THE ASSOCIATION GAME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20255, 15 May 1929, Page 18

THE ASSOCIATION GAME.

SENIOR GRADE COMPETITION. EXCITING GAMES WITNESSED. PONSONBY'S FINE DISPLAY. Keen games; much clever football and high scoring were features much appreciated by a largo number of spectators at Blandford Park on Saturday. Celtic fulfilled the promise it displayed in tho opening games of the season, and it was a vastly improved side which went down to Tramways after a fine fighting effort. With Ponsonby successful in a great game against Thistle, tho meeting of the two undefeated clubs will form an interesting attraction next Saturday. Ponsonby and Tramways have each earned eight points from the four games played, and tho winner of next Saturday's game will gain a pronounced lead on tho championship table. The following table shows the positions of the clubs •

Had Celtic opened tho first spell with tho samo determination and team work as it displayed in tho later stages of tho game against Tramways tho result might easily have been reversed. As it was Celtic was decidedly unlucky to bo 3 goals down at the call of time. I 1 or long periods during tho second spell tho Tramways goal was bombarded with shots from all angles, but fortune was not with the attack, and with Simpson and Batty in their most resolute mood in the Tramways dofenco what appeared a certain goal was often saved. An Outstanding Player. Wright was the outstanding player in Celtic sido. He played forcibly throughout and got through a tremendous amount of work. On his best form Wright has few equals at centre-half in Auckland and bis display in Saturday's game was ono of the best ho has given. With a strengthened half-line, the forwards received moro opportunities and showed that they are a forceful attack when opportunity offers. Rimmer and Poole were best.,'but Gavin and Johnson were always effective. Hall did many clever things in goal and on occasions brought off some remarkable clearances. It was at fullback where Celtic Was weak. Whowcll failed badly under pressure in tho early part of the.game when his kicking was particularly weak. He was much more useful when moved to centre-forward in the second half. Mooney at left-back was always sound but often had too much to do. The sido took great credit out of a gruelling game and showed a vast improvement in all departments. Tramways had matters all its own way in the first spell. Tho defence was seldom seriously tested and found plenty of opportunities to support the forwards. Spencer, Simms and Bell were in brilliant form, but Spong had a day off, and Ins play was not characterised by his usual dash. Williams worked hard but was inclined to overdo the. short passing game. In the second spell the Iramways attack got little support from its sorely worried defence, and was seldom in the picture. The half line, which usually dominates the game, had all :t could do to keep the Celtic attack at bay. Christie defended cleverly and was always in the thick of it, while Tinkler and Fvvio held on to the opposing wings stubbornly. At fullback Stretton was erratic under pressure, and Simpson was often called on to make desperate clearances. In goal Batty did not display his usual confidence, and ho might have saved the goal obtained by Wright from a free kick. An Unsuccessful Experiment. The game between Ponsonby and 3 lust 1c provided a stirring contest. There was no easing up and the exchanges were for the most part very even. There was a lack of the usual cohesion in the Thistle attack, and this may be attributed to the movement of Hislop to lclt half, where, although ho met with a fair measure of success, his brilliant combination \\ith Kay was badly missed, and the Thistle star wing man was never prominent. Morrison at right half for Ponsonby gave Kay little opportunity, and with all his wiles the outside man was kept veryquiet. Thnro is no doubt, however, that with Hislop in his usual position Kay would not have received so much attention, and the attack would have, benefited accordingly. Hislop is too valuable a forward to experiment with in any othor position, and together with Kav forms the most effective wing in Auckland football. The other forwards played well, but were never forceful, and fell an easy prey to the nippv Ponsonby halves. Handley was the best of a good half line that worked hard throughout. He has developed. lino ball control. and many of his passes were excellently timed. Ferguson was the better of tho two backs who came through a. gruelling lime, while Gerrard gave another sound display in goal. He had no chance to save any of the scores registered against his side. Ponsonby's Attack Brilliant. For the first quarter of an hour in the second spell Ponsonby appeared a beaten side, and had it not been for the leadership and inspiration of Innes it is doubtful if the team would have risen to the occasion and obtained the necessary goals to clinch tho victory. Seldom has Junes displayed moro brilliant form, llis equalising goal was a fino effort, while it was he who paved the way for the goals that followed. Stewart was in lively mood at centreforward, and repeatedly followed up so smartly that the Thistle defence got little opportunity to clear effectively. Morrison, Wilson mid Ward completed a line that iijfused plenty of dash into its work, besides displaying an ability to get. goals. The half line was very effective, and gave tho Thistle forwards little opportunity to develop any concerted attack. In defence Lornie and Kinghorn, although never spectacular, wore always resourceful. Lyons was not convincing in goal. He might h.ivo saved at least one of the goals registered by Ihislle. Fighting for Points. Tho Y.M.C.A.-North Shore and One-hunga-Belmont games were strenuously contested. At Devonport Y.M.C.A. showed a fine recovery of form and displayed a pleasing ability to get goals in the face of a sound North Shore defenco. On the run of play North Shore was unfortunate not to score, but credit is due to the fine defenco of Hilliard,' Otter and Mowat. Chapman, at centre-half, gave further proof of his ability in tho pivotal position for Y.M.C.A. The outstanding feature of the Onehuriga game was tho success achieved by Moon at centre-forward for the home side. Moon was a Waikato representative centreforward last year, and clearly demonstrated he will bo n valuable acquisition to Auckland football. Thino will bo a further Navv fixture played under electric light at Blandford "■irk to-night, when a team from 11.M.5. Dunedin a'nd Tf.M.S. Diomede will meet a team drawn from the sloops Veronica and Laburnum. If given good weather the frame should prove a popular draw, and a keen contest should result.

Couls. P. W. L. D. V A. Pis Tramways . 1 •1 — — 18 4 8 PonBonby . 4' 4 — •— J7 9 8 Y.M.C.A. . i 2 1 1 M 10 5 Norlli Shore .. 4 o o T 0 8 4 Oneliungn . 1 { 2 1 (! 9 3 Thistlo . -1 1 3 0 9 2 Celtic . . -1 1 3 7 19 2 Belmont . '1 — 4 — 0 18 0