OPENING OF THE SEASON IN IN AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 948, 7 May 1908, Page 11

OPENING OF THE SEASON IN IN AUCKLAND.

In beautiful weather the football season was opened on Saturday, but it cannot be said that the matches proved very interesting, with the ex-

ceptipn of the close contest at North Shore. Even thus early it would appear that there will be some very weak senior teams. Grafton will need to strengthen the team tremendously to have the faintest chance of winning. Parnell also appears to be weak, while on Saturday’s showing North Shore cannot be a very powerful organisation. This club, however, is always handicapped by being unable to always put its best team in the field. The University was represented for the first time, and their opening match, a draw against North Shore, was full of merit. CITY BEAT PARNELL. City was known to be weaker than last year, and it was expected that Parnell would put up a good fight. Winning the toss Parnell started with the sun behind them. The play was even for a time, but eventually Stewart got the ball and scored first blood for City, S. Magee converting. Then J. Magee got over, and as Magee’s kick was again successful, things looked bad for Parnell. They .attacked strongly, but failed to score.

In the second spell"‘Parnell were again on the aggressive, but their passing was wretched. Ultimately the ball went to the other end of the ground. Estall and Gladding scored tries in quick succession, which J. Magee failed to convert, City thus winning by 16 points to nil. ’VARSITY DRAW WITH NORTH SHORE. A goodly crowd attended the Devonport football ground to see how the new University team would play against the local men. From the outset University commenced to make things very willing. Their try came as the result of a fast bit of following up by Bamford. The ball bounced on the Shore fullback’s head, and Bamford, gathering it in at full speed, touched down between the posts, Wilson plac’ng a goal. In the second spell the Shoremen set up a strong attack, ’Varsity having to force. The game was quick and lively, the collegians passing nicely. Then Jackson got possession and crossed the ’Varsity line, D. Miller adding a goal. Both sides tried hard to score again, but it was not te be, the result being a draw, with 5 points each. PONSONBY RUN RINGS ROUND GRAFTON. This match caused very little interest, being altogether one-sided, Ponsonby fairly piling on the points. They won by 38 to nil. Blakey, Webb, Fricker (2), Carlaw, Murray (2), Cunningham, McDonald, Nicholson and Sellars scored tries, and Webb added a penalty goal. . The plape-kicking was decidedly bad.