League Surprise

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1011, 30 June 1930, Page 6

League Surprise

MARIST'S HEAVY DEFEAT

Devonport Comes Back

ALTHOUGH Ponsonby only just managed to scrape home by a single point against Kingsland, and City was pushed all the way by Richmond, the biggest surprise in Saturday's League games was the margin by which Devonport defeated Marist. The defeat of the champions was not unexpected, in view of the fact that Gregory and Brisbane were absent,

but few anticipated that the score would he 24 to 12 i Devonport’s favour at the finish. It was a splendid game t wateli.

As a result of Marist’s defeat, City now heads the senior competition with 11 points. Marist and Ponsonby are running level in second place, each with 10 points.

There is something a little saddening in the downfall of a great club team. But, to use a homely phrase “every dog has his day,” and the Tykes, who have delighted the crowds at Carlaw Park for the past two seasons by their artistry and brilliant teamwork, know how to take a beating when the time comes. They were the first to congratulate Devonport on Saturday after a thrilling, spectacular contest, in which the youthful aggression and cleverness of the Shore backs was the deciding factor in a game that was good to watch.

It was the first time. Shore had been on No. 1 ground this year. Although Seagar was away on the high seas, ; and Dixon was nursing a “dicky” leg up in the stand. Shore’s forward line was practically at its old strength, and Alt’. Scott was given a cordial welcome when the veteran led his team out on to the paddock. J It was soon pretty clear that back play would decide the match. Devonport was holding the formidable Marist pack too well in the loose to permit it very many scoring opportunities, but it could not stop the ball from coming out to the Greens from set scrums. Marist got more than its share of the ball, but it will have to find a half who can send the ball out quickly and accurately, otherwise the whole back line is going to be thrown out of gear, as it was on Saturday, even apart from the fact that P. Young and Brady made several bad mistakes in their passing work. SHORE COLTS MAKE GOOD Shore has every reason to feel pleased at the success of its backs. They are a very young lot, with the exception of the fullback, and Alt' Scott was keeping a close watch on them at times. But they rose to the occasion in great style, and they deserve a. big share of the credit for Devonport’s brilliant victory. There was not 12 points difference between the two teams. The run of play was going Shore’s way all through, with the exception of the time that Alf Scott kicked the bail into Batchelor’s hands, but Marist seemed to be having an off day. The backs made far too many mistakes at critical moments to give it any chance of winning.

McCurthney, the ex-Ponsonby Rugby forward, played a great game in the loose for Devonport, and Ruby also showed out well in some bright dashes. But full credit has got to go to Rule, St. George, and Casey, who paved the way for Marist’s defeat by the dogged way in which they pinned Marist down in the close stuff, and left Alf Scott Iree with a roving commission which he filled to perfection.

On his game on Saturday, Rhodes is the most improved player in the Devonport team this year. He played great football, getting the ball out well, and making some splendid dashes when play had opened out. He looks more robust than he was last year, and his defence was good. Considerable interest was taken in Lhe play of Smith, by virtue of the fact that he is a nephew of the great G. YY. of All Black and League fame The youngster started brilliantly with a, beautiful try, and after that he" never looked back, except when he appeared to be upset by some well-meant advice from the stand about a shot at goal. He kicked one very nice goal, and missed another by the narrowest possible margin. He finished up a great day s work by giving L. O’Leary a try right at the finish of the game. It is to J" ud fe a boy on one game, but hls true form, young Smith ought to be an Auckland rep. the year after next, provided he is not pushed on too fast. L w ° O’Leary's did all 'that was asked of them. Irevor, especially, extricated himself from several tight corners in a very clever manner. Ho\vcver, he might be more use to his side closer in. FINE GOAL-KICKING Les. O Leary is a better wing than f lven credit for. He also hud a • n ‘ d day with his goal-kicking, iandinfe fir ein all. In fact, the goalkicking throughout the match rvns of tr them in werJ f OOd ’ ev<Jn tho «Sh most angles r o’r • , reasona,w y easy onfs Tor karS “ klCked three ’ sood mmTUTM needs . a ° ood fullback as much as Marist does a half. Saxon emu c een ., a Kreat old stand-by for his horn f ?! tho - ? a - st year or two, and it is ■ilwTvN critu ( ' l se him, because lie is always ready to turn out when wanted But . he isn t a fullback, and it’s no grood saying he is. n ° There did not seem to be tlio same | Are and dash about the Marist forwards as there usually is The six slfn,>-dT h ° formed the spearhead on Saturday are on paper a magnificent tlldr'h™! 0 ?' bUt th ® y did n °t produce then best form against Devonport forw i'iTfs and ,-Clarke were the two best lor wards. the former is rapidly becoming one of the best scrummers in Auckland but he would bT rvell aA A™r 6eP cl „ ear , of the rough stuff, h J W-,T? • 3 vard who has sot to make , y ln . the same can’t afford to be j getting mixed up in "arguments.” Unless there is a big strengthening of the Marist backs, the forwards will have to change their tactics from now on. Last Saturday tney were sending the ball b-.ck just as it Gregory and BrisDane were there, and this proved disastrous in the long run, because the backs made far too many mistakes to give them a chance of pulling the game out of the fire. : Ar E Y er ! Brady, who was probably Marist s best back, made several mistakes. although his hard, strong nmmn.L, made him a constant worrv to Devonport. Hassan played a useful j same at first five, and there is no rea- ! son why lie should not stav there if another half can be found. " P. Young was disappointing at times, but be looks as if lie might do better. It' Batchelor was as good on defence

as he is on attack, lie would fly into a New Zealand team tomorrow. He has pace, and be is not afraid to give it a go. The try he scored from a faulty kick by Scott was 4 magnificent one. X. Campbell really deserved criticism on Saturday. lie is getting too slow He badly wants some good sprinting practice with the rest of the backs, and the sooner he modifies his over-deliberate style the better. He fields a ball beautifully, and is a very powerful kick, but he must move round more and use his head as well as his legs to anticipate the run of play. More than that, he has got to learn when it is policy to run up and start passing, and when it isn’t! Scoring Register.—Devonport (tries by Smith, Ruby, Scott and L. O’Leary, five goals by L. O’Leary and one by Smith). 24 points; Marist (tries by Graham and Batchelor, three goals by O’Brien), 12 points. NEWTON OUTDISTANCES RACECOURSE SUBURB

ELLERSLIE FADES AWAY In a match which had few bright patches, but was a hard enough fight at times, Newton Rangers defeated EJlerslie United by 22 points to 18 in the three o’clock game at Car law Park No. 2 ground on Saturday. In the opening stages of the game the match promised to be a hard, sjogging battle. Both sides missed several opportunities of scoring. Newton got over the line first, but at halftime the red and whites could only claim a three-point lead. In the second spell, however, Ellerslie soon faded away and Newton ran out comfortable victors. The match was not Lhe type of game one could enthuse over, and the few spectators around No. 2 ground had their eyes for the most part on No. 1 area. Newton lined out its young and light team, giving away much in both weight and experience to the men from Ellerslie. However, the Rangers did not take long to demonstrate that youth if often more than a match for experience and showed Ellerslie when it had possession of the ball that it was a really dangerous combination. With Wally Somers hooking, Ellerslie, of course, had more than an equal share of the ball, but hooking was about all Somers was good for on the day. The remaining forwards slogged away while they had a chance of pulling the game out of the fire, but toward the end it was patent that they were a very tired lot. BRIMBLE BROTHERS STAR Even behind the scrum Ellerslie did little better. “Pip” Webb played most of the game as a five-eighth, and although he was always in it, one man cannot play a team. Hemingway, who took Webb’s place at fullback, was far from a success. He kicked well at times, but at tackling and even on attack he left much to be desired. Oliff, behind the pack, was hardly as conspicuous as usual. Drew was about the best of an ordinary lot of three quarters. • The Brimble brothers starred for the Newton backs. E. Brimble, in the five-eighth line, was perhaps the more impressive. This recruit from Rugby is an unassuming worker, and on Saturday scored his first try in the League code. C. Brimble seems to have difficulty in keeping his feet, but scored a couple of dashing tries on Saturday. The outstanding player in the Newton team on Saturday, however, was Dempsey, the fullback. Of light build, he raced into action often with the rest of the backs and cut his way through Ellerslie like a knife. In addition lie is a good line kick. Hill at centre played a good game, and Murray, as E. Brimble’s partner, was also responsible for a lot of work. Of the forwards, the never-tired Francis was always in the thick of the fight and he was well seconded by Butler and Allan. Kirkup worked well in the tight. Newton fully deserved its win, but Ellerslie should have been able to make a much more, impressive showing. Apparently the services of captain Calvin Dufty are being missed.

PONSONBY HAD NARROW SHAVE AGAINST KINGSLAND

HARD GAME AT MANGERE

After a game in which monotonous exchanges of long kicks were the main features, Ponsonby emerged victor over Kingsland by the narrow margin of 13 to 12. The game was played at the Mangere Domain, as the* chief attraction for the Mangere Club's charity day. In the opening stages of the game play remained in neutral territory for some time. The backs of both teams indifiged in long kicking, until Schofield gamed possession for Ponsonbv near. the half-way line, and beating six of toe opposing team, he raced clown the line, to run round and touch clown between the posts. The kick at goal failed. Ponsonby kept on the attack, and with a loose forward rush, took play ° nto Kingsland’s goal-line, where the defenders secured relief with a free kick Play now hung in midfield for some time, until G. Simms, who was ooing his share of hard work, tucked tlio ball under his arm, and with a clear field ran half the length of the ground, to be felled just after lie crossed the line and scored. Lansrvilie’s kick at goal was successful.— Kingsland. u; Ponsonby, 3. Inspired by this success, Kingsland continued on the offensive, ai a dribbling rush carried play on to Ponsonby's lino, the latter finding reJiet by kicking into the dead-ball area. I on tinning to press, Kingsland was ultimately forced back with a long 1 ne kick, by the defender's fullback. I onsonbv now took a hand in the attack, but after hammering at Kingsland’s line, had to retire in the face of a good back movement. Carrying on the attack, Delgrosso gained possession of the ball on Kingsland’s twenty-five, and sent it out to L. Riley, to Angelo, for the latter to score under the posts. The kick was successful. Kingsland took a hand in the attack

but was unable to finish off its effort. A strong .counter-attack by tlm blue and blacks showed all the possibility of succeeding, but was spoilt by offside play. L’ndaunted by this failure. Ponsonby returned to the attack. Lunn gaining possession, and scoring between the posts. The try was converted. Half-time was called soon after with the score-card reading 13 to 5 in favour of Ponsonby. Soon after the resumption of piay, Schofield received a nasty kick on the head while diving for the ball. After receiving treatment he returned to the field. Give and take play followed, with Kinglsland showing to advantage, until Ponsonby, with an infringement, gave the former an opportunity to goal, which Longville accepted. A succession of long kicks ensued, both teams participating, until McLeughen (Kingsland) gained possession and fought his way through to score in a handy position. Herring’s kick at goal was successful.

In the final ten minutes both teams made desperate attempts to add to their scores, but without success, the final scores being:—Fonsonbv, 13; Kingsland, 12.

CITY AGGRESSIVE RICHMOND DEFEATED IN SECOND SPELL One of the brightest League displays on an outside ground this season was witnessed at the Domain on Saturday, when City clinched a victory from Richmond by 11 points to 7. For the most part Richmond enjoyed the better of the play, but Jn the second half City came to light with outstanding aggressiveness and a few spectacular individual efforts which proved deciding factors. Some indication of the bright nature of the clash may be gathered from the large crowd which deserted other games on the Domain and lined the field of the senior League fixture.

There was nothing startling in the opening stages. Both sides appeared to be playing haphazard football, although Richmond had a decided advantage. and by half-time had the narrow lead of 5—3. Davis managed a penalty in the second spell, which brought the score to 7—3. and at this stage it looked as though Richmond would be the victors. With unusual suddenness, however, City turned the tables. Davidson made a neat opening for McLaughlin to go over for a converted try, while toward the end of the game Bass kicked through for G. Perry to show a fine turn of speed in racing ahead to gather in and go over. .

The game was marred a iittle, however, by a number of mishaps. Shortland, who was making a fine showing behind the scrum for City, suffered an injury to his ankle, and had to be replaced by McLaughlin, while later Wheaton went off and was replaced by Ferrall. Blundell also received a sufficiently hard knock to put him out of action.

Davidson, who has shown nothing approaching international form since his return from England, played hls best game of the season at the expense

of a few hard knocks, but his performance no doubt had much to do with City’s victory. Then he had strong support in the back line in the two Perrys, Iveson and Reynolds. Many promising movements, however, fell to pieces by feeble passing, and this was shown early in the game, when Perry rushed away into the open and gave away a certain try by an impossible pass, which could not be gathered in. Barchard was sound at fullback, and throughout played a good game.

Richmond was perhaps not as strong as the opposition in the back line, although Prentice was always of considerable annoyance to the City rearguarders. Jones and Lennie showed up well among the forwards, but were hampered on occasions by lack of speed. _ Bass enjoyed his fair share of the limelight, and was undoubtedly responsible for City’s final try, while Hadley and W'atene were also prominent in the City pack.