PONSONBY LEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 115, 17 May 1937, Page 13

PONSONBY LEAD.

LEAGUE LADDER.

DEFEAT OF MANUKAU XIII. KEEN" BATTLE IX THE MUD. By defeating last season's champions, Manukau, when the Auckland Rugby League's competitions were continued on Saturday, Ponsonby assumed the lead in the senior championship. Although the g.oumls were heavy and rain during the progress of the games did not assist the teams to indulge in passing, all the matches were keenly fought, and some excellent displays were provided the spectators. The main game was full of thrills, and Ponsonby got the decision because of splendid work by their forwards, hard tackling when Manukau were forcing the pace, and ability to profit from the conditions. The curtain-raiser was also keonlv fought. and Xorth Shore just managed to scramble home by a single point. The combination of Richmond was too strong for City, and the latter went under hy an 18 points margin. Mount Albert held too many guns for Xewton, and won by a comfortable margin. Results of senior matches were:— Ponsonby 7, v Manukau 3. Xorth Shore 6, v. "Marist 5. Richmond 24. v. City 6. Mount Albert 11, v. Xewton 0. Positions of teams:— rh P. W. Li. D. F. a. I'ts Ponsonby 3 3 - - 12 « Manukau 5 - i "" 4 Richmond 3 2 1 - £ \\ North Shore ... 3 - 1 - , Mt. Albert 3 2 - 4.; -» * 2 I _ r.o 67 - '' 3 _ p, - 10 65 - Newton ' PONIES TRIUMPH. Teaming splendidly and exploiting .uVZZn tactics to the full cabled a well merited win over Manuka" in the main game of the day b.v 7 1 ' o 3 Thev are thus the only team • " competition which has not yet suffered a low Ponies owe much of their success t their forwards, who raided tirelessly ini the loose and raked the ha I cons'Stcntlv from the set scrums. The backs so admiral b served nirclv indulged in passing bouts, but kicked through, followed forced the defence into errors, file *«»oie team shared in the victory, but backs who excelled In the slush were and a rattling good game at b . a^' rk a " J Kay. who got through a wealth of work at centre. Brown deserves credit, for a peer less hooking display, while Petersen was the best forward on the ground, and was never far away from the hall. Middleton and Keane also gave excellent scrv*eManukau were seen in a more suhdimi light than usual, but they fought gallantly to retrieve the position after Ponsonby had converted a deficit of three points at the interval into a lead of 7 to 3. The pick of the forwards were Gault, Kawe and Rlckit, while backs who performed with distinction were Itrinible. llenii and Broushton, the first-mentioned being the particular shining star who was responsible for making some grand openings.

CITY OUTPLAYED. Better strategv and ability to piny wet weather football enabled ltichmond to defeat. City by the convincing Jiiargin or •j4 points to <>. Badly cut up by an earlier match, the No. ground at ( ' nrli,w 1 ark was in a shocking condition for the most part, and in a sea of mud good play was a matter of great difficulty. 'JIH-re wero some plavers in the match wiio shaped will under the depressing circumstances• steady rain and slusli, and there were others who fouud the day quite beyond tnun. I?oth teams let their forwards carry the burden of the May. with the hacks teaming In as beat they could, but there wen occasions when tlie Richmond backs showed good flashes of concerted play, marked bj safe handling of a singularly elusive ball. G Tit "let on played an outstanding game at full-back for Richmond. and was notfr at fault while Powell, W Ttttl'ton and Mincham seemed quite at home tn the heavv going. McLeod, Mitchell and lei ford showed up in the Rirhmoml forwar.ls. vvpfint for pome occasionally nrignt nr tacking work 'by Tawhai. the City backs made it largelv a defensive da.\. and \\ 1 berg. Lynch and Hutchinson gave service. Raymoml played a sterling In the City forwards, with able support from Donald, who has proved a wclcome acquisition to the red and black forwards. SHORE'S LUCKY VICTORY. (— # ! The dash and daring of North Shore s inside backs. Sterling, Bennetts, /.anp wij Smith, topping off an advantage in Kottin,, possession of the ball in the second spell, enabled the marine-siders to pull the gai out of the tire against Marist Old Bo s and win in the last minute by 6—>. losers showed more combination, but lacked finishing power. There was plenty of untoward incident in a match that at times rose above the conditions. ... * Kerr again was the master custodian tor Shore, and Sowter. Hollows and Simpson were hard toiling forwards, no less vimful than Breed. Donaldson and Finlayson for Marist*. whose scrums lacked weight when Bakalich preferred to stand off. In the early stages Glover, wh<»se usual place at full-back was taken with credit by a promoted plaver, McLonnan, threatened to combine well with Donovan at five-eighths but the churning up of the ground altered the style of the play. Matson was the onlv winger on view who showed initiative. The former Manukau third grader. Zane. who scored the winning try, is proving an asset to Shore as a scoring back. ALWAYS IN FRONT.

At no stage wlion play hart properly settled down did Newton ever threaten to take the honours in the mateh with Mount Albert. On a wet. slushy ground. anything in the nature of brilliant football was not to be expected, but nevertheless the play was hard and well sustained, with Mount Albert doing the better throughout. It was almost impossible to handle the ball with any degree of accuracy, but this did not discourage the backs on both sides, who

endeavoured to throw It about, these more-J ments almost invariably breaking down I early. The try scored by Hassan was a bright spot, the ball travelling along the line of backs for the player mentioned to go over and score. Watkins' try was the result of a fine solo effort. Stewart was the other try-getter, and Cranch landed a goal. Mount Albert thus winning by 11 points to nil. Newton had one or two chances to but luck was not with them, and for the most part they were kept busy defending. The conditions prevented players from showing their real form, and it would be unfair in the circumstances to single out any players for special mention. All played hard, willing football, and ou the day the better team won. I

GRADE GAMES.

SENIOR RESERVE. J Ponsonby 11, beat Manukau 0. Richmond 23. beat City O. Mari&t 5. beat North Shore 0. 1 Mount Albert 23. beat Newton 4. i SENIOR B. ! R.V. 20, beat Newton 0. . Papakura 25, beat Richmond 0. I THII!D GRADE. ! Richmond 8. bent Papakura 5. Otahuhu 17. heat R.V. 3. Newton 3. drew with Manufcan 3. | FOURTH GRADE. Glenora 24. beat Ponsonby 0. Ellerslie 13, beat Shore 3. FIFTH GRADE. Itiehmond 19. beat Papakura V City 15, beat Ellerslie 0. Avondale 8, beat Shore 3. Otahuhu won by default from Northcote. SIXTH GRADE. City iB, beat Papakura 0. SEVENTH GRADE Richmond 5, beat Shore 0. GAMES IN THE PROVINCE. HUNTLY. Huntly South 10, beat Huntly 5. Juniors.—Huntly H. 5.0.8. 24, beat Huntly South 0. Third Grade.—Huntly South 2, beat Huntly 0.