lore and aft for most of the way. It is a very long time since an important match has been played under such frightful conditions, and this may be offered as the only cxcuse for Auckland which, by experience this season at least, may be considered a " fine weather team." The sports of queen of the Auckland Prosperity Carnival (Miss Shirley Watkins) had no sooner set the game in motion than the visitors went into the fray with a will. They suppressed efforts by the opposition to open out to their, backs, and Auckland failed to take the hint and adapt themselves to the only possible method of progress —kicking and following through. Sensing Auckland s predicament and timidity, the cup-holders imparted rare dash into their work,, and, except for instances of off-side play, were teaming well. Their forwards were rugged and fast, and their short passing on the move was quite a feature. The Auckland half, W. Hassan, was called upon to perform a prodigious task. When he did appear to have a chance, his breakaway, McLaughlin, was invariably in the way. I Brisbane found Dunn to be quite precocious in the foreign going, so wisely elected to kick. When the ball did threaten to go

along the chain the visiting backs were quick to tackle. Mistakes in handling the greasy —more than greasy—ball also hampered such concerted rearguard action, so South Auckland invariably had no difficulty in smothering attacks and reversing them by loose kicking and fast following up. Before u quarter ot an hour was frone the players were truly " muddied oafs.' Second Spell Phases. Arriving at half-time with six points to nil in their favour, the visitors had probably prepared for a sterner bid by the city representatives in the second half, but again the challengers revealed a sad lack of vim. A cheap try right at the start to South Auckland put them in complete command. However, Auckland did buck up to a degree. At the end of a long spell of towering forward rucking, the issue was sealed when the Southern backs sparkled and revealed a good deal more cleverness in their play than they were popularly supposed to possess. A brilliant right wing movement, developed on Auckland b quarter line—with little room in which to work—brought W. Tittleton and K. Garry together in a dashing passing move down inside touch. George Tittleton, the fullback. had rushed up to be the extra man. and lie went over the line in a flash well out. It was a masterful touch. Auckland backs made desperate efforts in the fading stages to get some little satisfaction, and in this Brisbane, List, and Schultz featured. but it was all in vain. Those sturdy South Auckland packmen were raiding in all parts of the field with devil and dash. They won the " mud-larking " contest on their merits, and their backs rose to the occasion in support. Curiously, Auckland ruled the serums, but South Auckland had a check-mating system. They broke away rapidly into position, and the backs moved iust sufficiently to provide for the kick through. On the other hand, Auckland s positional play and tackling were poor, and but for the remarkable defensive work ot Laing, South Auckland's tally might have rend like some of those one-sided scores which, a few years ago, were registered by Auckland against South Island interprovincial sides which came this way for experience that has been placed to the best advantage. It is just possible that, had the Auckland team been permitted to penetrate and score in the second epell, the visitors might have been more severely tested. It was, however, another instance of the fact that a team will only play as well as its opponents will allow. Herein South Auckland had all the say, much to the consternation of the average football prophet. The Individual " Mud-larks." Whatever the comparative inferiority of Auckland on the day, it must be said that, considering the underfoot conditions, it was a splendid game of football—hard and

fast. A few flashes of combined play were seen, but the forwards mainly settled the issue. There were no serious injuries, and most of the stoppages were due to mud in the eyes of contestants. In the fading stages it was a thing to be marvelled at that Referee P. Rogers was able to continue to identify the players and control the play so well. With the exception of the players already mentioned of the backs, the Auckland team played rather lifelessly, the outstanding forwards being Laird and Satlierley.

G. Tittleton, after a doubtful start, acquitted himself creditably as full-back for South Auckland, but he.was well protected in front. In D. Pitt (half), K. Peckham (youngest brother of W. F. " Tim " Peckham, the international), R. Garry and W. Tittleton, the Southern end of the province has four very promising colts. R. Garry was the most brilliant back on the ground, whilst W. Tittleton showed speed and tenacity on defence. Paki played with all the guile of a veteran, but Hill, on the other flank, did not get much of the play. It would be invidious to single out any forward of the sextet —Stephenson, Siddell, Huia Mason (brother of Wigan's New Zealand captain, Leu Mason), J. Fleming, P. Mcßurney, and T. Timing. They performed to a man like players with a mission. Mcßurney was in everything, and new blood in Siddell and Flemming also impressed. Timms shone up as a breakaway, and in the second half played away from the scrums, deploying very effectively on the blind side.

South Auckland has now won the Northern Union Cup four times from Auckland and once from Northland, though Saturday's match was really a matter of defending possession of the trophy.

GRADE GAMES.

SECOND GRADE. M.ingere US, beat Manukau 0. Ellerslie 5. beat Point Chevalier 3, Papakura 0, drew with Otahuhu 0.

THIRD OPEN. Glenora 25. beat Papakura 2. Richmond 3. drew with Ponsonby 3. Marist 15, beat Mangere 0. Mount Albert beat New Lynn by default.

THIRD INTERMEDIATE, f'ity 8, beat Richmond 6. Marist 0, drew with Northcote 0. Papakura 6, beat Manukau 0.

FOURTH GRADE. Akarana 0, drew with Newton B 0. Newton A 11, beat Manukau 2. Richmond 6, beat Ponsonby 0. City 11, beat Point Chevalier 8. Marist A 23, beat Marist B 5.

FIFTH GRADE. Point Chevalier 6, beat Northcote 2. Richmond A 8, beat City 0. Richmond B beat New Lynn by default. Ellcrslie S, beat Papakura 3.

SIXTH GRADE. Devonport 0, drew with Richmond 0

SEVENTH GRADE. Richmond A 18, beat Ellerslic 2. Newton 6, beat Devonport 0. Otaliuhu 6. beat Eden 0. SCHOOLBOYS' GAMES. Avondalc 13, beat Northcote 0. City 3, beat Ellerslie 0. GAMES IN THE PROVINCE. WHANGAREI. TTikurangi G, drew with City 6. Waka Waro 6, beat Kamo 5. GAMES IN THE SOUTH. NEW PLYMOUTH. Eastern Suburbs 13. beat Inslownod 5. Western Suburbs 19, beat Waitara 7. NAPIER. Taradale IG, beat Westsliore 9. Ahuriri 16, beat City 12. Kiwi A 6, drew with Tango'o 6. Clive 53, beat Kiwi B 3. Clive wins the Vigor Brown Shield. CHRISTCHURCH. Hornby 16, beat Pirates 7. Kiecartfln 8, beat New Brighton 7. Addington 5, beat Sydenham 3. DUNEDIN. All games postponed.