ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

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

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

THE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. BRILLIANT PLAY WITNESSED.. PONSONBY GAINS GOOD WIN. Brilliant football was witnessed at Blandford Park ou Saturday, when two names in the Auckland Football Association's senior championship were decided. North Shore and Ponsonby, both appearing on the park for' the second rime this season, rose to the occasion and gave a fine exhibition which delighted the increased crowd of spectators. A win to Ponsonby by the odd goal in five was a true indication of the play. Another exciting contest resulted between Onehunga and Thistle in the curtain-raiser at Blandford Park, the game ending with the scores level. Tramurewa. defeated New Accord at New Lynn by five goals to two, while Y.M.C.A. ran up the large total of six goals against Celtic at Walker Park. Following were the scores: — Ponsonby, 3; North Shore, 2. Thistle, i; Onehunga. 1. Y.M.C.A., ti; Celtic, 0. Tramurewa, 5; New Accord, 2. HARD-FOUGHT CONTEST. PONSONBY BEATS NORTH SHORE. A fast and interesting match between North Shore and Ponsonby ended in the latter's favour when the pair met on Blandford Park on Saturday. The game was highly scientific throughout and was fully appreciated by a large attendance of spectators. North Shore attacked from the whistle and met with almost instant success, Leonard securing the ball 25 yards out drove home a shot which gave Surtees no chance. Spurred on by the reverse, Ponsonby showed to advantage in a combined raid by Inncs, Forrester and Cole, which looked dangerous until the lastnamed headed over when he was well placed, i The North Shore forwards were working perfectly at' and only Ponsonby's staunch defence held them- off. Ponsonby's half-line, which had been its weak link on the previous Saturday, was now giving its forwards adequate support. That the Ponsonby quintet could not bo allowed any liberties was exemplified when Morrison passed to Whaley, who moved in rapidly to score with' a fine " header." The same player led a frontal movement • and took the final pass to put Ponsonby ahead. Ponsonby held the upper hand to the end of the spell, when the score was: —Ponsonby, . •2; North Shore, 1. ' Leonard broke through determinedly on the resumption and almost equalised the scores, but Lithgow intercepted. An attack by Bentley saw the Ponsonby forwards hovering around North Shore's goal-mouth. A free kick by Morrison was pushed out by New, but Cole teemed the rebound and lobbed the ball into the top corner of the not North Shore continued to allacK, but had not. the thrust it possessed in the first half. There was an improvement when Jay, in shooting, mis-lurked and the ball struck Stewart and then trickled iii o » "oul The play hovered in mid-field uritK Leonard secured and made a sparkliDg dash, which ended with a kick against the post from 20 yards, the ball rebounding out or danger. North Shore was showing up well now and frequently the Ponsonby defence was severely tested. Just before the end. in attempting to tackle Leonard a 1 back infringed in the area. Leonaid took the kick and put the ball m the corner of tho net. The Tcferce or(lel ' c . d .. , K. k to bo retaken, however, as one o the Shore forwards was in front of the penalty line The rekick was taken by Leonaid, the ball striking SurU-es' chest and then rebounding clear. The game ended with the score:—Ponsonby. 3; ortl k' lo ™; ' 2 - Mr. A. E. Pajkuison was the ltfcice. A DRAWN GAME. THISTLE AND ONEHUNGA. Thistle by a slight superiority might have defeated Ouehungii at Blandford Park, but tho drav.-n score of wie all was a lairly satisfactory ending. . . The play was iutaresting to watch right from the start, both teams swinging the ball about. Onehunga was forceful in its attack, but lacked the finesse of its opponents, whose cleverly-conceived movements were a source of worry to Zuill in the Onehunga goal. There was a lack of finish among both sets of forwards, howe\ci, "'"I several promising chances went astray. tji.U was responsible for f I. histle s first KOJiJ, his finishing shot crowning a very pretty attack Onehunga replied strongly arid soon equalised after an infringement in tho area by Williams. Cotton took the kick and ,T. Cummin if was given no chance in the Thistle goal. The score at the interval was:—Thistle. 1; Onehunga. 1. A good pace was maintained in the second spell, Thistle dominating the exchanges, a - thou"h Onehunga occasionally attacked. Hislop, Thistle, worked well on the offensive) and his efforts should have met with better success. There was little between the tennis toward the finish, Onehunga showing to slightly better advantage. Ihe scoring was not increased, however, the game ending:—Thistle, i: Onehunga, 1. Mr. H. Kyle was the referee. Y.M.C.A. IN FORM. CELTIC TEAM OUTCLASSED. Y.M.C.A. in the match with Celtic at Walker Park emerged winners by the w.ide margin of six goals. Celtic was aggressive at the start, Anstecd leading a dangerous raid. Y.M.C.A. retaliated, Humphreys and Chalmers thrusting forward on tho right flank. Maintaining their hold on the game, the Y.M.C.A. forwards were responsible for some very pretty combined work. M. Kay was dangerous on the left (lank. Celtic did its best to establish a lead, but weak shooting proved its undoing. Chalmers scored a goal for Y.M.C.A. after a clever piece of forward work. Play ranged up and downfield until the end of the spell, when the score was:—Y.M.C.A., 1; Celtic. 0. After an exchange of brisk attacks Y.M C.A.'s combination gave it an advantage and Kiddolls and Hamilton scored goals in quick succession. The latter added, another and Kay further increased the lead , with a fine, left-foot shot. Before the final ■ whistle Chapman scored Y.M.C.A.'a sixth goal. The game ended:—Y.M.C.A., C>: Celtic, 0 The referee was Mr. C. M. Walker. TRAMUREWA'S COMBINATION. EASY WIN OYER NEW ACCORD. Superiority in combination and tactics gave Tnimurewa a good win over New Accord in tho match at New Lynn. After a brief attack by the New Accord van. the Tramurewa forwards pierced their opponents' defence. , Davies received the last of a series of well-timed passes and put Tramurewa in the lend. Maintaining the pressure, Tramurewa kept inside its opponents' half and a good cross from Spong allowed Christie to score. With a two-goal deficit, New Accord attempted to retaliate, but whs beaten back by n good defence. ; After repeated efforts Carr beat Batty with a good shot A characteristic Tramurewa i attack marked the recommencement, the - forwards working in unison. Spencer finished a fine passing bout by shooting past Morris. Dunsmore reduced tho lend just before half-time, t eating Batty from long range. Score:—Tramurewa, 3: »ew Accord. 2. The oponing of the second spell was uninteresting, wild kicking prevailing among both teams. Tramurewa nettled down the quicker and the forwards indulged in fine in-and-out passing. The New Accord defence, was sound, and. aided by poor shooting by Tramurewa, managed to keep its goal intact. Toward the end of the pnme Davis added two more goals for Tramurewa, the final score being:—Tramurewa, 5: New Accord, 2. Mr. G. Shand refereed. LOWER GRADE RESULTS. Senior Reserve.—North Shore, 2; Pon- • sonby, 1; Thistle, -1, Onehunga, 3. Second Grade.-Glen Innes, 7. Ponsonby. i, 2; Metro-College 2, Comrades, I: Burnloy, 3, Belmont, 1; North Shore, 1, Y.M.C.A., 0. Third Grade Open.—Abels, 10, Celtic. 2. Third Grade Intermediate. —Belmont, 4, Tninaki, 2: Comrades, 7. Onehunga, 0. Fourth Grade.—Burnley, 1, Glen Innes. 0; Metro-College B, 1, Comrades. 0; Onehunga, 2, Western United, 1: Y.M.C.A. B. ■ 2, Metro-College A, 2; Burnley, 1. Olen Inncs, 0; Y.M.C.A.. 4, Mount Albert Old Boys. 3. Fifth Grade. —North Shore, o. Belmont, 0- Technical Old Boys, 0, Tamnlu, 0; Comrades A, 7, Onehunga, 0; Metro-College A. 5, Y.M.C.A., 0: Metro College B, 5. Y.M.C.A., 0; Comrades B, 3. W.Y.M.1.. 2.

SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Senior Grade.— Mount Albert A, 5, Technical, 2; Grammar, 2, Mount Albeit B, I. Intermediate Grade.— Grnmnuir, 1, Takapuna, 1; Technical, 4, Kowhfii, 0. _ Junior Grade. —Technical A. 3, Kownm, 0; Mount Albert A, 2, Technical B, 0; Mount Albert B, 1, Sacred Heart, 1.

MATCHES IN THE COUNTRY. Games in the country resulted:— Hamilton. —Huntly Thistle, 2; Y.M.C.A., 0. Juniors: Huntly Thistle, 5; Wanderers, 0. Huntly.—Huntly, 3, Glen Massey, I; Rotowaro, 4, Wanderers, 2; Renpwn, 3, Pukemiro, 2. Juniors: Starr Town, 2, Rolowaro, 0. RESULTS IN THE SOUTH. [BY telegraph.—PßESS association.] Wellington.—Petone, 5. Mnrist, 3; Thistle. 2. Diamond, 2; Hospital, 4, heaiown, 0; Wanderers, 7, W.Y.M.1., 0. Christchurch. —Charity Cup: Western, 3. Thistle. 2. Dunodin. —Mospiel, 0, High School Old Boys, 3; Northern, 3. Port Chalmers, 2: Maori Hill, 2. SeuclitT, 0; Technical Old boys, 3, Mornington, 1.