FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17908, 10 October 1921, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

UNDER LEAGUE RULES.

THACKER SHIELD MATCH.

PONSCXNBY V. HUNTLY.

WIN FOR THE LOCAL TEAM.

A challenge match under League rules for the Thacker Shield was played on Saturday at Carlaw Park between Huntly, the champion team of South Auckland, and Ponsonby, holders of the shield. After a very fine game, considering the conditions, Ponsonby won by 19 points to 8. Heavy rain on Saturday morning made the ground very slippery, and intermittent showers during the progress of the match made the ball greasy and difficult to handla A crowd estimated at 2000 witnessed the contest. The scores do not indicate the merits of the teams. The visitors, chiefly through the agency of a dashing set of forwards, had fully as much of the game as Ponsonby. The luck of the game, as well as a little extra knowledge of the finer points of play, was with the Ponsonby men. The latter must be given credit for a good performance all the same. They played hard from start to finish and handled the greasy ball better than their opponents.

, The Run of the Play.

From the kick-off 'Ponsonby at once assumed the aggressive, and in the first minute of play McClymont, getting the ball in the Huntly twenty-five, crossed the visitors' L.ne and scored. A. McGregor failed to convert: Ponsonby. 3; Huntly, 0. The Huntly forwards then began to show their Quality, and with a sweeping rush took the ball to the Ponsonby fullback. Delgroßso stemmed the rush, but the visitors maintained the pressure, and Ponsonby were penalised in front of the goal. J. Raynor took the kick and landed a nice goal: Ponsonby, 3; Huntly. 2. After a period of piay in midheld, a fine passing run by the visitors caused a hum oi excitement, and almost resulted in a score. The ball came trom the x? rU L? Be nt in a chain of passes to • t ai P at , wln ß-threequarter. The latter reached Delgrosso, and passed in to a support, but the pass was not accepted, and a certam try was lost. A Ponsonby rush transferred play to half-way and then the huntly forwards broke away with the ball at they feet. Delgrosso made a valiant attempt to stem the rush, but failed, arhi the ball waa kicked over the line. E. McGiegor racing up managed to kick the ball over the dead ball line and saved a score. A period of give-and-take play followed till a Huntly back misiielded a kick. The Ponsonby playera swarmed to the attack and Blackie a !p ck ov , er the Une . reached the ball Erst and scored. McClymont converted : Ponsonby, 8; Huntly. 2. Immediately after the kiok-out. J. Raynor had a fruitless shot at goal. The Ponsonby forwards took the ball upfield and the fullback, misfielding it. Edwards scored an easy try. McClymont again converted, making the scores: Ponsonby. 13; Huntly, 2 The visiting forwards then got going 'in a couple of great rushes that almost overwhelmed the opposition, but good fielding by E. McGregor. McClymont. and Delgrosso managed to avert the danger. Hing then K ro K e a ?'W fo , r PQnsonby, and kicked hard to the fullback. Following up fast he almost prevented the return, but A. Raynor was equal to the occasion, and relieved with ?■ a , Huntly forwards continued to show to advantage in the open, but the Ponsonby vanguard got the ball in the scrums and set their backs in motion. wLi omalnd < er .? f the B P ell waa evenly conth« illJ 10 t (I • t , bein f registered, 13; 2 interval being: Ponsonby. Game in the Second Spell. Immediately after resuming, the Huntly forwards brpio away with a rush to Ponscn^.y, twenty-five. A timely mark by A. McGregor averted the danger. Then Smith. Iff Huntly halfback, made a fine up the «d reached the Ponsonby fullback. He punted and followed up but Delgrosso saved. Ponsonby got the 'ball from the ensuing scrum, and McGregor kickinhigh ma-do ground. The forwards following "P weU. smothered the return and swept the ball to the Euntly line, but Sheeran saved well The forwards broke awav, and Paki, with a good kick, sent the ball to half-way. The forwards carried it on, and Delgrosso stopped .the rush near the PonBonby line. Blackie broke away from the scrum and reached half-way. Another Pon sonby rush set the backs in motion, and E McGregor wag tackled with the ball near the corner. The visiting forwards removed the danger, and carrying on the rush invaded the Ponsonby twenty-five. A good passine bout siw the ball go out to Paki who scored near the corner. J. Raynor failed with the kick. Ponsonby, 13; Huntly •it c e H , un ,tly forwards continued to play with fine dash, and repeatedly swept up the field with rushea. The backs, however indulged rather much in kicking and made the task of the defenders easier than it should have been. A loose rush by the Ponsonby forwards saw the ball travel down the field to the Huntly line, where McNeil in a scramble obtained possession, and scored Delgrosso failed with the shot at goal 16; Huntly, 5. From the kick out the visitors rushed the ball to the Ponsonby line. A. hot battle ensued, till Ponsonby were nannhsed. The ball was kicked hard over the line, and Ponsonby forced Another Huntly rush wa g just stonped on the line by Delgrosso. Good kicking bv the Ponsonby backs gave relief, and a rush c T ® forwards invaded the Huntlv twentyfive. The_ advantage was onlv momentary as the visiting forwards came back to centre with a rush. Cairyinr* on the pljt the forwards, headed bv Sheeran rushed the hnn over the line. Delgrosso just forcing in time. Ponsonby Team Victorious. After a period of loose play the Ponsonby forwaidß invaded the Huntly twenty-five. Hanlon picked up in the loose, and making a good dash, transferred to enabling the latter to score. McClymont failed to convert. Ponsonby, 19; Huntly. 5. Undaunted by the reverse the visitors came back to the attack. Sweeping up the field in a sustained rush the Huntly forwards reached the Ponsonby line and in a scramble Peckham scored. J. Raynor failed to convert. Ponsonby, 19; Huntly. 8. Keeping up the pressure. Huntly again invaded the Ponsonby twenty-five, and made strenuous efforts to score. Play hung near the line, and the visitors were almost over on several occasions, but the defence held good, and the game ended without further score, the final tally being:— Ponsonby Huntly 8