SATURDAY'S GAMES

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 107, 7 May 1923, Page 10

SATURDAY'S GAMES

BITTER SOUTHERLY WEATHER

LEADERS MAINTAIN POSITIONS.

Poneke 14 'Varsity 3 Marist 5 Oriental : 3 Old Boys 9 Selwyn 3 Berhampore 17 Hutt 3 Athletic 6 Wellington 0 Petone, a bye.

Football was played on Saturday in bitterly cold, southerly weather, with intermittent squalls of rain. Grounds were generally wet and slippery, and the ball difficult, to handle. The nature of the day had an effect on the attendance everywhere, but the football was surprisingly good for such conditions. All the matches wer o well contested, and if the leaders kept their positions it was only after hard struggles. At Athletic Park, 'Varsity, held their own, and were leading at half-time, but Poneke came away, at the finish, and won comfortably as to points by 14 to 3. Tunnington scored a couple of good solo tries. Marist had hard work to retain their laurels at Petone against a wonderfully improved Oriental, and only won by the margin of a converted try to one unconverted. Murphy did the trick with a very fine place-kick against {he wind. Wellington also showed much better, form against AthletiCj and with any luck might have won in a good forward game, in which they were signally successful . iri the scrum. Athletic won by 6 points to nil, including a rather doubtful try at the- finish. Old Boys' had another win, against Selwyn, by 9 to 3 at Kelburn Park, in a game which was even enough till near the finish, when the Old Boys forwards ran over their opponents. Berhampore beat a Hutt: team reinforced by some of the reinstated at Hutt by 17 to 3. . '" " .

As the competition now stands, Athletic and Marist are in the lead "with 6 points apiece for three wins out of three matches. Petone and Poneke are 4 points, with two matches and a bye each. Berhampore are 4 points for three games, two wins and a loss. Old Boys are in the same position. Wellington are 2 points for three games, one won and two lost, while Oriental, Selwyn, 'Varsity/ and Hutt have failed to win a match. Oriental having had one bye.: ".Poliowing are details:—