SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19987, 2 July 1928, Page 12

SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL.

THE LEAGUE CODE,

53EVONPORT'S first defeat.

NEWTON OUTPLAYS LEADERS

' TWO NARROW VICTORIES. Enthusiasms who patronised Carlaw Park ion Saturday were rowarded with tlio best exhibition of the season when Newton inflicted the first defeat of the season on Devonport. As a result of tlio matches, Devonport now has a lead of four points from Newton and Richmond which teams are equal in second place. Devonport lias to play Mavist, Richmond, Ponsonby and Ellerihi) and it is possible its lead may bo reduced still further. Close scoring was tho order in the matches between Richmond and Marist and Ponsonby and City. Richmond won by a margin of one point only, while Ponsonby annexed its win by a penalty goal which was the only scoro registered in the match.

There was no doubt as to which was ■fhe better team in tho match between Newton and Devonport. Last year's champions set about their task with plenty of dash and for onco the smart and, at times, brilliant passing movements of the Devonport rearguard were held in check practically throughout tho game. The Newton pack played finely on Saturday. "Well supported by their backs the forwards continually harassed tho Devonport rearguard, some of whom did not relish tho defensive work and often mado feeble efforts to check rushes.

Some of tho. Newton forwards' dribbling Tushes gained three-parts tlie length' of tho fle'd. Tho whole pack did some great ivo"k. Hall was always to tho fore and his exhibition on Saturday should gain him Consideration when the next representative team is being selected. The Newtoa forwards except on a couple of occasions tackled as if they meant it, this seemingly upsetting one or two of tho Devonport backs. The Newton Rearguard.

The Newton backs wero seen to muc'i better advantage than was the case in the match against Richmond t lie previous week. For individual efforts Hardgreave and Dufty stood out very prominently. The former played a great game and really had a day out. lie scored three fine tries, the one which he gained from a cross-kick bv Dufty being a magnificent effort which was warmly applauded by the spectators. Hardgreave hlso secured two other tries and had a hand in the others scored by his team.

Dufty was in his best form, his kicking fceing splendid, while he put more dash into his running in passing rushes than usual. Ho was tho brains of tho Newton attack and cross-kicked cleverly several times when the opposition was out of place. Cammick gave a much improved exhibition behind the scrum and was prominent both on attack and defence. Cammick's improvement in sending out quicker and better passes made a vast difference to the men outside him. Murray and Wilson were ;|i sound pair of fiveeighths, thfe former making one or two nice xuns. Herewini. at fullback, got through a lot of work well on the whole, but he still has a habit of attempting to go too far when in possession. Although a beaten team, Devonport stuck to its task until tho final whistle And at one stage in the second spell appeared to still have a chance of saving the day. However, it would have been a lucky team to have left the field as victqrs. A. Scott again proved a fine leader. In fact the whole pack stood tip Well against a superior opposition. A Good Hooker. St. George surprised by his ability in getting the ball from the scrums against such a fine hooker as Somers. Jt was only in the final stages when the Devonport forwards were tiring that Somers gained the advantage, which up to this point was in favour of his opponent. The Devonport backs disappointed, outside. Cleaver, Beattie and L. Scott. Cleaver played a clever game at half and Beattie proved a good individualist. Scott put plenty of dash into his running whenever he got an opportunity. Once he gave Newton a try by in-passing when no support was offering. Webb greatly disappointed at fullback where ho made some bad errors. City could do nothing right in its game against Ponsonby, and the latter team was rather lucky to secure a win by a penalty goal. Pomonby had the advantage by •winning the ball from aimost every scrum, but its backs made little progress against the strong defence of Amos and Ivtsrson. The two City five-eighths did some , wonderful stopping. Possession cf the ball yeally won the day for Ponsonby. The first half was evenly contested, Ponsonby's forwards being a shade the better set. In the second spell tho City backs delighted tho crowd with clever passing and with any luck they should have scored two tiies. On one occasion Barchard cleverly beat four Ponsonby forwards, and passed to Wetherill. The City captain sent tho ball back to Barchaid who Tan to halfway and started the whole chain moving. At the critical moment McDonald fumbled, and Thompson saved Ponsonby from defeat. , For the winners Delgrosso played a grand game. He was in every movement, and both on attack and defence stood out prominently. Hutt was also a success at five-eighths, and combined well with Delgrosso. Peckham gave his backs plenty of the ball, but his defence was not too sound. Letton was the pick of the threequarters. Payne and Ford were the liest. of the Ponsonby forwards, all of whom played good football. A Fine Fullback. Barchard gave a brilliant display at fullback for City, and bis speed in sending the threequarters into the attack was a feature of tho game. His fielding and Kicking wero faultless. Wetherill played well at centre-threequarter. The City captain gape his wings several good scoring chances, which were missed by faulty handling. Iverson and Amos saved City on numerous occasions with splendid defence, Crouch did good work in stopping Tushes, but his passing was very faulty, eorne of his transfers going over the fiveeighth's head. Hadley and Pascoe were the best of the forwards. There was a good deal of luck attached to Richmond's one point win over Marist, •which was attacking almost continually. Moisley's sensational run through the Richmond backs just one minute before the game ended was a feature of the play, nnd Marist should have been rewarded with a try. Good as was Moisley's effort, ho should have passed into space, as there was plenty of support coming from four other backs, who were close ' enough to receive the ball. Teams Below Strength. Marist was not up to full strength, as ' Gregory and Brisbane were missing, while Richmond was without Prentice. Two of Marist's tries should have been converted but Cronm made poor efforts with the kicks. Neither team showed anything like good combination, and it was really ; the play oi the individual that made the ; game attractive. Richmond's five-eighths, i Hartlon and Jenkinsou, were superior on ! attack and defence to those of the opposi- I tion, and the pair saved Richmond on numerous occa.Mons. Ilanlon played a fino game, and his try was a brilliant individual effort Jenkinson spoiled a highclass exhibition by kicking too much. His defence, however, was superb. Long, at fullback, fiohkd well and ; •kicked with judgment. Taylor showed a j Jot of pace on the wing and saved Richmond from being defeated when he overhauled Moisley, Davis was a little slow in passing but ho was sound on defence. Richmond was outplayed in the forwards hut Stewart and McCarthy hold their own in the loose.