LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20869, 11 May 1931, Page 12

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

SENIOR GRADE CONTESTS. MARIST DEFEATS PONSONBY. EASY WIN FOR DEVONPORT. The second series of matches in the senior championship of the Auckland Rugby League was played on Saturday under ideal conditions, the grounds being in nice order after rain during thu week. In the principal match at Carlaw Park Ponsonby and Marist fought out an even contest until the linal stages, when the latter won comfortably. Richmond proved too strong for City and Devonport won by a wide margin against Newton. Results of Saturday's matches were as follows : Marist, 20; Ponsonby, 9. Richmond, 2S; City, 15. Devonport, '2O; Newton, 0. BRIGHT SECOND SPELL. MARIST,S BETTER COMBINATION. In a bright second spell Marist had better combination than Ponsonby and won by a good margin. Playing with,the wind, Ponsonby held the advantage in the opening stages and Delgrosso had two unsuccessful attempts from penalties. Mishandling by Ponsonby let Marist away and Brisbane started a rush, from which Clark almost scored. From a penalty Clark opened Marist's score with u nice goal. Clever play by Hassan made a line opening and Delgrosso retaliated with a nice run. lonsonby missed a certain try when W. Sit el ton cut through and Friend failed to take his pass on the line with no opposition. lonsonby held the territorial advantage, but missed one or two likely chances through poor handling. Young, Marist, was lnjuieci and had to retire, being replaced by VVeUberley. Marist lost a good chance when Brady broke away and Clark just failed to take a high pass. Brady then broke clean through the Ponsonby five-eighths and touched down near the posts. Clark failed at goal. Ponsonby retaliated immediately and after a short passing bout Winters scored cleverly wide out. Skelton failed at goal. Half-time came with the score:-—Marist, o; Ponsonby. 3. Play was more lively on resuming. Caiter Marist, was injured and Clark carno out of the pack. Schotield scored for Pontonby wide out at the end of a passing bout Delgrosso just failed with the kick. } tie Ponsonby 'backs were attacking m the Marist twenty-five when Brady intercepted cleverly and ran strongly to Angelo. Batchelor came up fast to take an in-pass and score between the posts. The scorer ens.lj converted. Delgrosso made a hne opening and a try appeared certain, but SkdUm passed in-field with three men unmarked outside him. Delgrosso was hurt and wlule he was being attended to the Marist. backs hot off. Although the' passing broke down, Brisbane picked up, and scored between the posts. Batclielor missed the easy kick. Lunn. Ponsonby. retired at this stage with a broken rib. Thompson next scored for Ponsonby wide out. Delgrosso failing \ufh the kick The Marist barks immediately retaliated and List scored from an in-pass from Brady. Bailey converted. Right on time List polled a goal, the, game ending. Marist. 20; Ponsonby, 9. Mr. P. Rogers was referee. WEAK TACKLING. CITY DEFENCE FAILS. "Weak tackling and poor defence by City enabled Richmond to , r ' l L h< rJWithin one minute of the kick-off Richmond was awarded a penalty and Davis kicked a nice goal. Richmond's backs started a passing bout and Pell dropped the ball on the City line, losing a try. From a scrum ill the City twenty-five McLaughlin let Prentice through and the Richmond cap run scored easily. Davis converted Another splendid passing bout saw the Richmond backs outclass City and again weak tackling let Pell race over unopposed. . Davis failed to convert. A minute later I ell scored easily. Davis converted. Half-lime came with the score:—Richmond. 15; City. 0. Early in the second half Davidson opened Cilv's score with a penalty goal. The City backs were rearranged. Iverson playing at five-eighths. Munce scored from a nice nnsfling bout. Davidson failing to convert Kirhmond's forwards raced away and Lawless scored between the posts Davis converted. From the loose Clark kicked over Richmond's line and Hadley scored for City. Davidson converted. Davidson beat several defenders and passed to Hadley, who scored. Davidson converted. Richmond attacked strongly and Prentice made an opening and Ritchie raced between (he posts. Davis converted. Richmond's backs had too much combination for City. Lee started a passin" bout and Dunne made a beautiful opening for Patterson to score. Davis failed to convert, and the game ended: Richmond, 28: City. 15. Mr. A. Rae was referee. POOR FIEST SPELL. DEVONPORT BACKS TOO CLEVER. Poor football in the first spell resulted in the meeting of Devonport and Newton, 'lhe Devonport backs indulged in clever play ill the second half and the team had a runaway victory. Play was not very interesting m the early stages, each side taking turns on attack. Devonport had the advantage of the wind, but Newton defended well. The first try resulted when L. Scott, on the wing, received from the ruck at halfway and outpaced the opposition to score behind tne posts. Seagar converted. Shortly before the spell Casey retired with an injured hip and was replaced by Hunt. Immediately Devonport came away in a loose, rush started by O'Donnell and Hunt dived on the ball over the line. Seagar missed from a handy position. The score at half-time was:—Devonport, 8; Newton. 0. , On resuming Rhodes made a clever feinting run from a scrum at halfway syid a try should have resulted, but for passing. Simons commenced a clever passing rush and reverse passed to Seagar. O'Donnell cut in cleverly and finally L. O'Leary touched down at the corner. Seagar converted with a fine kick. A little later T. O'Leary crosskicked cleverly to his brother, who fielded splendidly in his stride and well out. Simons failed at goal. A few minutes before time Seagar secured from loose play and dodged his way over behind the posts. L. O'Leary converted. Seagar was again prominent in making a fine opening, from which E. Scott scored. L. O'Leary converted, making the final score:-—Devonport. 20: Newton, 0. Mr. V. Simpson was referee. LOWER GRADE RESULTS. Reserve C rade.— Ponsonby, 13, Marist, 5; Richmond, 10, City. 11; Devonport, 39. Newton, 0. . Second Grade.— Papakura, C. City. 0; Northcote, 19, Ponsonby, 0; Point Chevalier. 28, Mount Wellington, 3. Third Grade Open.—Marist, 5, Ponsonby, 5; Richmond won from Devonport by de--11 Third Grade Intermediate.—Akarana, 21, Mount Albert, 0; City. 5, Marist, 3. Fourth Grudo. —lS'ewmrirlcet, 5, Mount Albert, 5; Akarana won from Ellerslie by default. . T . n ~ „ Fifth Grade. —Newton, 28, Lllerslie. 0, City, 17, Ponsonby, 0. „ Sixth Grade. —Richmond, 15, Newton. 2; Point Chevalier won from Lllerslie by default; Newmarket, 32, Northcote, 0; Marist. 14 Devonport, 0; City, 5, Akantna, 0. Seventh Grade.-Ellershe, 15, Glen Lynn. 0; Richmond, 'G, Papatootoe. J. City. b. Richmond, 0. • . . , Fourth Grade.— Papakura, 9, I oint Che\alier, 9 GAMES IN WAIKATO. Gaines in the country resulted. Hamilton. — lluntly, 22, Hamilton, 5. Huntly.—Taupiri, 20, Kin Ora, 7 • Pirates, 3, Ngaruawama, 0; lluntly Colts, J, Taupiri, 2. MATCHES IN THE SOUTH. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Christchurch.— Addington, 11, Linwood. 10; Hornby, 31, Sydenham, 0. Ounedin.—Christian Brothers, A, 35, Athletic, I); City, 17, L'aeilic, 10.