LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14716, 4 August 1921, Page 7

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

SOUTH AUCKLAND'S SECOND WIN. VICTORY OVER WELLINGTON. STRONG BREEZE AFFECTS PLAY. Fortunately the rain held off yesterday afternoon, and enabled the 1500 spectators who were present at Steele Park to witness the League football match between South Auckland and the Wellington touring team to take their football under fairly congenial conditions. The No. 2 area of Steele Park was in good condition, despite the heavy rain of recent days, but there was, quite naturally, a certain element of elusiveness about the leather. A strong breeze very considerably assisted the team playing towards the southern goal, and to some extent had a marring effect on the play. It was, playing with it, in the second spell that South Auckland put on 10 points and emerged victorious by 13 to 2 in the second representative contest of the season. The teams were:—■ Wellington (black) : Balks, K. Thompson, B. Jessop, A/ Brace, Shanahan, D. Nicholls (capf.), J. Kruse, L. Zimmermann, W. Le Warne, 11. Haddock, 11. Harvey, T. Williams, R. Shanahan. South Auckland (red, white & blue) : Dufty, Paki, Hemmingway, Wilson, Wilson-Hall, Jackson, Gherrie, Median, Manning, Sheeran, McMillan, Bishop, S. J. Wilson (capt.). Blacks with the Breeze.

The Blacks defended the northern goal and had the breeze in their favour, though the home side had a disconcerting sun in their eyes at times. A long kick by Balks and an ensuing one by Nicholls placed the visitors on the attack, but a free relieved the defenders. South Auckland, per medium of Hemmingway, got away on a strong retaliating movement with M. Wilson supporting, but Hemmingway eventually lost possession and Balks stayed the effort in his own eastern 25. Dufty had an unavailing goal-shot from a free, which Nicholls cleared from under his goal, and the effort finally closed in South Auckland's 25. The home side were penalised for picking out of the scrum, but Nicholls' shot went wide. Wellington kept up the attack. From another penalty Nicholls failed. Balks was handling and kicking surely. From a mark by Nicholls Balks had a shot, but it failed also, and Paki made a dashing returning .run. Shanahan turned with a kick from inside his half. A long free kick drove South Auckland back to defend again. It was really defective ground fielding by the Wellington backs that let South Auckland away once from 25 to 25. Paki fed Dufty originally, and play travelled quickly from the western half right across to Wellington's north-east corner, where Bishop was all but over. It was a quick turning movement. Wellington heeled the ball out smartly as play returned to South Auckland's territory, tout solid tackling met the passing and it could not progress. After South Auckalnd had been forced down, Balks had a penalty placer from a scrum infringement near the touch at the western half. The kicker made a fine effort, the ball dropping under the bar. ■ South Auckland opened out on a passing effort, but

faulty handling- stayed it. Down east NichoTls and Shanahan entered on a neat duo passing movement that nearly brought success. Jackson cleared the danger finally. Wellington set up a scrie.s of attacks down cast. The South Auckland tackling was frequently too high. Success came to Wellington shortly when Balks, getting up to the ball just over the half, dropped it in front of the breeze anil it sailed over the bar high and sure. Wellington .. .. 2 South Auckland . . 0 South Auckland took a hand in affairs

for a term, but they found the visiting full-back a stumbling-block. A home passing rush almost brought success, Paid being stopped at the north-west corner. Still the pressure was kept up against the wind. Nicholls broke away with the ball in face of the advance and neatly dummying progressed down east. A hot rally by South Auckland, after faulty handling by the opposition, saw S. J. Wilson open up play at the visitors' eastern 25. He fed in to McMillan, and the latter clashed across to ground the ball with Balks tackling him. Dufty missed. South Auckland .. .. 3 Wellington .. .. 2

,T. Shanahan, who had been playing well, retired injured. South Auckland kept scrum infringing, and from one of these penalties Nicholls had a goal-shot, but the ball passed to the left of the uprights. Half-time- came with play at the eastern half. The Second Spell.

Shanahan returned for the second half. There was much faulty handling before the teams properly set for their tasks. Balks got up for an eastern line dash, and the next incident was a smartly snapped-up mark by Nicholls from the forwards' toes. After neutral territory play Jackson broke away and placed South Auckland within striking distance, but Balks was equal to the occasion. Wellington forced down to home territory. The deefnders sought to retrieve by the use of the backs, but were held up for forward passing. Wellington set up a hot attack, and Zimmerman was nailed inches short. Hanging on by Jessop spoilt a certain try, with a man in. Wellington heeled the ball with monotonous frequency, and this had a material measure of say in keeping the home backs silent at this stage. An eastern touch dash, with S. J. Wilson and Paki beading it, swept right to Wellington's line, hut a. knockon hailed it as Wilson went to gather. Otherwise a try was inevitable. Then a score came simply. Down at his southeastern corner Nicholls fielded and threw in to Balks, but the full-back failed to hold right on his line. Wilson, who was handy, picked up and ran round behind tho posts. Dufty goulcd. South Auckland . . . . 8 Wellington . . . . 2

Nichoils and Thompson worked a pretty movement along oast into the home 25. Play swung hack and forth between the twenty-five's. A prominent breach by n visiting forward nullified n clearing kick by Balks, who retired injured immediately, and Whilly replaced him. A Iry came soon to the attackers. Cheerio, Payne (who had replaced Manning a few moments prior) and Median'being concerned in it, the latter falling on the ball under the posts. Duffy goided. fjoul.li Auckland . . . . 1,1 Wellinaaon .. ..2 Wellington carried play the whole lenglli of Ihe field west, and swnrmod dangerously round Ihe home line. Niehrdls i-s>.)yed lo Held pn| n goal, but the hall passed In Ihe right. South Auckland worked play down to Ihe visiters' territory, whore Bishop and Sheerer dashed away with the hall, hut an infringement stayed progress. At this stage a Wellington forward was ordered off. M. Wilson, from the penalty, made a good but unavailing effort to kick a goal. South Auckland were having the lies I of matters at Ibis slage. N'iciiolls was playing a .ureal game for the <if I'i'iiders. ami lime and utrain suve,| He' threatening danger. Dufty dropped for goal, but Ihe effort did nol bear fruit. Times kept being torrid ror the Macks. Jackson broke clear, but his pass-oul was too slow. Cherrie smartly got down to Jes&op, across on the west goal.