VISITING FOOTBALLERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20999, 9 October 1931, Page 12

VISITING FOOTBALLERS.

LEAGUE TEAM'S FIRST GAME/ I EASY WIN AT WHANGAREI. ! AN EXCELLENT EXHIBITION. [r.Y TELEGKAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] WHANG AREI. Thursday. There was an attendance of 2000 at Kensington Park this afternoon to witness the League football match between Eastern Suburbs, the champion team of New South Wales and Northland, holders £>f the Northern Union Challengo Cup. The match was played in perfect weather and the ground was in excellent condition after a good night's rain. Eastern Suburbs won by 23 points to 11 after a fast game, during which the visitors gave a good exhibition of the code. Tho Northland (earn lacked sufficient pace and combination. / Of the Eastern Suburbs forwards, R. Stehr and S. Pearce woro the best, while it was difficult to choose from a good allround set of backs, although D. Brown and E. Norman were aj, times brilliant. For Northland, W. Shortland at times showed dash, but on the whole there were no outstanding players. Goal-kicking a Feature. Tlio goal-kicking of both teams was a feature of tho game, particularly that of C. Hamilton, for Northland, and Paillas, for Eastern Suburbs. The leaps were:— Eastern Suburbs.—W. Hong, 11. Delaney. D. Brown, R. Paillas, M. Boylo, E. Norman, V. Thicknesse, It. Stehr, R. Brown, I'. Atkinson, M. Nixon, S. Pearce, S. Rogers. Northland.—D. l'arkes, T. Cross, R. Hamilton, E. Cunningham, C. Hamilton, E. Meyer, W. Shortland, C. Payne, A. Wells, E. O'Callaghan, M. Hirtzell, N. Dunn. R. Cunningham. Northland kicked off and a great rush by Delaney, D. Brown, Boyle and Paillas was well stopped by Parkes on tho line. A few minutes later D. Brown obtained possession of tho ball and, after a good run down tho line, scored in the corner. His kick failed. Northland took play to the visitors' territory, and from a penalty C. Hamilton kicked a great goal. Eastern Suburbs, 3; Northland, 2. Northland continued to press but D. Brown gained ground with a good run, and following an infringement by Northland, Paillas kicked a goal. Great Goal by 0. Hamilton. Play was transferred to the visitors' end of the and from, a penalty given for obstruction, a great goal was kicked by C. Hamilton. Eastern Suburbs, 5; Northland, 4. A good opening was mado by D. Brown, and R. Paillas scored wide out. His kick failed. Shortly before half-time R. Cunningham was injured and was replaced by L. Lowe. Half-time came with the score: Eastern Suburbs 8 Northland " 4 Upon resuming, Boylo made a fast dash for the line, but failed to score. Thicknesse possession of tho ball, which was passed lo Norman, to. D. Brown and to Stehr, who scored. Paillas converted. C. Hamilton kicked a penalty goal for Northland from near half-way. Suburbs, 13; Northland, 6. Northland was now on the defence. Norman dashed for tho line, but was well stopped by Parkes. Then Paillas was nearly over, and finally Norman sent Delaney over. Paillas con- / verted. Northland attacked and R. Hamilton, after a good dash, passed to Cross, who sent O'Callaghan Oil to score between the posts. C. "Hamilton converted. Eastern Suburbs, 18; Northland, 11. Shortly afterwards Pearce gathered in the ball and passed to D. Brown, who sprinted down . the line/ to score. Boylo converted. Rogers retired injured, but. was not replaced, and the game ended with the score: Eastern Suburbs 23 Northland 11 Mr. J. Petterson was referee. The curtain-raiser, the junior champion of champions match, resulted: Kanio, 3; Portland, 2. MATCH WITH DEVONPORT. THRILLING PLAY ANTICIPATED. -The Eastern 'Suburbs team will return to Auckland to-day and will play a match against the Devonport thirteen at Carlaw Park to-morrow. Although Devonport was not successful in the senior championship 6f the Auckland Rugby , League it was runner-up to Marist, which ' it defeated in the knock-out competition and also in the champion of champions match. Owing to injuries to players Marist was not up to full strength. Although there arc few supporters who #re enthusiastic enough to expect Devonport to Avin. the Auckland club should give the Visitors a good game and some thrilling play ihotild result. The Devonport forwards have played consistently well throughout the season and it is from this quarter that Eastern Suburbs will receive the strongest opposition. The visitors have a reputation as a fine all-round Combination, their exhibitions having thrilled thousands of Sydney followers of the game during the past -season. No doubt they will be much better versed in the finer points of the game than Devonport and it will therefore be in- | teresting to compare the style adoptctl in Australia with that in New Zealand. Hie match will commence at three o'clock. A curtain-raiser will be provided by the Marist and Richmond third grade inter j mediate teams