The League Game.

Observer, Volume XXXVI, Issue 44, 8 July 1916, Page 10

The League Game.

The senior grade, competitions under Northern Union Rules were continued last Saturday afternoon. All three fixtures wore played on Victoria Park, and the very large crowd which assembled to witness the increasingly popular League football games had plenty to keep them interested throughout the afternoon. The grounds were not in the best of condition owing to the recent very heavy rain.

The North Shore-Ponsonby fixture ended in a win for the former by 12 points to 2 points. At times a certain amount of over-keenness was noticeable amongst the players which the referee . promptly penalised. Eventually what at one time promised to be an interesting encount-er-~in. a football sense —degenerated into a game of tactics unworthy of the League code and its players; but both teams were equally guilty, so the least said at this stage the bettejv as the League officials will no doubt see that the matter is inquired into.

City had no difficulty in defeating Newton Rangers. The scores at half time read 9 points to nil in City's favour. On. the change of ends both-sides-were in a better scoring mood, City adding another 10, whilst Newton put on -8. The game eventually came to an end— City 19 points, Newton 8 points.

In the Grafton Athletic v. Otahuhu game a fairly even contest resulted in the first half, with no score to either side. In the second half, however, Grafton asserted themselves, and. had scored 8 points to their opponents' nil when no side was '"sounded. Ifwerson (Grafton's popular skipper) was the principal scoring agent for his side.

The following are the positions of the three leading teams in Championship points:—City, played 7, won 5, lost 1, drew 1, 11 points; North Shore, Played 7, won 5, lost 1, drew 1, 11 points; Grafton Athletic, played 7, won 5, lost 2, 10 points. Otahuhu, Ponsonby, and Newton, the other three teams, are well down the list as far as Championship points are concerned.

The following is a short summary of last Saturday's results-.—City Rovers (19 points) defeated Newton Rangers (8 points). Grafton Athletic (8 points), defeated Otahuhu (nil). ' North Shore (12 points) defeated Ponsonby United (2 points).