ASSOCIATION CONTESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18724, 2 June 1924, Page 10

ASSOCIATION CONTESTS.

PONSONBY'S FIRST DEFEAT.

NORTHCOTE'S EASY WIN.

HARBOUR BOARD BEAT THISTLE.

Some good games were witnessed when the Auckland Football Association's club I competitions were continued on Saturday | afternoon. At Victoria, Park, No. 1 ground. Rome 4000 spectators. who braved the squally weather, saw Harbour Board and j Thistle give a good exhibition of the code, j and the former team win by 5 goals to 1. | On No. i ground Northcote had a runa- I way win from Watersiders. The surprise of the day occurred at Devonport Domain where. North Shore delighted their supporters by defeating the i leading team. Ponsonby, bv 3 goals to 2. This result creates a very interesting position in the senior championship, and gives added interest to the game between Ponsonby and Harbour Board to-morrow. The scores were:— North Shore, 3. heat Ponsonby. 2. Harbour Board. 5. beat Thistle. 1. Northcote. 10. beat Watersiders. 2. Y.M.C.A.. 4, beat Metropolitan. 3. { Hellaby's. 4. heat Londoners. 0. Tramways. 2. beat Philomel. 0. THISTLE CO DOWN. Playing with the high wind at their j backs Harbour Board had the better of lively opening exchanges. Henshaw on the | left wing forcinfi: two corners in the .ir?t j 10 r-Juutes without result. Against the ; driving rain Thistle were not showing; to advantage. Their opponents adapted j themselves to the wet conditions ouickiy. j and Caldwell and Palmer sent in seme ; delightful shots that Anderson saved ° Periodic snur'.s by the Thistle forwards i with Humphreys and Stewart prominent j were not allowed to develop dangerously, : and then Corbett placed nicely to Harbour! Board's right. Tocher out-paced the opposing backs and turned to centre, where Caldwell obtained control to slm between: Ferguson and J. Ritchie and score from j close range. . , \ S: rited attacks by Tensile followed, with Williams on their right wine showing ■ up well, but his inside man. O'Brien, appeared to lack understanding 'with mm and good chances were lost By this time | Harbour Board had prcperlv settled down. : They played fast, methodical football, with j the forwards combining well and the bacKs , stopping and placing in good style Shots rained in on Anderson, who defended his . goal with remarkable agility .and skill, '■ Eventually Corbett secured just inside the j halfway line. He sent back to Bell, who drovo at the goal from 40, yards away. Anderson got, to it. but his return was charged down by Caldwell, who followed no at too speed to score his second goal. At two down Thistle strove valiantly to alter the position, and fast and thrilling play resulted. Hard knocks were given and received, while even' inch of the way was fiercely contested. Lack, of finish spoiled several chances for Thistle, while Harbour Board were driving home every advantage. Tocher finished off a smart wing run by outwitting J. Ritchie and swinging tho ball to centre. Caldwell was in position to score his third coal. When half-time was called. Batty. Harbour Board's goalkeeper, had not been tested with a straight shot, and the scores we-e:—Harbour Board. 3: Thistle. 0 With the wind in their favour Thistle gave a better account of themselves in the opening stages of the second half. R. Ritchie sent in a long drive • that sped straight -for tho goal. Battv go to it. but Humphreys was on him like a flash, to open Thistle's scoring account. Although the pace slackened somewhat, play continued hard and keen. -The referee. Mr. .T. J. Wright, who had only recently recovered from an illneps. then asked to be relieved. Mr. L. C. 11. Dawson had been in charge for about 10 minutes when a brilliant breakaway by i,V.dwcJj ended _in Harbour Board's fourth coal. Gamely Thistle fought an uphill battle right to the end. but their efforts were unavailing. Before time was called Heyes got another goal for Harbour Board, and the game ended with the scores:—-Harbour Board. 5; Thistle. 1. NORTH SHORE'S WIN. At Devonport there was .a large attendance to watch tho match between the local eleven and '•Ponsonby.. The latter team, leading for championship honours, were at full strength, while North Shore, who had their best team out. also had the advantage of being on their home ground for the second time against Ponsonby this season. Although playing against a high wind, North Shore made the pace willing .from the outset. Before? the visitors .had time to got their benrincs ft corner was forced r*;rainst them. H. Woolley placed the flagkick well, and Docre headed a neat goal. First score to. North Shore was. the signal for delighted applauoe and encouragement from the home team's support rs, who were out in force, and thus encouraged North Shore continued to play with great dash. Time and again tho experienced ponsonby forwards swept down on the loc u' goal ■ only to be stopped by Gerrerd, McUarry and Roberts, who. were playnu: the game' of their young lives. In fact, all the North Shore backs were excelling themselves and their clearing kicks were well placed, giving the ball to their own forwards. A b-eak through by Alison was finished off with a nice pass to centre. 3. Woolley rushed to meet it and scored with a stinging shot amid great app'ause. putting hia Ride two up. Try as they would, Ponsonby could not penetrate the younger team's defence, and; at half-time the scores were:—North Shore. 2: Ponsonby. 0, . When play was resumed it was noticed that the visitors had changed their forward line. lnnes taking over the centreforward position from Malona. At first it looked as though the alteration would do the needful for Ponsonby. as for li spell they maintained strong pressure on North Shore's goal. "Hands" bv Craig in the penalty area brought Ponson.by's first score. " Simm took the spot-kick and made no mistakes. _ . ' But it was not the beginning of tho end as Ponsonby honed. A dashing, forward rush by the locals again endangered the visitors' goal and from tieht work in front J. Woolley worked clear to score North Shore's third point. Ponsonby slaved up to a man and. though for a spell thuy had considerably the better of matters, their luck was decidedly out. Eventually i duel between limes and McGarry ended in a free kick in a good position Simm piloted the ball well, It deflected off Thomas into the net for Ponsonby's second The visitors tried hard to null the game out of the fire, but it was not to be, and a great contest ended with the scores:— North Shore. 3; Ponsonby. 2. HELLABY'S V. LONDONERS. As was anticipated. Hellaby's, showing improved form, were too feood for Londoners. The game was played on the Domain and in the early stages Londoners had the. misfortune to lose the services of Doree. who retired with an injured knee. Goals for the winners were scored by Croft (3) and Boyd. -:he final score being:— Hellaby's, 4; Londoners. 0. Y.M.CrA. WIN AGAIN. For this match the ground at. the Domain was little, better than a quagmire and accurate football was out of the question. Honours were with Y.M.C.A. almost ■throughout, although Metropolitan put up a plucky fight against cads. continuing their efforts right to the final whistle. The fact that Y.M.C.A. altered .their tactics to suit the prevailing conditions was doubtless responsible for thoir success. Metropolitan endeavoured to play the usual combined game, while their opponents sot better results with individual dashes, lhe final scores wore:—Y.M.C.A.. i: Metropolitan. 3. _ THE JUNIOR MATCHES. , Tho Junior Association football matches played on Saturday, resulted .13 follow :— SECOND DIVISION., ' North Shore. G. beat Chelsea. 5. Thistle, 9, beat Northcote, 2.

THIRD DIVISION. Ponsonby, 4. beat Onehuiiga, 2.

FOURTH DIVISION. "Mount- Albert Grammar School. 3. beat Ponsonby. A. 0. • Y M.C.A.. "2. beat Belmont. 1. Metropolitan. 2, beat Kiwi. 0. FIFTH DIVISION. Northcote, 4. beat Mount Albert Grammar B. 1. . , ~, , 7 ~ r , Belmont. 5. beat W.Y.M.L. 1. Harbour Board. 5. beat Ponsonby B. 0.

SIXTH DIVISION. North Shore. 3. beat W.Y.M.1.. 0. Mount Albert Grammar, 2, beat Nortacote, 1.

SEVENTH DIVISION. North Shore. 5, beat W.Y.M.L. 1.

SOUTHERN RESULTS.

pJY. TELEGRAPH. —I>KESS association.]

CHRISTCHURCH. Sunday.

The following are the results of the Association football matches yesterday:— Rangers •{, St. Albans 1; Nomads 2, Western 1; Siinnyside 1, Kaiapoi 0.

DUNEBIN, Sunday. In the Association football matches yesterday Mornington drew with Northern, 2 jjoais each; Old Boys '& beat Kaitangata 1; 'southern and Taiori drew, 3 goals each; Scaclifi i beat Maori Hill 2 ■