ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19098, 17 August 1925, Page 14

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

THE CHATHAM CUP CONTEST

PONSONBY'S FINE VICTORY.

NORTH ISLAND FINAL REACHED.

A crowd estimated at 2500 assembled at tho Hunfcly Domain od Saturday in glorious winter weather to witness Ponsoiiby and Pukemiro meet in tho Auckland district final for tho Chatham Cup. . A number of enthusiasts caino from as far afield as Auckland and Hamilton to watch an exciting and strenuous struggle, from which tho visitors emerged victors by 4 goals to 0, but the result is no indication that Pukemiro wero that much inferior; in fact they held the advantage in play, but were lamentably weak in front oi goal, vvihiie the city team turned almost every opportunity to full profit, air. Wallace, of Huutly, proved a very eliiciont referee and kept the wifling gamo well under control. Tho teams lined up as follows ; Ponso ~>y.—Craxtou. Morrison, Williams, Mitchell, Neesham, o'Bnen, Ahem, Christin, Innes, Kennedy and Adshead. Pukemiro.— Whito, iiitchio, Allison, D. Johnston, Mcbriar, 'late. Black, brown, bimpson, Drinnan, aud A. Johnston Pukemiro won the toss and elected to play up tho pronounced slope with the breeze behind tnom. Ponsonby kieke<l off und from tho preliminary exchanges Neesham sent Adshead awav down tho lelt winn who sent across a strong eontro which Meßriar lia.mied in intercepting'. Prom a free luck 10yds outside tho penalty area Neesham drove a hot ono to VVinto which curlc-d past tho custodian and the Ponies wero one up in one nunute's play. The reverse nettled the minors who rushed Btrougly lor the Ponsonby goal. A, Johnston tested C'raxton with a long shot, and a little hit r he came out to clear a dangerous centro from Black on tho opposite wing. Neesham and Williams were conspicuous in breaking up tho Pukemiro mshea and it waft only occasionally that the Ponsonby forwards broke away to find Ritchie and Allison safe at fullback. Simpson and Drinnan both tried C rax ton from long range but although the custodian cleared easily, ho had to punch away a dropping Bhot from Black undor nrofsure. Innc made Severn 1 attempts to sot his front line going but found his inside supports very v/eak, and Adshead was caught oltside on two occas.ons when dangerous. Pukemiro kept up the pressure but their shooting was weak or <• ratic, and Neeshain with Williams and Morrison kept rohovnjg with long kicks. Nearirig half-time Pukemiro were still unlucky. and Kennedy broke way to send a long pass out to Adshead who slipped past Ritchie and crashed a hot drive against the upright to glanco behind. The miners returnod to tho attack and an exciting rally resulted in something like a Rugby scrimmage in the Ponies' goal mouth, tho ball came out of the melee on tho PuKemiro side and from tho clearance Innes got possion and ran through to Whito who tipped a warm shot over the bar. Adshead placed a perfect cornor kick which connected with Innes' had and Ponsonby were in the fortunate position of being two up as halftiino wcnii. On resuming Simpspn changed places with Meßriar and Pukemiro set out in a determined stylo to reduce the deficit but Williams and Morrison with the wind behind thom kicked high for tho line, while Neesham was constantly spoiling the attack by his strong tackling and kicking. Ahem showed up well in some solo runs up tho right line and a pass across to Kennedy brought a fruitless corner. Pukemiro repeatedly came down and tried to pass Craxton, but the vetoran was giving one of his best, displays and showed clear anticipation in fielding and clearing. From a cornor he conceded Meßriar and Brown wero overanxious and collided heavily, aud play was scaicely resumed when Black was wind'd in bumping into O'Brien. Ahern was again conspicuous in a speedy dash up tho light vying and a nice centre to the goal area. Allison baulked hia gonlk eper by miskicking it and Kennedy dashed iu to give Whito no chaneo at closo quarters. Ponsonby. 3: Pukemiro, 0. Pukemiro still struggled valiantly to got tho ball past Cruxton and A. Johnston and Black* were noticed in some nice wing runs unci long centres, but tho shooting of the insido forwards was very faulty. On one occasion Drinnan had an open goal but hooked the ball over tho bar from an almost impossible angle and tho miners' luck seemed riprht out. Both teams were showing the strain of tho hard tussle under typical cup-tie kick-and-rush conditions, and the pace slackened down a lot although Craxton was never quiet for long. Towards the end Adshead, who had beou neglected, got possession, and finished up n speedy ran with a good centro which Innes secured possession of, and with a neat overhead hook completely baffled White for a fourth goal amid loud applause for a particularly clever bit of footwork.

Pukemiro kept up some desultory shooting but failed to profit from two corner cf.nooKsions, and time was called with Crpxton still miooiinuered and tho scoro Ponsonby, 4; Pukemiro, O. Ponsonby havn thus Qualified to meet tho Wellington Y.M.C.A. at Blandford Park next Saturday to decide the North Island winners to moot SeaclifTo for possession of tho Chatham Cup, but the I'onie3 will ne-d the same amount cf luck or much better combination in the front rank if Auckland is to figure in tha fiml. THE SENIOR COMPETITION. The chief attraction in the local senior competition on Saturday was the mutch between Royal Navy and Thistle at Blandford Park. What would have been art oxcoilent contest was marred by doe]), sticky patches of mud on th A playing area. At half-time the score stood at one all Dunsmoro goaling for Thistle and Merritt for the Isavy. In tho second spell Thistle dominated plav most of the tun® but were able to add only one more goal per medium "ol Jiami!J. Thistle . , . , , , 2 Royal Navy ! ! 1 1 Halluby's, 2 goals, defeated Watersiders, North Shore, 3. boat Y.M.C.A., 0, THIRD DIVISION. Northcote defeated Tamaki by 1- goal to 0, and thus won the championship. Tho match was played as a curtain-raiser to tho senior ganio at Blandford Park. It is Norlhcote'a thirty-iiist successive win. DACRE CUP. Chelsea, 1 goal, beat Royal Navy, 0. Onehunga, 1, bent Ilollaby's, 0. Auckland Londoners, 4. beat YM C A B 1. ' ' ' FOURTH DIVISION. Onehunga Athletics B. beat Y.M.C.A., 1. Y.M.C.A. BOYS' LEAGUE. Seniors.—Rangers, 2, beat Rivals, 0; Spurs 4, boat Swiits 0. Juniors.—Coltu. 1, drow with Spurs, 1' Rov ia, t>, bout Swifts, 0; Rivals. 0. boat, Rangers, 0. PETER DAWSON SHIELD. OTAGO 'SURVIVE CHALLENGE. [ZJ"2 TELEGRAPH. I'RKSS ASSOCIATION. J DUNEDIN, Sunday. A largo crowd saw the Otago Association football team successfully deal with South Canterbury's effort to win tho Peter Dawson Cup retained by tho home side by virtue of its recent draw with Southland at Invercargill. It was an interesting ganiu and developed in tho second spell into a stern struggle on a greasy ground. Tho final score was: Otago, 5; South Canterbury. 3—a pretty fair index to tlio trend of play RESULTS IN THE SOUTH fHY TELEGUAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Saturday. Tho Association football results to-day were:—Championship: Y.M.C.A., 3. v. Scottish Wanderers, 0; Hospital, 1, v. Institute, 1. Vie'oiia Cup Final.—Brooklyn, 5, v. Y.M.C.A.. 4 Charity Cup.—Watersidora, 1, v. Maristn, 0. CHRISTCHITRCH, Saturday. Tho Association football matches rosnlted:—Sunnyside, 2, bant Ivaiapoi. 0; Rangers, 2, drow with Thistle. 2.