FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18234, 30 October 1922, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

UNDER LEAGUE RULES. CHALLENGE SHIELD MATCH. CITY DEFEATS HUNTLY. FAST PLAY BY LOCAL BACKS. The final match of the season under League rules was played at Carlaw Park on Saturday, between Huntly, the champion club team of the South Aucklnnd League, and City, winners of the club championship of the Auckland League, for tho New Zealand League's Challenge Shield. City won by 43 points to 13. Thero was a fair atte|J,f enCe ' the eate receipts totalling £111 15s. Tho scores by no means indicate the run of the play. I n the first half the play was fast and even, first one side and then the other gaining an advantage in the scores, the spell ending 11 points all. Thero was little between the teams till halfway through the second spell, when the City backs developed unusual combination and pace, their passing runs being irresistible. The Huntly deience, which had been a feature of the game in tho first spell, became disorganised under the persistent attacks, and City ran up a- cricket score in the last 15 minutes of play. Details of the Play.

Pla y hung in midfield for a time after' the kick-off,i tho visiting • forwards showing muoh dash. Tho City backs, however, were very nippy, and stopped rushes" before they got far. Good passing bouts by the City backs made ground. Then Wetherall made an opening, and the boll going to G. Davidson, the latter raced to the fullback, and kicked over the line. Hawkes, following up fast, scored. Crowther failed with tho kick. Hard play ensued, the ball travelling up and down tho field at a great pace. G. Davidson raado another characteristic dash, the ball going out near the Huntly line. The visiting forwards then broke away with a sweeping ruah that was only stopped in front of the City goal. Strenuous work ensued, the visitors making desperate efforts to break through. Eventually, a penalty gave relief to City, and play centred. A break-away by the Huntly forwards found an opening in the City defence, and the backs, joining in some good passing, saw 8. Raynor dash over and score near the corner. The same player failed to convert. City. 3; Huntly, 3. Maintaining the paca, the Huntly forwards swept down the fluid with a rush, Wilson just stemming it in time to prevent a score. In close work City «ere penalised, and G. Raynor kicked a go.il Play centred for a time. Then the Huntly backs got going. Raynor raced down the 'field with the ball and, reaching the fullback, passed ,to Shecran, who scored. G. Raynor failed with the shot. The City backs then began to get the ball, and kept up a strong attack on the visitors' goal. Wetherall and B. Davidson made a fine opening, and the latter, sending tho ball to Townsend, tho City for--1 ward was tackled just short of the \ine. Another similar movement started by Mackie, saw B. Davidson run straight and score under tho posta. Wetherall converted. Huntly, tf; City. 8. Coming back to the attack, the City backs made strenuous efforts to break through, but the defence, though heavily taxed, proved sound. Eventually, B. Davidson, accepting a pass from Wilson, raced out to the wing, and instead of passing to his brother George, who was well marked, cut in, and beating the opposition, scored under tho posts. Wetherall failed with the kick at goal. ' Immediately afterwards, the Huntly five-eighths, Sullivan. , snapping up the bull near the centre, broke through to the fullback. He transferred to Peckham. who scored. G. Raynor failed with the shot at goal, and the bell rang for half-time with tho scores:

City » Huntly 11 City.opened the second spell with a nish to the Huntly twenty-five, but good kicinng by the visitors drove them back. Mitchell then oet the City backs in motion, and B. Davidson was stopped near the line. The ball again went to.the City backs and GDavidson, taking the final pass, raced over near the corner. The same player ftdled with the shot at goal. The Huntly forwards then got going with a rush tha* took the ball to the City twenty-five. The City forwards retaliated with a counter-runh, and Paid, picking up tho ball, broke through. He had a clear run, but looked for someone to pass to and missed a chance to score. Strenuous forward work followed tii! City were penalised near the twenty-five and G. Raynor placed a goal: City 14, Huntly 13. Play centred for a time till Crowther broke away and transferred to Wetherall. who was sent into touch near the Huntly twenty-five. A fine passing bout by the City backs saw the ball travel to B. Davidson, who drew the defence and rent on to his brother George, who raced over at the corner. The same player failed with the kick at goal. Immediately afterwards City again attacked and B. Davidson intercepting a pass transferred to Hawkes, who scored. G. Davidson converted. Citv 22. Huntly 13 From the kick out the Huntly forwards broke away with a sweeping rush that was only stopped in the City twenty-five. G Davidson, "etting the ball, broke away with a dash. He kicked over the fullback and airain got. to the ball, but over-ran it and Wetherall snapped it up and scored. Hawkes converted. A momentary advantage went to Huntlv after the kick out. but the City backs acain started throwing the ball about. Hawkes took a pass in midfield and, breaking through, outpaced the opposition and scored. Mackie added the goal points. Citv 32. Huntly 13. "Almost immediately afterwards Wilson made an opening and transfa-red to B Davison, who sco--d in * cood position! but Paki failej wth the shot at goal. A burst by the Hi'»tlv forwards took the ball UP the field and a try seemed inevitable, but a hard kick s-nt the leM.her over the line. _ This was Huntlv's final effort, the passing and combination 0 f the G i*Li n l en r? r , O^,nflr , ,^*" 1 ': tiW f- Tries were added by Paki snd Hawkes before the bell rang to cease play, -the final scores beingCity ~ Huntly .. .. .. ;; ;; J3 JUNIOR f'OMPETTTJONr. The final game in the junior "knock-out"" competition between Man«ere and Newton was won by the former by 19 points to 11