FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18512, 24 September 1923, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

UNDER LEAGUE RULES.

MEETING OF CHAMPIONS.

PONSONBY DEFEAT CITY.

CLOSE, EXCITING FINISH.

The. final club game of the seaeion under League rules was played on , Saturday at Carlaw Park, when City, winners of the club championship, met Ponsonby, winners of the " knock-out" competition. The game was in fact a deciding match between the two ohampion teams for the. honours of the season. Much interest was manifested in the contest, the attendance being estimated at .about 7000. The game was keenly contested,, but was more or less marred by the iiequent penalty kioks,. awarded for scrum | breaches, 'i'his wasi particularly noticeable in vhe ."first' spell, during which the play was cramped and patchy. The standard of play improved very greatly in the second half.. Penalties were lewer, and the ball was thrown about by both.sets of backs in good stylo. Toward the finish. City were attacking very strongly, repeated dashes by the baoKs just failing to reach their objective. On the play there was nothing to choose between the sides.

How the Scoring Went., Little occurred in the early stages of the game that called for special comment, except the frequent. line kicking from penalties. It was rather wearisome, particularly as. the opposing backs were too well matched to allow the passing; bouts that were started to get very far. The first score went to Ponßooby, Peckham breaking away in the loose and kicking the ball over, the City line. The position might erjily have been saved but Peckham exhibiting great dash got up to score. The run of the game during the first half rather favoured Ponsonby. After . a quiet opening the second . spell produced some fine football. Ponsonby were first to settle down, and the backs made some crisp passing runs. The second score came from a perfect bit of combined play between Grey, McClimont. and Littlewood. the ball going out to the wing thrcectuarter and coming back in-field to Grey, who ran over unopposed. The defence was complexly beaten. The game then veered in City's favour. The backs opened up nicely, and passing runs continually threatened the Ponsonby line. Eventually. G. Davidson, getting the # ball from Wethera!!l, dashed down the side lino. He was tackled by Grey at the corner, but hurled himself aoros-s the line and scored. It was a verv determined effort, and both Grey and Davidson suffered from the impact. Toward the finish City made strenuous efforts to even the scores. Wilson and Wethorall were almost oyer the, line in turn and the attack waR being furiously wnged when the game ended. A very fine finish. Details ol the Play. ' The first piece of open play was: a passing run by the City backs, B. Davidson bong tackled at half-way. Penalties for scrum breaches were frequent, and kept the game close. Wetherell broke away with a, dash and centred, but his kick was over-run, and a good ch ince waj lost. A long ki-k by Wilson sent the ball over the line, and Ponsonby forced. From the kick out Wetherall broke away, and the other City backs joining in, the Ponsonby line was threatened. Cole saved well, and the forwards cleared. • The Ponsonby backs got moving, and McClure cot across, but the. pass had gone forward : and Citv were awarded a free-kiok. Keeping up the pressure, Ponsonby again attacked, and from' a centring kick the forwnrds rushed the ball over the line, and Peckham scored. Grey failed to convert. Ponsonby 3, - City 0. After some give and take play, Wetherall broke away and kicked over the defending threequarter line. G. Davidson raced for the ball, but Cole got across in time and kicked into touch. Play hung in mid-field for a time, neither side being able to open no the game. From » : kick by City, McClymont broke . through, but was tackled from behind near the City lino. The Ponsonby backs got, moving, but Mitchell saved by marking. Good kicking by Citv gained ground, and: plav settled in the Ponsonby twontv-five. A forward rush sent the ball over the lin*. but it was brought back for a scrum. The Ponsonby forwards relieved with a rush and olay centred. The remainder of the spell was fought out without special incident, the scores at half-time being: ' ■,•-...■ Ponsonby .. ' .. - .i' .. ' 8 City . . .. .. .... .... 0 - Play in the Second Spell. Upon resuming, an exchange! of kicks went in favour of Ponsonby. but Wetherall and Wilson relieved with a good dash. Fast up and down play followed. From a sorum in mid-field, the ball went to G. Davidson. He passed to Mitchell, and a short kick by the latter sent the forwards racing for the line. Grey relieved well and McClymont i'mpjovedi matter* fry iakilng the return and passing to Littlewood, who was well tackled by Crewther. A good kick by Donovan found touch near the City line, but a penalty for a scrum breach nullified the advantage. A weak return by the City fullback gave McClymont a chance to break away, but G. Davidson and Wilson raced back and saved. Shortly afterwards Grey opened up a passing run for Ponsonby by sending the ball out to McClymont. Littlewood received the ball, and when cornered passed in to McClymont. Grey raced up to receive the final pass and score. McClymont failed to convert., Ponsonby 6, City 0. *.-i ■ -■■■:' Soon after the kick out. the City baoks ; got moving. The ball went out in. a chain to G. Davidson, who dashed across near! the corner, as ho was tackled by Grey. Crewther failed to convert Ponsonby 6, City 3. A long kick by Ponsoubv placed City on the defensive. Grey had a long shot at goal from a penalty, but the kick went wide. Another shot fro-n a mark by Shirley had a similar fate. The Citv backs got moving in good style, but Wilson was tackled after making a fine effort. Wetherall broke through with the ball at foot, and sent it over the line, but jus!; failed to reach it, Grev forcing. The ball went out to the City backs and a good run was stopped by Shirley tackling G. Davidson, who was pammed on the touch lino. Another find run by Citv saw G. Davidson just fail to get clear from Cole, and : the pass in-field went astray. ...■'; s .

. The Concluding Efforts. Shirley broke through . the ruck and kicked hard, _ City being penalised for ohsliruatfon. Littflewood shot 'fraitAesplv n.t goal, and the return was marked bv Walsh. McClymont tried at goal, the ball going just under the bar. A forward rush by Ponsonby reached the City line, but the Citv forwards rlpared. After a period of mid-field r>lav, Weth'frall an opening and transferred to G. Davidson, but the latter'R pass in-field was forward, and a Rood chance was lost. Town&end n«xt broke awn" and was almost over. Another dash bv Wilson almost penetrated tb° opposition but, a timely kick gave relief. The bell rpjn? immediately afterwards to cease play, with the scores: Ponsonby ...... .. C> City .. •,.... :;.'.. .. .3 FIFTH GRADE. Citv, 18 points, defeated Newton. 0. in the final of tho " knock-out " competition.

PROVINCE V. AUCKLAND CITY. The selection committee of the New Zealand Pug by League, Messrs. Poarco. Oakley, and McDonald, have chosen the following players, to represent the province against the Auckland City representatives, at Carlaw Park., next ay.—Fullback,- J. Dufty (Hamilton); three-quarters, Godick (Pevon,r>ort). Cole (Ponsonby). Crewther (Citv); five-eighths.- A. McClymont. (Ponsonby), Wil-son-Hall (Athletic) half. W. Walsh (Portsonby) : forv o,, d*—front , row. J. McVeagh 'Hamilton). W. Somors (Newton), 'fl. Maiiapoto (King Country); second row, T. Wilson (Tanpiri), Shirlev (Ponsonby); third row. B. Averv (Athletic). Reserves: Backs, L. Stewart 'Cambridge), Wilson (CityV forwords, McNeill - (Ponßonby), St. George (Devonport). Auckland players are requeted to attend for training at Carlaw Park at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday

TOURNAMENT AT HAMILTON. L BY TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT ] ■■■;'.'■,'" •';.; HAMILTON. Saturday. A seven-a-side tournament was held by the Hamilton Rugby . League to-day, at Hinemoa Park, three senior and three junior teams competing. In the final; of the -"enior United .defeated, Frankton by 16 points to 8, while in the ■ iunior-com-petition Whitiora won from Frankton bv 16 points to 0. The oup for the most points in the senior grade was won by G. Jacques, of United.