FIRST OF SEASON DISMISSAL

NZ Truth, Issue 1274, 1 May 1930, Page 13

FIRST OF SEASON DISMISSAL

CARLAW PARK INCIDENT . i • i Dufty Gets Marching Orders / From Referee

TENSE SCENE IN LEAGUE GAME

1 (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special, Auckland Representative.) The City-Ellerslie game on Saturday bristled with a series of sensational incidents. A he,ctic afternoon culminated m Gal. Duffy, famous ex-New Zealand representative, getting his marching orders from Referee Emerali. ' •■;. *

THERE was a tense scene when Dufty did* not immediately leave the field. The whole game was held up at a critical juncture while . the ' referee insisted on the Ellerslie man going off. Before the match . started, the atmosphere was electrical. City/ was banking on the N.Z:.. Council dealing with skipper Davidspn's position at its meeting that afternoon m time for Ben. to lead his old club on to the field after three years' absence m England. ' : At starting time, an urgent ring to N.Z. headquarters disclosed that at that stage, there/wasn't a quorum present to deal with Davidson's case even as a matter^ of urgency. City took a' chance, and 'Davidson went on to the field without, getting the ; "all-clear" signal' from headquarters. , Ben's t luck was m. City's application to play him was later granted. But had they known the unexpected position which developed at the Council's meeting, City might not have been so keen to take a chance on.it. '..---. Those m the know were not too pleased at Citys attitude m protesting against Ellerslie playing? 'Tip" Webb, when they themselves hadn't got Davidson's clearance. „ „:•'. Webb was the big surprise packet ElJerslie had up its sleeve. With Dufty at full-back, and "Wally" Somers leading, the pack, it only wanted ' a player of "Pip's" calibre to turn, it into a tough proposition. . : Webb got knocked early m the game,

otherwise he might have caused City a >whole heap of trouble. As it was, Ellerslie gave the strong City side the. fright of its life. The rugged radecoursers held Em Asher's beefy brigade to a 12 all draw. The Dufty incident occurred right at the death-knock. Ben Davidson got a try, which Ellerslie faVis vigorously disputed from the bank. It made the teams level. Dufty was noticed talking to the referee, but nobody quite realised what had happened ' until play was due to restart. Then Referee Bmerali .' dramatically stopped the game, raced over to the stand and sang out for Ivan Ciilpan, • secretary of the A.R.L. The whole ground was In a. state > of tense expectancy while bewildered officials . looked round for the secretary. Then Dufty himself saved a seriouslooking position by walking off the field. r Opinion was divided on the referee's action: With Dufty m the past it has sometimes been a case of "give a dog a bad, name, etc." Cal. had no right to "back-chat" the referee's decision. He aggravated the offence by staying on the' field, but many fans felt some >ssympathy for the burly Leaguer. Seeing it was the start v of the season, before players had settled down to their usual gait, many felt that the referee might have given Dufty a' good stiff caution and let it go at that.