UNDER LEAGUE RULES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17526, 19 July 1920, Page 6

UNDER LEAGUE RULES.

MARIST DEFEAT MARITIME. i ■ - . j PONSONBY AND DEVONPORT '- DRAW* : Ml CITY'S RUNAWAY VICTORY, •; \ . i ;. Three ! senior games.under League rules | were played at 'the- Domain on Saturday, and attracted about 7000 spectators. ! The Weather was ideal for football, and though the-: turf was rather heavy as a result of recent rains the games were fast and excit-'•irigV'-Manst defeated Maritime by 8 points to 7 after an exceptionally fast game. The contest between !'■ Ponsonby and Devonport was"- another very t evenly contested game, each side .Scoring \t-, points. City .registered a cricket seer© against .Newton, . winning by SlMpointftp 10. ■ -■■■"-,. ■■-.■■ ■ The results of Saturo-y's games place City level with Maritime" in the lead for the senior . competition with 7 wins , and two losses each. Marist come next with 5 wins and a draw, and Newton hold fourth place with ' 4 wins and a - draw-, ■ Ponsonby and Devonport .with 3 Wins and 2 draws each art* level in. fifth position, Grafton .being •till last with one win. ..y )/■ MARIST V. MARITIME. Chief interest centred in the meeting between Marist and Maritime. The former team has. been performing particularly well in recent games, and on .form, appeared to have a good chance of defeating the leaders in the v competition. .The Maritime supporters received something of 'a shook on the previous Saturday, when Grafton inflicted the first defeat, of the season on Maritime, but Were confident of victory against Marist. With opinions regarding the . merits of the respective sides evenly divided, a fast and exciting same was anticipated. In this the public were not disappointed. From -the kick off until the bell, rang to cease play the> game was . keenly contested, and a win for Marist by the'narrow margin of one point is a fair indication of the merits of the respective teams on the day's play. . The first advantage went to Marist, Hing v intercepting a pass, in midfield and cutting through. When tackled he passed to Eustace, but the latter was brought down near the line. The Maritime forwards worked the ball back, but Xeveridge made a dash and set the backs 'in motion, a good passing movement ending with Eustace being forced into touch near the corner. Another dash by the Marist backs was well stopped, and * penalty to Maritime saw the ball go out at half-way, Marist continued to press, and Loveridge taking "the ball from the toes of a Maritime player made a clever dodgy run and scored. Stormont failed with the kick. Shortly afterwards another passing movement was started by the Marist backs, and J ff Mt JS!HP« $* b . all . mftd * ground and oross-kicked. 'Cargill following up fast! gathered in the leather .and dashed over to •pore the second try. -The kick failed. Maritime then took a hand in attack, but Eustace, intercepting a pass, -raced down the '& ** nd A reacheo! the Maritime twentyr*lj ?•?.* work °, a th * Maritime line fol. Jowed till a penalty brought relief. Good passing, by the Maritime backs carried play & Mm i quarters, and a score seemed im- "»*&-*!* t Poorly-Judged kick sent the w 1 «?ifeSS& P > y c * J me back *o centre, v ii «_••, Maritime forwards were getting the SSLIS *& *»?»»* -and the backs were given scramble in front of the ball about? A Scramble in front of the Marist iroal M s ,d i.- , { 1 .Maritime being awarded a free kick for obstruction by a Marist Player, and , Laing kicked a goal, £ul ,en * kick to Maritime sent the ball 2&.i?' 1 nett L, the Marist line, but the i? forwards cleared with a rush. The Mariat backs were then set going by Hing, ».Js°^? lle n t *¥ ln ß with McNamar* being tOUc { 1 £**$*¥ Maritime line, Maritime forwards broke away and tasked to Fry. who marked in * good Ek , »*il*4., , Wth the kick at goal. Play centred Till Sutton, intercepting raced down the line. He was overtaken in Marist territory, and the defending forwards packing round prevented 00 ! 6 '* ¥*«« **» Penalised, end Grey M? *. iwitleas shot at goal. This was followed by a Maritime rush that took play to t|» Marist lme, where the defenders were again jxmalised. -Grey succeeded with the kick. Half-time arrived without further score: Marist, 6; Maritime, 4. Upon resuming, play hung in midfield for a Period,,, Then » long kick by Brien lent the ball to Maris* territory, where the fullback was tackled with it. Marist cleared with a sweeping rush to the Maritime twenty-five, where Lang saved. Maritime worked the bell to half-way. and then with a passing rush took it to the Marist twenty-five, where it went into touch. Hard give and take play followed, the tackling being top good to allow the passing rushes to get through. During a scramble on the Marist twenty-five line. Maritime obtained a mark and Grey had a shot at goal which went wide, and Marist forced. Following the drop out Maritime rushed the ball to the Marist twenty-five, where the forwards made strenuous efforts to bore through, but a timely mark by the fullback enabled the defenders to clear their line. The. backs on either side were unable to get far with the ball and resorted to kicking and following up, bus to little effect. Good work by the Manet forwards took play past centre, and then a good dash by Loveridge, followed by a kick, threatened danger. In. » scramble Marist were, awarded a penalty and Ghent landed a nice goal. A rush by the Maritime forwards took play to the Marist corner, and in a hot scramble Yerdley obtained possession and crossed the line. Grey failed to convert. After the drop out Marist storied & passing bout in which Ghent. Cargill and [cNamara were prominent, the latter being stopped near the line. The attack was continued by Marist, but in attempting & passing bout. Grey, for Maritime, intercepted and., kicked down the field. A hot attack on the Marist line followed, but the defence proved equal to the 'occasion.. and the game ended with the scores: Marist, 8: Maritime, 7.

PONSONBY V. DEVONPORT. The rriimo between Ponsonby and Devorport was expected to be close. The teams are level in the competition and had previously played a drawn game this season. From the kick-off the Ponsonby backs attacked, Hardgrav© being. tackled with th • ball after a. passing bout-. Devonport then invaded the Ponsonby territory with a rush, and, the defondtra being penalised, Matthews placed a nice goal. Alter a. period of give and take play the Ponsonby backs again got moving in a passing rush, but the Devonport defence proved -sound. The -North Shore forwards worked the ball out of tho'danger zone, but the Ponsonby backs again pressed to the attack. Play hung in the Devonport quarters till a penalty kick gave relief- The Pcnsonby men were handling the ball well, but thoir movements were always stopped at the critical moment by good defence.' Finally, Godick for Devonpott broke away and. making a good opening. transferred to his supports, and Morgan almost scored In a scramble near the line Godick snapped up the ball and dashed over. The shot at goal failed, and the scores at half-time wore: Devonport, 5: Ponsonby, 0. Th* game was played at a fast paco at the opening of the second spell. Following up a long kick to Por.sonby'e twenty-five, the return was smothered and Devonport were swarded a penalty from which Matthews landed a goal, Ponsonby then set up a strong attack And almost scored, but a force resulted. 'Clio 'North Shore players then attacked for a time, but were unable to break through the defence. Play was gradually taken to th<> Devonport twentyftvo. and after a hot struggle near the line Walsh dashed over and scored. McClymont added the goal points. Give and take play followed for a time till an infringement by Devonport gave McClymont another shot at goal A good kick added two points to Ponsonby's score, making it equal to Devonport's. From this stage to the finish the game was hotly contested, but no further score resulted, and the match ended with the stores: Devonport, 7 Ponsonby, 7.

CITY V. NEWTON. Contrary to expectations, the game between City and Newton ended in a very decided victory for City. Early in the first spell Newton attacked and Dufty twice tried unsuccessfully at goal. The City backs then got going, and Laine scored a try from an openin;. made by Wetherall. The same rlayer shortly afterwards placed a good soil from a penalty. After a period of give and take play the City backs again cot moving, and B. Davidson crossed the line. The kick at goal failed. Newton then took a turn at attacking, and Homers just failed to reach the City line. The invaders were driven back, and play remained in midfield till Paki otbained possession and scored a try after a fine Bwerving run. Wetherall convyrtod and the scores at half-time stood : City, 18. Newton, 0. Newton attacked early in the second spell | and a. good passing .run ended in Newdick i scoring a try. which Dufty converted. New ton returned to the attack, but were driven I back, and a City rush ended in W. Davidson crossing the line. The same player added the goal points. Shortly afterwards a good movement between Paki, ■B. Davidson, and Clark saw the last-mentioned cross the line W. Davidson converted. Even play followed/ for a time till fast following up* enabled Biggs to score a try for Newton. " Dufty converted. Shortly afterwards a good pass ing run by the City backs resulted in Clark scoring near the corner, W. Davidson adding the goal points with & fine kick. Another

unconverted try was scored for City by Wetherall. who played a consistently good game. Tue match ended with the scores City, SI; Newton, 10. THE JUNIOR MATCHES. Fourth Grade.—Richmond. 28 points de feated Kingslaud, 5. Fifth Grade— Devonport, 22 points, defeated Richmond B, 0; Maritime, 6, defeated Ponsonby A, 0. THE ENGLISH TEAM. The English Northern Union football team, ■which has recently been playing in Australia, will arrive from Sydney by the Maheno today They will Teceive a civic reception at the Town Hall at noon to-morrow, and .he members of the New Zealand and Auckland Leagues wjll officially welcome the team at B' p.m. The team will commence their tour with a match against Auckland at the Domain on Saturday. They will play a country team at Hamilton on Wednesday week, and the first test match against -New Zealand ' will taki place at the Domain on the foliJbwiag Saturday.