OUT AT ONEHUNGA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 166, 16 July 1934, Page 12

OUT AT ONEHUNGA.

Ponsonby went on in their winning sequence against Marist Old Bovs on Saturday at the Onehunga Recreation Ground. Billed as an attractive game for an outside ground, the contest fulfilled expectations. It was not, however, quite ns spectacular as other games that have been staged by the same teams. The sides were too well matched to provide many thrills, and their tactics were too closely approximated to allow the element of surprise to enter into the game. This was borne out by the scores, which were only achieved by the most strenuous and pain-staking efforts of the attacking side. The tries were stereotyped efforts, and achieved a merited result in each case. I'll ere were other times in which tries might have been scored, but for faulty passes or lapses of similar nature, but the odds in this respect were about even, so, despite the ardent barracker, there should bo no kick coming. The best of footballers are only human, and when a game is played at as fast a clip as it was on Saturday mistakes are bound to occur. As a matter of fact there were surprisingly few of such lapses, sound tackling on both sides being responsible for nipping in the bud many promising movements. Both sides were keen to get the ball away to the backs, and the ball rarely lingered among the forwards, but considerable kicking was indulged in by both sides. This was performed by both full-backs in good stvle, but Campbell, for Marist, was generally the more effective. It was a game in which either side might have triumphed, and by snapping the opportunities for quick! and accurate handling when in the proper I position, Ponsonby managed to outscore their opponents.

t In individual play it would bo difficult to singlo out any of the forwards. Each side got the ball in turn, and there were no slackers. In the back division Murray at full-back for Ponsonby, gave a good exhibition, and the three-quarters were very sound, with Stockley and Kay always dangerous on attack. lUley and Halloran did the inside work very capably. For Marist Campbell was the proverbial tower of strength at full-hack, and the threequarter line was hard to penetrate. Of the inside backs Brisbane gave flashes of his best form, but was well marked. He fed his supports when opportunity offered, and scored a good try.