FOOTBALL FIELD.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 109, 10 May 1909, Page 3

FOOTBALL FIELD.

RUGBY. Fine weather was experienced last Saturday afternoon, and the effect of this was seen in the fact that the various field games in Wellington and its vicinity were played in the presence of large assemblages of onlookers. The senior championship games of the Wellington Rugby Union drew thousands of people to Petone and the Athletic Park, but the games that were played at Miramar were neglected by the public. Detailed accounts of the play were published in the sporting edition of The Post, issued on Saturday evening. Appended will be found summarised 'reports. The senior championship games resulted as follow :—: — Poneke 6 v. Petone 3. Oriental 6 v. St. James 3. Victoria College 0 v. Southern 0. Athletic 5 v. Wellington 0. Melrose 15 v. Old Boys 8. ORIENTAL v. ST. JAMES. Oriental, debited with one loss and two wins, now stand equal with St. James, whom they defeated last Saturday, after a hardly-contested and at times brilliant game. The first spell was open and fast for the most part, but occasionally there were lulls in the interest and interludes of second-class play. It ended with a three points lead in Oriental's favour : a try by M'Mahon. The second spell held the brilliancy. The ball was hard to handle, and the turf was slippery, but the Oriental backs ran and passed superbly. St. James -also showed fine form and good resource, the play of Thomas at full back, and of Bruce in the forwards, being excellent. Fred Roberts, M'Leod, Kinvig, Sturroch, and Matheson were all concerned in a fine passing rush, which secured Oriental's second score, Matheson being the try getter. St. James's score was a penalty goal, kicked by Crewes. Oriental were overrun by their opponents in the last few minutes, but St. James failed to score again, though they made three good openings in as many minutes. VICTORIA COLLEGE v. SOUTHERN. The collegians began well, but Southern gradually wore them backwards and kept them in their own quarters for a •while. There was a fair amount of loose scrum work, and some individual dashes by the backs on both sides, but the play never approached brilliancy. For a time it seemed likely that the College would terminate their series of defeats, but just before the first spell ended they lost the services of their sprinting back, Goodbehere, who retired with an ankle badly sprained, and thereafter the struggle was of so even a nature that neither side, could cross the line. As the place kicking was erratic, no scores of any description were made, and a drawn game was recorded, which fairly represented the merits oc the struggle. PONEKE v. PETONE. Up to within twenty minutes of the final bell this game at Petone taxed the staying powers of both teams to the utmost. A lot of interest was taken in the match, which was in the main a close and hard battle for three-quarters of the time. In the first spell the black forwards were more successful \\\ the scrums aud line-outs, but there was not very much between the teams otherwise. Poneke's first score was rather by good luck than good management, Gardener having to thank favouring circumstances and a pair of reckless defenders for his try. At half-time Poneke led three points to nil. Shortly after play resumed M. Ryan, with a fine kick ,landed a penalty goal for : •Petone, the local men's only score dur- I ing the day. Not long after he wrenched his knee badly in a flying tackle, and had to retire, his side playing with only fourteen men. The Poneke pack hit up a very solid pace in the last spell, and with Tilyard improving behind the red forwards the Poneke backs, for the last twenty minutes, put in some dazzling rushes. Short-hand-ed Petone hit back, onrush being met by counter-rush, and a brilliant battle ended with the Poneke Ryan dashing over to score. Walsh failed to goal ; the game ending : " Poneke 6, Petone 3. For the winners, Walsh, probably the best back on the ground. Mitchinson, Shadbolt, O'Brien, Ryan, aud Trezisc did best, and Sullivan, Green, J. Ryan, M. Ryan, Smyrke,.Hardham, were most prominent for Petone. Mr. F. Laws controlled the game. MELROSE v. CjLD BOYS. Melrose had much ado to beat Old Boys, though the actual score shows a difference of a good many points. As forwards, Old Boys were nearly the equals of Melrose, but were apt to break up in the scrum a little bit too Boon. The backs were better, but not able to put the final touch on their rushes. Beavis opened the score for Melrose by kicking a neat penalty goal, and later added a try, which he failed to convert. A fine piece of work by Avery, who ran down haflf the length of the field and centred, gave Picol a chance of scoring, which he took. Marcliant converted cleverly. M'lhnes and Greeks added two more tries for Melrose, which Ryder failed to convert. In the second f>pell the game was even. Poole scored in a splendid position for Old Boys, but Marchant's reputation suffered by a feeble kick. Twomey added another try for % Melrose, but Beavis just missed the conversion. The final score was Melrose 15, Old Boys 8. Mr. H. Card vas referee. ATHLETIC v. WELLINGTON. Athletic scored a rather lucky win over Wellington at Miramar on Saturday. It was a dogged, hard, strenuous game of clashing forwards. Apart from occasional flashes of brilliancy on the part of Evensen, there was nothing in the match for the spectator. Wellington played one man short until half time, Symes being awry. Only one score was put up against them, and tKat was in the initial rush of Athletics in the first few minutes. "Ranji" Wilson scored and Evenseu converted. The secord spell was more even, and no further score resulted. Mr. C. Bell refereed. * JUNIOR. Petone 14, v. Old Boys O.— J. Ryan, "F. Ryan, and J. Daley scored tries for the winners, and D. Boyd converted one. Wellington 9, v. Melrose 3.— For the winners, Weir and Irons scored tries, and fßonayne kicked a penalty goal. Athletic 16, v. Southern 3. — Walker, M'lntyre, Rodgers, and Wilson each scored tries, and J. Gosling converted two of them. Green kicked a penalty goal for the losers. Oriental 5, v. Poneke 3. — King scored a try for Oriental, which Stubbs converted. Morris kicked a penalty goal for the losers. Selwyn 11, v. St. Patrick Old Boys 0. Lowe, Flack, M'Donald,- and Galvin scored tries. Galvin converted one. Wellington College (23) v. Star Boating (Slah (3).— Gallic got three tries for the winners, Baillie two, and Ramsden one. gtanton kicked a goal from a try, and Childs kicked a penalty goal. Karori (8) v. Polhill (6).— <^o scorers names sent m. Melroee defaulted to Oriental. Kia Ora 19, v. St. James 3.

THIRD CLASS. _ Victoria College A 11, v. Wellington 3. — Enting. Phillips, and Russell got tries for the winners, Enting converted one try. Athletic 27, v. Poneke O.— W. Cunningham (2), J. (2), L. Wilson, W. Wilson, and Manning were the try getters. Gosling converted two and J. Cunningham one. St. James 6, v. Epuni 6. — B. O'Donovan scored a try, and W. Crewes kicked a penalty goal for St. James, and Allen and Aston scored tries for Epuni. St. John's played a hard game against Johnsonville. Despite the efforts of the Johnsonville forwards St. John's opened up the game, which ended fifteen points to nil in their favour. Dunn, 3 tries ; Darby, 2 tries. Petone 23, defeated Kia Ora 3. Upper Hutt 13, v. Selwyn 0. Daly scored two tries and Ward one. Nees converted one and Hume one. FOURTH-CLASS. Old Boys (20) v. Karori (3).— Sherratt, Paterson, Millar, and Bernard were the try-getters. Nelson converted one Wilson and iNelson each kicked penalty goals. Bradnock ecored a try for Karori. Victoria College (3) v. Oriental (3). — M'Rae and Murphy were the respective scorers of tries. St. James (4) v. St. John's (o).— M'Enerny potted a goal. Oriental (3) v. Victoria College (3). Southern defeated Polhill Gully by 6$ points to nil. For the winneis C. firussell 2, Wetherall 2, E. Russell, A. Russell, J. Parker, Rowe, Morrison, Gray, and Capper scored tries, six_ of which were converted. The goal-kick-ers were : Capper (2), A. Parker, A. Russell, Wetherall, and Morrison. Selwyn (9) v. Poneke (o).— Forester (2) and Casey scored tries for the winner.". Epuni (41), v. Wellington (0). Star Boating Club defaulted to Petone. Selwyn 9, v. Poneke C. Forrester touched down twice and Casey once. Melrose 18, v. Athletic 0. Tries were scored by Olooch, Ferris, Botfc, and Bramley. Barton succeeded three times out of four try kicks at goal. FIFTH CLASS. Petone, 8; Athletic, 0. St. Patrick's (8), v. Wellington College (6). — Mahoney and J. Hogan scored tries for the winners, and Natusch and Harris for the losers. St. Patrick's won on a place-kick. Wellington College -B (28) v. St. James (0). Epuni v. Polhill — Epuni by default.