PONEKE WIN HARD GAME

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 26, 31 July 1933, Page 13

PONEKE WIN HARD GAME

Points weve at a premium In the match between' Poneke and Marist at New town Park, played before one of the largest attendances there this season. It is almost a tradition that Marist are a troublesome teim to Poneke. In the first round they had a spirited clash, Marist winning the honours that day by a single point; and so, too, was their second meeting a Aery; keen .affair. Poneke this time came out on top, winning by 6 points to 3 after as hard a game as has been played on the ground this season. Marist fully lived up' to their reputation of being able to cause. Poneke trouble. Indeed, until well on in. the second spell Poneke had not scored a poin,t, and even when a try, followed byl a penalty goal, gave them "the lead; their position was not really secure until the end came. Much spoiling work was done by both sides, and as a spectacle, though-there was plenty, of action, the game was not one over which to become jubilant. From beginning to end it was a hard struggle, the number of stoppages during the game oh account of injuries to players, most of them fortunately . not serious, bearing witness to the solid nature of the play.

Kicking off against the sun, Poneke set to work- to bustle their opponents, but very quickly they found that Marist were going to bo no easy proposition. Time and again Poneke launched attacks without success. When one of the Poueke backs got offside Robins kicked a fine penalty goal and gave Marist first blood. Langdon and Eobins kept a wary eye upon E. Neal and Griffiths, the key men of the Poneke back division, and they did this mo.st successfully. Many attempts, were made to get the Poneke backs under way, but they were mostly ineffective, the solid Marist tackling or poor handling by the Poneko men nearly always causing a breakdown. There was no further scoring in this spell, towards the end of which Keegau, one of t,he Marist forwards, was injured and was replaced by Clark, .

The' sun- had almost gone down behind the hills when the second spell opened, and in addition to this advantage Marist had another advantage in the' slope of the ground. When, however, they opened out they, found Poneke's defence just.as strong as their own had beeu. They were unable to get through anywhere. Well on through the game a sharp piece of passing between Payne and Chesterman gave Poneke well-deserved points, Chesterman touching down for a try. A little later E. Ncal kicked a good penalty goal and Poneke took tho lead, which, in spite of strenuous efforts by Marist, they maintained. In the concluding stages, when the light was fading, the game was held up a number of times through injuries to players. L. McGrcevy and Barrett collided severely, but both were able to carry on. Frost, the Marist half, was not bo fortunate; he had to :leave the field, his place in the last few minutes being taken by Cumins. Tho rd'ei cc was Mr. l:w .T. Pa-ton, ■'