LEAGUE LEADER DEFEATED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 169, 19 July 1941, Page 2 (Supplement)

LEAGUE LEADER DEFEATED

Manukau Eclipses North Shore In Fast Open Game: Narrow Richmond Win Against Ponsonby: High City Score

| There was another upset in the i Auckland Rugby League's senior championship at Carlaw Park this afternoon, North Shore, the leading team in the championship, being beaten by Manukau by 22 points to 7 after a fast, colourful and open game. As a result North Shore and Richmond are now level for the championship, each with 14 points. Ponsonby led Richmond in the early part, but Richmond staged a recovery to win by 21 points to 18. City had an easy win over Newton by 35 points to 9, and, in a hard fought game, Mount Albert beat Marist by 18 points to 11.

tackling by Mount Albert immediatelv afterwards ended in Breed scoring: a good try. which Anderson failed to convert. Mount Albert, however, drew level a few minutes later, when Moore sent Clements awav from a scrum. When tackled Clements sent the ball on \ t Cowley, who cut out two men nicely to score a great try which he failevl to convert and the halftime score was:--Marist 11. Mount Albert 11.

| When the teams changed over, from a scrum I almost on the Marist, line. Shaabolt secured 3nd i dived over between the posts for Clements to conJ vert, giving Mount Albert the lead. A penalty to Mount Albert was token by Cr.mch. who added two more points to Mount Albert's score. Marist worked back to half wav. but the relief was onlv temporary, as the Mount Albert backs cnrr.e awav 'in another bright movement. Moore. Clements and I Cowley handled the latter sule-stepp:ng his way through to be brought down by a great tncklc jin't j short of the line. The Mount Albert backs were cutting their way through, bn* meeune solid defcnce from the Maris? forwards. Marist rr.ade repeated ellorts to score in the last lew minutes, but 'ailed, and the end was: — Mount Albert. . 18 Marist 11 Mr. J. Donovan was refere#. ★

CITY PILE UP SCORE City proved too good for Newton. Bright back play by City was a feature of the came, and Newton gave one of its worst displays this season. Fast and open play followed a swift attack by : the City forwards, and Newton was pressed on its twenty-five. Green and Burton were associated In a clever offensive, which carried plnv bark to half-way. A penalty to City saw Clarke, the lull-back, kick a good goal. He further added To the City score with an even better penalty goal City 4. Newton 0. • Chappie" Gould raced 30 yards before passing to Burgoyne, who scored at the corner. Clarke failed to convert. City had the better of the open play, and McManus dashed down the centre well supported by Jackson and Grotte. Brassey snapped It up. beat the opposition, and ran over to score a brilliant try. Clarke converted with a splendid kick from the side line. City 12. Newton 0. City lost Findlater. and Newton lost Green, the result of injuries. Green was not replaced, and Newton played a man short. Emus showed his speed on | the wing tor Newton, but it was a lone **f T ori not supported. Just before halt-time the Nekton forwards, led by ttrady and Gmders. swept over the opposition, but Clarke made a clever save and kicked out near half-way. Half-time scores: City 12 Newton 2 On resuming City again proved too cood on attack and A. Donovan scored a try after Grotte had made a nice opening. Clarke converted. Good play by A. Donovan paved the way for » another resolute City attack and McManus ran j through, passed to C. Gould, whose speed left the Newton defence standing. Clarke a train I converted. Then Emus kicked a penalty coal for j Newton. City had much the better of the open ' play and Brassey raced to half-way before passing J to Jackson, to Mataira. who scored in a good | burst for the goal line. The City forwards dominated the camp and Corbett scored for Clarke ' to kiclc another fine goal. City 30. Newton 2. Burton put In a good run for Newton and Emus raced Into the City territory, where Young scored and Emus converted. Then Grotte made a line opening and McManus scored for Clarke to convert. City •»= New ton !'!!!!!!!!!!."! 9 Mr. H. Tate was referee.

HEMI IN BEST FORM AS GOAL-KICKER The teams were:— North Shore: Smith, Brown. Greenwood, Wilkie, Chatham. Clarke, McArtliur, Hunt, Graham, Napier, Rutherford, Field, Petersen. Manukau: Chase. Butler, R. Martin, Gregory, Murray, Henri, Major, Thew, Rirtinui, Watene, Shilton, W. Martin, 1 hompson. Manukau opened up the name with short raiding, and got the opening points. Butler going across for a try near the Hag. Shore soon settled down to show sound team-play and combination, and the ball flowed freely to the wings - . The Manukau back play was on colourful and unorthodox lines, witli l>oth Hemi and Murray showing enterprise in attack, and cleverly exploiting the reverse pass. W ilkie went off hurt for Shore, and was replaced by Laing. Murray, with elusive running, made a great opening for Manukau. Gregory got the pass at top speed, and the transfer sent Sutton across wide out. Hemi kicked a nice angle goal. Shore forwards battled through to the Manukau end, where there was faulty handling by the defenders, and the alert Petersen snapped up the ball to get over for a simple try. which Smith converted.

Hemi kicked a short range penalty to gain two in ore points for Manukau, and to the delight of Manukau supporters soon followed it with a another penalty goal. Manukau at this stage was in the ascendancy, with its backs showing resource and speed, and sorely troubling the Shore defence with unexpected moves. Manukau kept on top to half-time, when the scores were: —

SIX GOALS BY KAY FOR PONSONBY Playing with speed and enterprise. Ponsonbv had much the better of the opening phase of play against Richmond. Kay gave Ponsonbv a flyin'c start with a beautiful lone-ranpe penaltv coal ar.d then Improved the Ponsonbv ou'look with a'cood . p onsonby continued to raid the Richmond end in lively fashion, and Laird went over fo' rv,y y o,'l. hlch _, Ko , y converted. With intensive plav. the Richmond forwards, led by Mitchell, battled tnelr way to the Ponsonby end. and Mcintosh eoi across to score. Webb converting. Kay kickcd a penalty goal to Increase the Ponsonby lead, and follow.ed it with another penally goal to make the hall-iimc scores: Ponsonby 14 Richmond 5 Richmond opened the second half with sustained attack, but the Ponsonby tacklinc was keen and determined, and there war quick backing up at any point where danger threatened. Tittleton o° (r« P' Richmond, and then Solomon made opening, and when he passed A ent ln score. Webb converting. Kay kicked another penalty coal for Ponsonbv Mitchell got a try for Richmond to level the. scorA al"ead Ka Near K ot T tr> for Richmond, and Webb converted, to makes the final scores:— Richmond 01 Ponsonby '!"!!!!!!!!!."" is

Manukau 12 North Shore 5 Manukau drew fuiitfher into the lead j when the frame was resumed. J'lay was at i the Shore end. when Butler threw a long cross-field pass. W. Martin trot the ball, I and weavt'd a way through tJie Shore backs 4o score between the posts. Ilenii conI verted. Smith cur the Manukau lead <lown a couple of points with a line i>enalty goal. I The Manukau 'hacks were launching attacks in a epeedv and concerted way. Majuk, a new half-back from the north Waikato district, was giving a sharp dc- | livery. Hemi and Butler were showing j thrust in the five-eighths line, and Gregory, j'the former Rotorna. player, was blending ■pace with straight running in the centre. I There was inter-cliansre of M;.nukan positions at times, and "Ritintw ii.ined in one hack attack, which was licldrisiht on the Shore try-line >by game tackling !»y Laing. Another penalty came Manukan's way. and Hcmi's shot hit the goal-post hijili up. Sharp raiding il>y Petersen carried info a good position in the final phase of play, but Murray. with Chase in support, transferred tlhe play to the other end. and only speed by Shore backs in pursuit saved the score. It was only a temporary hold-up. as Murray was soon acrons to score, and Ilcmi converted. The end came with flic scores: — Manukau 22 North Shore 7 Mr. G. Kelly was referee.

MT. ALBERT TOO GOOD FOR MARIST IN FAST GAME There was little to choose between Mount Albert and Marist In the early game on No. 2 ground. It was a match of fluctuating scores to half-time. Cowley, the fast Mount Albert three-quarter, scoring a brilliant try which made the scores even. The Mount Albert backs played bright football in tho second half, especially Cowley and Cranch. Marist failed to improve on its half-time score, and Mount Albert won by 18 points to 11.

The Mar Ist forwards had the best of the play in the opening stages. Mount Albert being held near half way until the backs followed up a loose rush which put Marist hard on the defensive. After hard rucking near the Marist line. Breed broke away and pased to Smith, who raced through to score a great try. Cowley was Just too late with a dive tackle. Anderson failed with the kick. Mount Albert launched an attack after this reverse and sent Marist back. Tristram secured from r.he loose near the Marist line and forced his wav over. Cranch was not successful with the kick. A beautiful movement from a scrum saw the Mount Albert, backs in swift motion. Moore sent out a neat pass to Clements, to Cowley, to HctlierinKton. the latter cutting through to score between the posts. Leatherbarrow converted. It was Marisfs turn next. Mount. Albert being hard on the defensive near its line. The ball came out to Anderson, who went over and converted his try. Bad