LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19086, 3 August 1925, Page 12

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

CITY WIN CHAMPIONSHIP. DEVONPORT TEAM BEATEN. RICHMOND SURPRISE MARIST. The- senior club championship competition of the Auckland Rugby League was concluded on Saturday; City winning tho title by defeating Devonport at .Carlaw Park, where there was an attendance estimated at 7000. The City backs again showed too much pace for their opponents, and although tne scoring wan heavy, a splendid gamo was provided. On No. 2 ground a most exciting game was witnessed between Marist and Richmond. Richmond, rising to the occasion, played good football and won by 24 points to 17. On the Domain Ponsonby scored an easy win over Newton. In the B section Northcote defeated Ellerslie, tho leaders of tho grade, by a margin of three points. Results were:— . City 25, beat Devonport 15. Richmond 24, beat Marist 17. Ponsonby 43, beat Newton 18. Northcote 8, beat Ellerslie 5. CITY V. DEVONPORT. Early in the City-Devonport match weak handling by Crewtljer gave Devonjport a chance and Douglas made a dash from the loose but Mackie tackled well. A mistake by Yardley gave City an opening and Wardlaw raced on to catch the North Shore fullback in possession. City cot the ball from tho scrum and it went from Mitchell to Crewiher, to Bass, and finally to B. Davidson. who was well tackled by Johnson. A fine line-kick by K. Scott gained considerable ground. City were losing the ball from tho scrums, but in tho loose they threw the ball about in good style. A bout between Bass, Crewther and Wardlaw nearly brought a score, but then a great dash bv O'Brien and Veart had City iu trouble, B, Davidson's pace saving the situation. City returned to the attack and after the Davidson brothers had just failed to get over, Reed, broke away from a sorum in inidfield. Nearing the twenty-five he passed to McDonald, who outpaced the opposition and scored a good try. G. Davidson foiled with the kick at goal. Devonport were playing with great dash and kept City busy defending, until Douglas fielded a cross-kick by Wardlaw and, rutping on, passed to Scott, who raced over to Bcore. Yardley missed the kick at goal. City were being constantly penalised for scrum breaches, and from one of these infringements Yardley placed a fine goal. Fast, bright play caused great excitement. When a passing bout by Devonport threatened danger Bass saved with a fine tackle. Then Wardlaw raced down the centre 'and kicked hard. Crewther. following on fast, beat K. Scott for the touch-down and scored. Crewther missed the kick at goal. City 8. Devonport S. Throwing tho ball about in great style. City gave Devonport a hard task trying to keep them out. From a scrum on Devonport's line, Mitchell beat the defenco and hurdling over Yardley scored. Then B. Davidson made the best of a good opening and, using his pace, passed to G. Davidson who returned the bail and B. Davidson, clapping on the pace, ran over to score. G. Davidson added tho goal points. Devonport had a turn on attack and Haddon, playing well, caught G. Davidson in Eossesaion. The boll rolled clear and G. aing gathering it up, passed to Johnson, who dropped it, and a possible try was lost. The spoil ended: City .. .» ..14 Devonport .. .. .. .. 5 City attacked on resuming, but offside play nullified the effort and Devonport cleared. Another advance was chocked by Lainp and a little later, when Ruby was penalised for offside play, Scott placod a nice goal. Crewther paved tho way for City's next score. Picking up the ball in the loose he started a movement from which Hawkes scored between the posts, Crewther added tho goal points. City 19, Devonport 7. Cleaver carried play to City's lino, but Bass coming fast spoiled his pass to Johnson. Almost immediately McDonald kicked the ball past tho North Shore defence. B. Davidson gathered up the ball and sprinting for the Dovonport line passed to G. Davidson, who kicked. Tho bounce beat tho City player and Laing cleared. Haddon and Douglas dribbled the ball to City's territory, wliero Johnson spoiled a possible try by hanging on. From tho sorum Mitohell scut the ball to his backs who showing rare pace and sure handling badly beat the defence. G. Davidson outpaced tho opposition and scored a splendid try. _. Devonport were often in City s territory but good work kept them out until Douglas boat the defence, and passed to Scott, who in turn whipped the ball on for Voarfc to score. Scott missed a difficult shot. City 22' Devonport, 10. Tho Devonport forwards twice bustled Brown but clever work by Reed changed tho situation. Ruby, showing great pace, followed up tho kick and scorod. S. Crewther's kick hit tho post. Shortly afterwards Greig ran round the blind side and passed to Douglas, who scored. Scott added the goal points. City, 25: Dovonport, 15, The pace was now beginning to tell,' pnd in consequence the game lacked the sparkle shown in the earlier stages. Tho bell rang without alteration to the score. RICHMOND V. JURIST. Marist wore first to open up the play, a dash by Kirkland gaming much ground, but from a scrum near their.line, Xti.chmond clearedr Marist wore penalised twice and on each occasion Hanlon miaaed with tho kicks at goal. Ghent made a fine opening and running well into Richmond's ground passed to Singe who raced over to score. Mannix. took tne kick, but a goal was not allowed by the referee. Going dewn tho field in good style Richmond's backs threw the ball about, but a pass from Bass to Duane was intercepted by Lineen, and play I was taken back to Richmond's line. A well placed line-kick, by Hsinnd put Richmond in a Rood position and Redwood scrambled over, but by sheer strength the Marist forwards carried tho Richmond man back into play Marist forwards wore plnyina well together, and a good daah by Hannan brought relief. Near Richmond's lino Johnson secured and scored. Ghont waß successful with the kick. The defence of the Richmond backs was excellent, and many dangerous forward I rushes woro nullified, Russell mado a

brilliant opening in Marist a 25, and racing on scored, a fine try. Hanlon added the goal points. Moriat, H; Richmond, .5. Almost immediately afterward Singe, with a determined effort, scored again for Mari»t. Ghent missed with the kick. Play was soon back in Richmond's twenty-five. Singe again proved a hard man to stop, and made a try easy for Gallagher. Singe failed to convert. Just before the end of the spell Richmond's forwards rushed the ball to Marist's line where Hanlon scored. Tho same player added tho goal points. Marist .. v.* v* t.v 14 Richmond ..• . .101® On resuming Richmond's backs showed up* handling the ball well. Mintie, Avery. Little and Duane.. were associated in a movement from .which Duane scored. Hanlon missed tho kick at goal. Richmond were now outplaying their opponents in attack. Little was next to score ait or beating several Marist players with a tricky run, Hanlon missed the goal points. Richmond, H>; Marist, 14. With Singe and Mannix prominent the Marist forwards swept dowti the field, and 'rom a scramble Johnson Bcored, placing Marist one point ahead. Richmond were sorely pressed but after several serums on tha line,. a fine run by Russell placed his sido again on the attack. From » penalty TTr-?i? Placed a . goal. With the one-point advantage Richmond were making their opponents fight, every inch of the grownd v Hanlon was prominent 11, \5 00c * dash, and his pass was well taken by Russell who • went over to score. Biiss, frtUed to add the goal points. Just before v.-«^T? ,sh .^chaionci I 's backs lined out and nJS«i n* c-. i ve 'L P ag sed in and out S.ii j'? e , finished off the movement with L^ P Jl dld try - Hanlon failed to convert. Marist 17 ffam ° cnded: Richmond, 24; PONSONBY V. NEWTON. slmw^2 n fi 7 pr ? ved to ° e , ood for Newton and, shoyruig fine team work, soon ran up the s?'j ' From the kick-off. Gardiner made a n?nr n, ° to Godley, who scored Garc ,' ine '; failed with a a , - Two more points £T~i Bai « et L for , p MK>aby when Gardiner a field goal. From a loobo pass near naif-way Riley broke away with Peckham in spport and finished. off the movement ,wuh a good try. No goal resulted. I'ftst following up gave Newton a try. ilanci touching down after Herewini had made a previous attempt. Hand kicked a fine goal. Ponsonby, 8; Newton, 5. From a scrum, T. Peckham set his backs going, u-nrdmer ,gettin{f. Gardiner was again the a s* 4 scoror f°r Ponsonby, and Little wood added the goal points. A pass from Ward to ijittiewood saw tho Ponsonby winger race over to add another try. Half-time came with the scores:—Ponsonby, 19: Newton. 5. Throwing the ball about in good style on resumpiton Ponsonby gave their opponents no respite, and Riley scored, Gardinor Adding the goal points. Scores came Quickly, and although Newton tried hard they could not gain much ground. Payne scored under the posts. Then Ponsonby's forwards rushed play to Newton's line, and Moore dived over. A good opening by Poison was carried on by Slack, and Warren scored a try for Nowton. An obstruction against Ponsonby gave Hargreaves a try and Poison's kick mado tho score:—Ponsonby, 30; Newton, 13. Hie game was not taken at all seriously, and in quick succession Godley and Donovan scored trios, the latter kicking a goal. Smith, for Newton, was next to take a turn, going over the line after dribbling past several Pansonby players. Somers easily added the goal points. Just before time Moore scored for Ponsonby and the goal points made the score:—Ponsonby, 43; Newton, 18. ELLEKSLIE V. NORTHCOTE. Playing at Victoria Park, Northcote showed improved .form and were a better tean; than Ellerslie, eventually winning by 8 points to 5. The result will probably coat Ellerslie the grade championship, for they wfere leading from Otahuhu. ' Northcote's first try came from a splendid opening by Greening, who carried tne ball well into Ellerslie's territory. From a scrum Green passed to Speight who mado a, good opening before sending on to Pennycook, who. scored. Green was successful with the kick. In tho second spell the paco was maintained throughout. Thompson was next to so-ore for Northcote, Green missing with the kick at coal. A dangerous passing run by the Northcote backs was stopped when Grogan intercepted a. pass and, racing on, Scored a good try. R. Johnston added the goal points. The game ended with no alteration to tho scores:—Northcote, 8; Ellerslie, 6. JUNIOR RESULTS. THIRD GRADE. Pnrnell, 17, beat Ponsonby A, 3. Athletio, 11, beat Ponsonby B, 3. Richmond, 8, beat Suburbs, 0. Devonport, 30, beat Mangere, 0. FOURTH GRADE. Parnell, 37, beat Pt. Chevalier, 0. Marist, 39, beat New Lynn, 0. SIXTH GRADE. ' By defeating City in the curtain raiser to the Devonport-City match Richmond won the grade championship. Tho scores we'ire Richmond, 7; City, 0. SOUTHERN CENTRES. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH. Saturday. Tho League Rugby matches resulted:— Marist A, 17, beat Waimairi, 6; Linwood, 13, beat Marist B, 5; Addington, 42, beat Sydenham, 6. DUNEDIN, Saturday. The League Ru'gbjr games resulted:— Pacific A, 9, beat Christian Brothers B, 5; City A, 9, beat Athletio, 4: Christian Brothers A, 18, beat City B, 0; Kaitangata, 46, beat Pacifio B, 0.