A SEMI-FINAL

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12040, 19 January 1925, Page 9

A SEMI-FINAL

WON BY SEXTON (NEWTOWN). t AFTER HARD STRUGGLE. The one, semi-final played on Satur-day-—that between Davis and Sexton (substitute for-Wylie, Newtown) and Mclntyre and Pilkington (Hamilton)— provided a very hard fought game. Pilkington opened with two singles on the first and second heads, hut . Sexton replied with a 3 on the third and a 2 on the fourth—Sexton 5, Pilkington 2. On the fifth Pilkington gainecT two points. The next head fell to Sexton with a single, and the following two to Pilkington for one point apiece; making the game all fin the eighth head. Thenceforward to the seventeenth head, inclusive, Sexton had much the best of the play, and somewhat the best of. the luck, sooting 2 points each on the ninth;'tenth, and’ seventeenth heads, 3. on the fourteenth, and a couple of singles on the : twelfth and sixteenth; as against three singles only, on the eleventh, thirteenth, and fifteenth heads, for his opponent. .As a result the score at the close of the seventeenth heed stood—Sexton 17, Pilkington 9. For the next three heads however, Sexton, perforce, marked time, while’ Pilkington scored 2 on the eighteenth head, a keenly contested 1 on the nineteenth, and amid loud, applause, a sensational 6 on the twentieth. This gave him the lead by one point. Pilkington 18, Sexton 17. The Jwenty-first head, most keenly contested and ’ watched with the- greatest ■interest by a large bank'of spectators, was won, by Sexton with one point. ffexton 18, Pilkington 18. The extra cad,’ still mote closely fought, if possible; also fell to Sexton by Hie same narrow margin, and he thus won the match—Stexton ,19, PilkingUn 18. FINAL ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON GOOD CONTEST EXPECTED. Ainger (New. Brighton) and Tonkin ■(North-East Valley) will play, off the remaining semi-final in the pairs championship.; at 1 p.m. on the President’s Day, Friday next; and the winner of the match will play off 'the final with Sefton'f(Newtown) at 4 o’clock the same afternoon.