LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19062, 6 July 1925, Page 12

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

1 " V ; ' - * ' " THE CLUB COMPETITIONS. PONSONBY'S DECISIVE WIN. CLOSE CALL FOR ATHLETICS. The club competitions of the Auckland Rugby League were resumed on Saturday. There wa3 an estimated attendance of 6000 spectators at Carlaw Park, where Ponsonby defeated Marist after a gamo which, although by no means a brilliant exhibition, was, nevertheless, interesting. Ponsonby owed their win to superior back play. On No. 2 ground a very close gamo was played between Richmond and Athletic, the latter team winning by a margin of one point. , - At the Domain City had a great con-, test with Newton. - At half time Newton had had all the best of the play, and established a lead of 13 .points to 8. In. the second spell Cjty rose to the occasion, and won comfortably. In the B division Kingsland, showing improved form, were too good for Otahuliu, and won by 10. points. ■ Results aro:— Ponsonby, 24, beat Marist, 6. '■■" Athletic, 16, beat Richmond, 15. ; City, 27, beat Newton, 16. Kingsland, 13, beat Otahuhu, 3. PONSONBY V. MARIST. Marist opened up tho game against Ponsonby with a nice passing run that carried • play well into Ponsonby's territory, but faulty handling by Sweeney gave Gardiner a chance to pick the ball up. and with a useful run ho beat several Marist players. A fino dribbling rush in which Stormont and Mannix were prominent was well stopped by Henowini. who found the line with a good kick. Offside play by Ponsonby spoiled a good chance, as Gardiner, with tho ball at toe, had only Newdick to boat. A portion of tho ground near midficld was in a very bad state, and for some minutes the teams scrambled in tho mud. A •littlo later Colo sot Ponsonby on the attack, but - Codloy lost a good chance |hrough hanging on too long. Better fortune followed Ponsonby's next movement. From Peckham tho b1 travelled to. Gardiner, who beat the defence and thon sent the ball on to Godley, who scored in-the corner. Gardiner missed tho kick at goal. ■ Marist attacked solidly, and from a scrum near Ponsonby's line Ghent set <his backs moving, but. a weak pass from Foss to Gallagher spoiled a promising movement. Good play by /Riley sont Marist- backs to their twenty-five, where Malloy saved with a good kick. Ponsonbv were getting tho ball from most of the -scrums and good passing between Riley nnd Cole gave them • :v chanco. Riley kicked the ball to tho lino, where Mooro picked up and scojod. Cole was successful with the kick. Ponsonby. 8: Marist. 0. Keeping lip.the attack Ponsonby's backs threw the ball about in great style and Gardiner, notched a try which ho failed to convert. The game was not interesting to watch at this stage. Poor handling by Marist spoiled many promising movements and tho play generally was bolow the usual standard. Half-time carno with tho score: Ponsonby .. . ..11 Marist .. ■ .. : :: 0 On resuming Gallagher was conspicuous in a good dash, but a fine tackle by peckham stopped his progress. Marist' forwards played with more vigour and swept °vor Ponsonby's lino right under the goal, where Johnson dived on the ball. Since missed an easy kick. Ponsonby. 11: Marist. Almost immediately afterwards. PonEonbv , launched a successful attack. Co! 6. liiley. (.rarchner and Littlewood being associated in' a smart passing bout. Littlewood showed a tine turn of speed an ho raced over near the corner. A splendid goal by Gardiner raised Ponsonby's score to 16. ' " At this stage the game brightened l up.considerably and some fine football followed. Gallagher, with a quick dash, boat the opposition before passing to Malloy, who sent tho ball on to Singe. A fine movomont • was broken down when 7 Hansen slipped near the goal-line. Peckham was prominent as ho gathered tho ball from thei leot, of the Marist forwards, and (Hen good tackling by Hansen saw Gardiner's progress stopped. Henowini was applauded as he ■ -fielded the ball,-,in great stylo, and running on, participated in some good reverse passing With Godley. ■ Newdick saved Marist •with a long lino kick. 'With a fino dash oingo opened up, a movement that, was 1 earned on by Mannix and Hannan. Near ■1 onsonby s lino Mallov hold up the gamewhile half tho Ponsonby team tried to net possession of the ball, until a belated whistle sounded for a scrum.. Several promising dashus by Singe n»t failed to reach their objective, f • : \ • ? A littlo later a good movement —the best of tho match—was witnessed as Ghent, in midfidd. set his backs in motion. Tho vi l, llVe lr' d n from F OB 9 t0 Gallagher, to ju.alloy, Malloy 'made a good opening and nis pass was well taken by Hansen, who ran over to wore a cood try. Malloy failed to convert. Ponsonby. 16; Marist 6 i„ i V j frood , Boio efforts by Gardiner lacked support, and twice. Littlewood dropped passes. A cross-kick by Singe gave Marist a chance, but Godley intercepted a pass from Malloy to Gallagher. ra . u sixty yards before Hansen stopped him Keeping up tho pressure Ponsonby s forwards rushed the ball over ° r « o P rc t r « ac " r< ' : Cole missed the kick r/ ?. • 1 Po P«°»by. Marist. .6. - F rX- h '? I nd,ln S V. Newdick got Marist into difficulties, and in a scramble Ward scored, for Pockham to add the goal points JLhe gamo ended with Marist attacking oil r onsonby s and the score 21—6 in Ponsonby 3 favohr. ■ATHLETIC V. RICHMOND. A most interesting game wns'witnessed betwoon Athletic and Richmond on' No 2 ground. After the kick-off, a return by 1 hornurn was mulled by Cox, and Jenkinson following up iß st secured, and opened Kichmond s score. Hanlon jtfst missed the kick at goal. ... Athletics' forwards broke away with the ball at too and good work by Hadley saw Richmond busily defending their line, keeping up tho attack. Athletic were getting the best of the game, and Mason, Hadley and io Whata were associated in. a passing bout that juat missed a try. Offside play by Mason spoiled a promising forward rush, and Ilanlon with a fino kick, landed a soal Receiving a pass from Mason, Hadley ran strongly down the line before returning to Mason, who dashed over to score. Ancelo kicked the goal. Richmond, 5; Athletic, 5 A clever opening was made bv Hyland and' King found touch near Athletic's \ line Athletic secured the ball from .the scrum that followed, and Te "Whata proved a hard man to stop as he dashed down the line Good passing between Watkins, To Whata' Mason and Sorrenson, resulted in the lastmsntionod scoring. Angelo failed With the kick at goal. Bright football was witnessed as Richmond s backs threw the ball about in good Wv. Howovor, a good kick by Cox put Athletic again in a good position. Plaving a fine game, Hadley ran well into Riclimond s territory, where ho passed to Watkins. j ho latter mado a good, opening and ■passed to Sorrenson, who ran. over to score Mason missed with the kick at goal. Just before half-time a clever opening was made by Hyland, who with Little, in support raced down tho line. Nearing tho Athletic twentyrfivo lie whipped tho ballon to Little who scored. Hanlon added the goal points. Athletic v ..11' Richmond . . , . .. * * jo Playing with plenty of "dash Richmond wore «oon attacking. Good defence by b aulkner stopped a dangerous forward mshj in which Avery and Jenkinson were promjnent, 'dash by Hadley was carried on by re Whata, who passed to Watkins,' but. the -latter s pass to Sorrenson was forward, Juki a chanco was lost. Intercepting a pass. Ihorburn found tho line near halfway. It was anyone's gamo at this stage. Both toams wero giving, a pleasing display of football. Watkins sprinted down tho lino and passed to Mason, who raced over under the posts. Ancelo added the goal points. The reverse aroused Richmond and they strove hard to sain the advantage. From a scrum on Athletic's line, Hyland with- a olover run beat the defence, badly and scored a good try. Hanlon wns successful with tho kick at goal. Athletic, 18: Richmond, 15, ,<With Richmond in Athletic's twontyrfivo, time was sounded with no alteration to tho aoore. CITY V. NEWTON. The game between Newton and City at the Domain was a first-class exhibition of tho code. With Wethorall and. Brown away with tho Now Zealand team and Townsend and Davidson standing down, it was fullyoxpectod that City would bo fully oxtepd/jd. -From tho kick-off Newton showed great dash and for some time had much tho better of tho play. Newton rushed the • ball down thij field, and when it hit tho post Thompson kicked it oyer tho line and,, scored. Hand added the goal points. Good Vork by Hawke's and McDonald transferred play to Nowton's twenty-five, wbe.ro ,tho defenders were penalised. *Mit*. chell took .the kick, nnd Wardlaw following up fast, scored, ' G. Davidson failed with the kick at gbal. Newton, s;:City, a;' Showing fino team work Newton's" bac.kswore "repeatedly breaking through the City defence. From Poison, the ball travelled at a great pace until Anderson niivdo a good opening, and only Davidson's «ac& •nverted a soore. A Rood run down the line was rnadp by Mansill, who. passed infield, tb. Clarke, and the latter notched Newton's second- try. Hand tniHsed ■with a good •kick. :Almost immediately afterwards Poison secured the baH from, «v sornm .passed to H&rgroavca, who beait Crawthta

badly, and panned on'to Hand, who scored between the pouts. The same player added the goal points. .iNewton. 13: City. 3. ■ City looked a beaten toam, but Mitchell passwl to Bass, who was playing fiveoighthp, and. mado a beautiful opening. Running strongly Pass transferred to Davidson, who outpaced the opposition and scored. Wardlow. missed an easy "hot. From a penalty against Newton, Sandnam kicked a goal, and. .the first half ended with tho scores: Newton . .. .. 13 City . . . . • 8 ' On resuming City were quickly into thoir stride, and a nice movement was witnessed between-Mitohell, McDonald. Crewther and Bass. Bass scored a fine try, Bp,nanam. missed with the kick. , . Newton still held thoir own, and a bolo effort by Sotners just missed bringing a soore, ; the Newton forward • knocking, <.no ball on as bo attempted to gather it up. Both sides throw tho ball about attractively, but City gradually got the upper hand. A passing movement, in which seven players handled tho wall, ended in Hawkes scoring. Sundham mado no mistako with the kick. City, 16; Newton. 13. Hooping up the attack City'B forwards rushed play to Newton's line, and Hawkes, following on fast, again scored. Sandham missod the kick .at goal. A fine effort by Poison • was carried on by Campney and Clarke, but Bans, coming fast, ■ saved. City broke away again, and McDonald, with clover dribbling, scored. Sandham kicked tho goal. . ' .Froni a scrum Mackio eecured the ball arid opened up tho play.' He passed, to McDonald, who sent tho ball on to, Iluby. and the latter scored. Hawkes missed a very easy shot at goal. Just on tune Anderson made a fine opening and kicked. Sorriers, following up fast, carried tho ball, oyer the line and scored. Hand missed the kick, and tho game ended: City* ' ' .. ... .. ..27 Newton .. .. ..16 KINGSLAND V. OTAHUHU. Tho B division ganio, Kingslund v. Otahuhu, wan played at Victoria Park, and the superiority of the Kingsland forwards gave them the better of the game. Kingsland .wero first to attack, and in a good dash McManus just missed a try. Keoping up the pressure Kingsland's backs were seen in a good passing run, from which Campbell scored. Herring added the goal points. Almost immediately Kindly scored behind tho posts, and Herring was again successful with the kick. Simms was next to add to Kingsland's score, getting over from a forward rush. Herring mi/wed the kick at goal. Kingsland, 13; Otahuhu, 0. In the second spell Otahuhu wore akon to bettor advantage. Thoir backs combined •well, but good defence stopped them. Game pcored Otahuhu's only try. Tho kick failed. There was no furthor score. JUNIOR RESULTS. THIRD GRADE. Athletic, 10, beat Parnell, 3. Devonport. 27. boat Richmond, 5, City, 26, beat Mangere, ?, FOURTH GRADE. Richmond. 8. boat _Ponsonby, i. Parnell, 44. beat Newton. 0. ■ FIFTH GRADE. Richmond, 5, boat City, 4. SIXTH GRADE. i Athletic,' 27, beat Ellerslio, 0. City A, 34, beat Newton, 0, Ulieralie A. 3. drew, with Leys Institute. 3. . . . • Richmond, 11, beat Devonport, 3. City B, 24, boat Northcoto, 0. CANTERBURY V. WELLINGTON. FORMER WIN EASILY. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] ' WELLINGTON. Saturday. • The Rugby League fixture between Wellington and Canterbury was played on a sodden field and in drizzling rain, which made a good exhibition of the code impossible. •' At half-time the score was Canterbury, 9; Wellington, 3. The final score' was :.—Canterbury. 25; Wellington, 5.