Riley, Anderson Score With Goals In In Main Match

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 99, 28 April 1945, Page 14

Riley, Anderson Score With Goals In In Main Match

Defence was superior to attack in the early stages. Both teams threw the ball about In an entertaining way, but as backs fanned out they ran into solid covering defence. Finlayson with clean hooking was winning the ball in the set scrums, and Shepherd with sharp and well-directed passing, was quick to get his inside backs going. In one movement D. McWilliams in the centre, and J. Smith on the wing, made good headway, but a certain score was lost when Shepherd, who came into the movement again, dropped a difficult pass.

First points went to Otahuhu. N. Johnson arid Pearson started a dribbling drive which went right up to the Marist try-line. Brockless with good defence held up the attack for a moment, and then M. Johnson dived across to score. Riley land a beautiful angle goal. Otahuhu 5, Marist 0.

Otahuhu was quickly back on the attack, and from a penalty lliley kicked his second goal of the day. Both teams played In a bright and open way. but combination was generally lacking. There was compensation with good solo efforts, ,R- Speedy, the suburban fiveeighth, showing speed and ability to penetrade, and D. McWilliams playing a fine pivotal game In the centre for Marist. From a wide angle Anderson kicked a brilliant penalty goal to wipe out two points of the Otahuhu margin. White, the Marist five-eighth was hurt, and was replaced by Crocker. Rangi made a great dash along the left, side-line, and McLeod collected an in-field pass to cross and score wide. Anderson converted, and the scores were levelled. The halftime scores were Otahuhu „,7 Marist 7 The second half started with some bright flashes of play, with the Otahuhu inside backs showing speed and going straight. Forward both were well matched, and hooking honours were fairly even. The hopes of Otahuhu supporters ran high when J. Speedy sent the ball to R. Speedy, to Wellm. The Otahuhu centre ran through a gap and swerved in-field to evade the Marist full-back. He then had a clean track ahead. Rangi, the Marist left-wing, came across field and stopped Wellm with a diving tackle. Then Marist drew into the lead, Anderson kicking a brilliant long-range penalty goal. Marist 9—7. Marist opened up the play in an endeavour to draw further into the lead, and at the Otahuhu end hard attack was met with a concentrated defence. Anderson actually crossed the Otahuhu try-line with the ball, but could not ground it. Both teams were now playing in an all-out way with their respective supporters cheering every yard of progress. One bright Marist solo effort was a run by J. McWilliams. He threaded a way through the Otahuhu inside backs and with a wide in-swerve beat Portello, the suburban full-back. The Marist player was caught from behind by Wellm, who came with a great burst of speed. R. Speedy made a brilliant run at the Marist end, and then Riley kicked a penalty goal, the ball striking the crossbar and bouncing over. With the scores level both teams played hard for the next minute. The final scores were: Marist 9 Otahuhu 9 Mr. H. Tate was referee. The teams were:— Otahuhu: Portello, Wellm, Keat, Simons, Riley, R. Speedy, J. Speedy, Fogarty, I. Johnson, Pearson, Sanderson, N. Johnson, M. Johnson. Marist: Brockliss, Smith, D. McWilliams, White, Shepherd, McLeod, Curran, Lyall, Davidson, Anderson, Finlayson, Rangi, J. McWilliams.

WILES IN BETTER FORM ♦ WHEN MT. ALBERT WIN

Manukau played attractively in the early curtain-raiser against Mount Albert. The latter had a busy day keeping out a team likely to again win the season honours. .In the second half, however, Mount Albert rose to the 6ccasion, and their constructive play was impressive and convincing. A draw, however, Would have been a true indication of the game. Tommy Chase was brought up to halfback In place of Major, and Butler, the usual wing, dropped back to full-back. Early in the game Cranch opened the score for Mount Albert with a penalty goal. In some ten minutes of easily the best football play seen this season. Chase started a passing bout, and the New Zealand Maori representative sent it on to Rlrinui, who forced a gap in the defence, and Rogers raced over for a brilliant try. Chase missed the goal points, making the score: Manukau 3, Mount Albert 2, Chase then kicked a great penalty goal from 40yds out. The game was rushed up and down the ground at a great pace, and constructive football was the order. Good passing by Rogers and Kirinui saw Shelton race in to accept and score a fine try. Chase converted. Meanwhile Cranch sent over a penalty, and the score read: Manukau 10, Mount Albert 4. A brilliant run throiugh the Manukau defence was made by Sumich, the Mount Albert five-eighths, and Butler only touched his flying feet. Mount Albert hit back. Zane made a burst, and then Wiles, who made a beautiful opening, sent Cranch racing for the try line. Butler did the Job well and pushed the winger out of touch. Half-time scores: — Manukau 10 Mount Albert 4 The game had not gone far in the second half when Mount Albert attacked strongly and Wiles scored a brilliant try. It came from a scrum, 30yds out, and Clement passed to Sumich, to J. Zane, who drew the defence. The crowd rose and cheered a clever corkscrw run by the ex-Auckland Rugby centre as he raced over wide out. Cranch missed. A few minutes later Milliken and Clement broke away and J. Zane scored a nice try. Cranch converted, to make the score: Mount Albert 12, Manukau 10. At this stage Mount Albert was definitely on top, and the exciting exchanges frequently brought the crowd to its feet. It was a great recovery for Mount Albert, and Rosewarne and Borich drove hard into the Manukau defence. The upshot was a clever run by Clement, ana Pike dashed over to score his second try as a League player. Cranch connected, to make the scores: Mount Albert 17, Manukau 10. Mount Albert is definitely a greatly improved team, but the gap was bridged when from a rebound. Murray dived over to score a lucky try. which Chase converted: Mount Albert 17. Manukau 15. In the dying stages of a brilliant, game Murray made a fine opening, and Webster made a great effort to cross. Wiles t?ckled soundly, and held up a promising offensive. It was a great effort to pull the game out of the fire. The final scores:— .aount Albert 17 Manukau lo

CITY SECURES GAME IN LAST-MINUTE VICTORY Attack and counter-attack marked the opening stages of the game between City and Ponsonhy at Carlaw Park. From a scrum in City's twenty-five, Cunningham got possession, hut while trying to contact his side, Mitchell intercepted to make a dash for it and get across the line to open up the scoring for Ponsonby. The try was not converted. A few minutes later, when on the defensive. Ponsonby staged a brilliant recovery. Kelly initiated a passing move which swept swiftly downfield, the ball being sent on in turn to Allen, Nurse and Hardwicke, who scored beneath the posts for Nordgren to convert. Handling the ball in the scrum cost City another two points, Nordgren kicking a difficult penalty kick. Citv was attacking when R. Cunningham go't possession and looked like running into trouble by dashing into the midst of the opposition. He managed, however, to get away with it, passing to James, who scored beneath the posts. Sllva converted. A scrum infringement by City gave Ponsonby two more points, Nordgren again kicking a penalty from practically the same position as before. Ponsonby 12 City 5

The second spell opened with n vigorous attack by City, but they were unable to make any impression on Ponsonby backs. However, two penalties kicked by Silva for offside play reduced Ponsonby's lead. This was offset to a certain extent by City having to concede a penalty, which was successfully taken by Nordgren. City shfiwed determination to make up the leeway, but Ponsonby held them, and it was not until, with five minutes to go, that James got through a scramble on Ponsonby's goalline to secure a try. Silva converted to even the scoring. City kept up the attack and in the last two minutes of the game Salala scored and Silva added the extra points ' as the final bell sounded. The game ended:— City 19 Ponsonby 14 The teams were:— City.—Silva, Matthews, Salaia, Simpson, A. Lege, A. Donovan, R. Cunningham, F. James, R. Gee, E. Donovan, \V. Graham, E. Sexton, Taylor. Ponsonby.—G. Tittleton, R. Nurse, J. Morrell, B. Nordgren, P. Kelly, E. Allen, W. Brimble, T. Hardwicke, O. Hughes, G. Mitchell, H. Hadley, D. Bailey, J. McDonnell. Mr. S. Billman was the referee.

NEWTON BEATEN 70—0 IN A FARCICAL GAME

Beyond the fact that Newton made a deplorably poor showing and Richmond took due advantage of this, there was little to excite comment in the game on the No. 2 ground. So lacking were the Newton players in combination and so incapable were they of putting any determination into their playing that Richmond had no difficulty in running up a score of cricket proportions. Excuses were hard to find for Newton's showing. There were several young players in the team, but neither these nor the older members were able to display that fusion of knowledge and enterprise necessary to combat the comparatively polished playing of Richmond. Both Newton backs and forwards, with the possible exception of Hawkes (five-eighths) tackled high, while the forwards stood still and permitted their opponents to play in a fashion that, in the circumstances, was flashy as well as productive. Richmond's early points were made up of a try by Satherley, two by Lowther, and one each by R. Robertson, Kinney, M. Robertson, A. Thompson and Furnell. Lowther converted one, Furnell two and Magill one. The score at half-time was: Richmond 34 Newton °

Lowther, Richmond's brilliant wing, soon added to the score after the be.ll rang, converting his own try. Satherley crossed shortly after and Lowther converted, following the kick with another try. Richmond 47, Newton 0. Richmond relaxed for a shor*. period and Newton went downfield, but were unable to score. Another spurt on Richmond.s part saw Furnell contribute a try, followed by one by Thompson and two by M. Robertson, Lowther converting all f° ur - Ryan scored a try and a farcical game ended: Richmond Newton Mr. H. Hobman was referee. Richmond: Magill, Lowther, M. RobertR Robertson, Kinney. Furnell, Williams, Satherley, Pinches, Hilton, Ryan, T N^vto°n n ' K. Keen, Briggs, TTawkes Smith, Giles, Scarlett, F. Zimmermail, Josephs, Brady, L. Keen, Walker. Sullivan.