FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 545, 28 June 1909, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

. SATURDAY'S RUGBY GAMES. .THE PONEKE COLOURS LOWERED. - ' Their first defeat this season overtook PoAthletic Park on Saturday after a rather fine game considering tho state of ' „ tbo?ground. Had it been dry tho play might have* reached tho hackneyed "high pinnacle ■-of excellence," and that pinnacle has been ( "" snob' a lonely and deserted place of lato that it would ho pleasing to see it occupied ' ono©"" more. As it was, tho Potone team phiyod the game to,suit the conditions. They are evidently in good training, and Ecom to, have- been well coached. Somo say that it is the best gamo they havo played for a very,long tamo. ,The aU-roupd play of Poneko" iwaa, of course, supdnor to that of ' but they thre\v"< away two * tries, and ono or two of r their forwards, who are pahjably short of condition, failed to "last it out" Tho'sceno at tho conclusion, 'when M'Farlano , kicked the deciding ! goal, was, an exoitrag one lip was a 35yards' effort,* apd tho-slippery, soddon ball just wobbled over tho an inch ' two to spare About 4000 spectators wero present. Hardham was absent from the ketone team, ' 5 i A correspondent writes complaining of tho 1 refereemg in tho gamo "What," bo asks," »"conld have been a fairer try than tho one Ryan scored P Does a man have'to perch on the ball after it is grounded and get gruellcd?" He criticises other decisions. f ' l ' (11) ,V. PONEKE (8). 11 Aa Abdul' Hannd went down before tho fodng Turks, so Poneke wore laid low by v whafc'may v be termed "tho young Potono party,'\ for the team 1 now contains much * naw, ( blood—at, least, nower than it was. A sportjvo dog barked joyously f t round 1 the opening exchanges, but ,«xin ' found tbo field a dangerous sort of place. Tho t pace 'was too fast even for a fast dog, ' and,.presently, it oanght him up and ran clean over hun He, loft in a hurry. Playing olose on the ball, capsmiflg/every Po--neke hack as he got it, showing determined footwork, Petono presently crossed the line ' en. bloc. Green scoring and Ryan converting 67-O. \ This was liko throwing turf down a volcano, and tho Poneko volcano at once bubbled v flw "Backs I Get your backs go* ingl'Awas the oall, and. c*srtarnly Walsho , and 'Flanagan, closely watched, and working among mud and slush, did wonders lin re-, sponso to the call They got the backs go11'ng.S Bright streaks of Red shot out, and >. ' traveßed over and down the daTk Petone mountain ' Two of these vind streaks—tho WiHxm streak and the Mitobinson streakcould not bo stopped, and a couple of swift, • blistering put on, Gardiner converting the "second s—B Bnt tho Poneko 1 < volcano was still angry. It bubbled * and gurgled, and thTow out jet after jet of bright Red 'diuigor." Potono strove to quieten, it— to stop its fury by stioking closer on tho hall, and continually throwing Walshe arid Flanagan down in the mud No use. Just before half-time Ryan raced in at the "■ comer. But ho did not touch down, and, though somo referees might havo passed it, Mt. 1 Card's oyo proved too keani and no score was allowed. Durmg the interval, tho occurrence, gavo a">-nmber of humourists 1 ,something,to talk about, and tho joko of , tho minute was "When is a try not a try?" i_But it was no joko for 1 Poneke, a 8 this occurrence and another lest try, cost them the match. Tho second spoil was a z desperate enconnter Poneko ployed two cards—passing, and screwing; Potone played back'two others—fast following up, and 1v 1 "No' man standing 'I Every Poneko back, got the hail, went down, ond,disap- , poared He'was like Bums's pootio snowflake/ i''ono moment seen; then gono for ervor."" It was the game 1 for tho day and tho . ground, for it was a ground where only the fittest could survive. And tho fittest wero *"tho voung Petone party"—tho forwards trained to the minute, and unspoilt hy fictitious paper reputations' Half-w»y through the spoil Arrowsmith squared the scores ■with ib try, and, later, M'Farlano setttod ' i the i issue with a placed goal from tbo Sold, .Petone 11, Poneke 8 It was a fino match watch.,";: { f _ , ~ „ J ST JAMES (0) V, OLD BOYS '«!). impressed ono most about tho contest between St James and Old Boys was tho „ nufflbor of opportunities to soore missed by 'the respective teams According to thejr ' supporters) St.' James* should have scored ' exaptly eighteen points, and it is a remark, able coincidence that barraokers for Old Boys estimate that thoir'sido should havo 1 notched just as many. The mitial spell was strenuous tussle between' the forward divisions Bruoo and Co. became very ' >. aggressive at the outset, but later on Avory am his party moro than held thoir own. Half through tho spell, also just before halftime, Marchant had a good shot at goal. r Once or twice the St Jamo3 forwards made 1 fine concerted rushes, and now' and s ogam members of tho Old Boys', vanguard wero* conspicuous for olovor loose play, -/Shortly after 4he second half .commenced Old Boys worked into a good position, but careless passing lost them tho territorial advantage, , During a temporary lull in Old BoyV efforts St James attacked strongly, they - jdidn'fc score on one occasion in' particular is best known to themsolv«j Old Boys wero rn tho ascendancy for- tho next quarter of an hour, but their efforts also lacked the finishing touches Players then seemed to take as much in the "star" match on tho 1 adjoining area as.in their own contest It f dawnod,on them, however, just at tho close of the game that no score had been recorded, . and they livcntd up dnring tho last mmuto or two, but with no result, tho game ending nil, St James ml. Sir. IJordyce was tho referee « ,' '1 ' ■ , ' \;MELROSE (3) V. WELLINGTON (0). , The Potone match had only a few specta--1 tore, seeing that tho moro important contests of the day wero played in k tho city It was a poor gamo. Before the interval Gray hadj ,to retire injured; and Wellington were compelled to see tho match out short of &'forwards Thoy should still havo won, how- , overAif tho remaining members of tho vanguard bad given a good account of i them--1 selves.' tack of trarmng seems to bo 'a fault of the team. / In tho concluding stages it" was most noticeable that the forwards spared themsclvfla consistently; they would not keep ' on ,tho ball In this way chanco after ctnriro , was^thrown away. Following two iVFc^nn 1 incursions over the Wellington li ip \t< 'i « drew (blood, ton minutes aftor phy condensed. Shondan (at full) let tho bnjl pi ss I / ... between his legs, and allow"'! precious mo-' > ttients to slip hy before he fi I] en it Then heVcomm>ttcd a breach 1» holdim; the hall No penalty was allowod, hiit C. Greeks took a mark next instant, aid Ueavis goaled These were the only points scored, and thoy gavo Melroso tho victory, \ What looked like , assure try for tho Reds was spoiled by an .attempted pot O/l tho part of.L. Bridge Danger was jmmmont for Melroso in tho second half, when Carr 1 mado a smart Tnn along tho southern line and a prolonged wamble within'Sbe twonty-fivo yards' lmo was not relived until J. Murphy punted decisively up. field Then Sellars's mon were content to play the tired game, and Melroso did not hbstlo them. Both L. Bridge and Carr made efforts., m tho final tuselo, hut nothing resulted, Kicks at goal wero the ord»r of the day, and Hill, Beavis, and R, brooks found the difficulty of bootini? a heavy ball with any surcnessof aim on a slippory field. Mr. Quma was referee. 1 »ORIENTAL <«) V. SOUTHERN (0). Aftot Oriental's in-and-out performances, Bouth&rn faced tho wearers of tho black and white on No. 1 Polo Ground, Miramar, with bright and cheerful 1 countenances, hoping 1 perhaps that tho final whirring of the roulette of tho two forty-mmnto odpßb might favour Red. But it did not. and, except for tho firat few minutes of play, there was never «ny indication that tho Southern tcim would raw nhovo tho plane of tbo "also etartedsf " Tho gamo could honestly ho said to;be ( "coilteßted" for tho first quarter of an 'hour - Then a shade of "form" was displayed by Onontil, Kinvic, with apparent simplicity, penetrating tho Red defence This was merely a zephyr; tho galo was to come Tho disturbance, however, increased L iy, and Carrod. M'Lood,,Garrard, and

Hubbard scored in quick succession Tho kicks at goal wero all from difficult angles, with the result that onlj ono try —tho lastwas convorted, the placc-kickor being Perry, and the spell ended with Oriental 17 points and Southern nil, In tho second half Oriental's Drossuro on tho Southern goal-lino was cyclonic, with tho rosult that the Rods had much profitless "standing time" about their posts, while tho ' Oriental goal-kickers cssavcu shots from more or loss difficult angles So persistent—arid so easv and prac-tice-like—was tho Oriental scoring that a few moro minutes would have snfbccd for the passing of the record score this season, when Poneko defeated Southern by 16 points to ml \s it was, at "no-side," Onontil's scoro stood at 42 points and Southern's nil Tho tries in the second spell wero gained by Sturrock (converted by Roberts), Perry (2). M'Lcod (self-converted), Bunckenburg, Rooorte, and Slurrock * \ Mr. Mahoncy was in charge ATHLETIC (14) V. VICTORIA COLLECE (5). No. 2 PoJo Ground, Miramar. was the scene of the Athletic-Victoria Collogo match, which provided an interesting and quickmoving struggle Victoria College wero without tho services of several of their usual playors, and in addition the Collegians had barely had time to recovor from the festivities of "capping" week Nevertheless, Ihey put up a good fight Early in tho gamo Athlotic worked their way to tho Green line, and Riblrardson started a promising-looking rush, which a mull rendered reaultlcss Hollowing up a high kick, Rapson secured fhc ball in an Athletic rush, and, passing opportunely to Murray, enabled that player to score Athletic continued to press, but did not farther increase their total in this spell Athtotio took advantage of a temporary dullness shown by Viotona Collego on resuming, and Bell quickly secured two trios, Lvonson being prominent m the-gaining of tho 'second one — Athletio 9 points, Victoria Collego nil Athlotic continued in a Bconng mood, and, from a scramblo on the line, Richardson passed to M'Kenzie, who touched down bohind tho , posts Murra> negotiated tho easv l kick, making Athletic's tally 14 points Victona Collego now asserted themselves, and had somewhat tho bettor of matters Late in the apeß O'Jjcary broke away, and passed to Prendeville, who scored. A fino kick by Amodco sent tho ball fair across tho bar The gamoffcndcd with tho score Athletic 17 points; Victoria College 5 points. Mr._ T. H Jones was the referee JUNIOR MATOHES. A fast, and at tunes clover, game between Wellington College Old Bovs and St Patnck'6 College Old Boy? ended in a victory for tho latter by 14 points to ml O'Rorko, Quinlan, and Ryan (2) scored tnesj and the latter also converted ono Cameron, though ho did not scoro himself, iwas instrumental in obtaining more than one of St Patuck's tries Nathan, Butt, Gilbert, land Noms played well for tho losing team. , ' Athlotic (13) defeated Ponoko (7) ,Tho scorers were For the winners, tries by Piggott, Healy, and Gosling, two being converted bv S Wilson, for tho losers, penalty goal oy Morns and potted goal by Mitchmson. < Petono had a'runaway victory ovor\ Mel. rose, notching SC. points to thoir opponents' 6 , , A close matoh between KK Ora and Wellington ended in a narrow margin of victory for the former team, tho scores being—Kia Ora 13, Wellington 12 Selwyn defeated Southern by 23 points to ml. St James defaulted to Oriental. THIRD CLASS. Poneke and Exchange played a rather even match, tho former winning hy 7 points to 6 Poneko points' consisted of a try and a potted goal. Exchange scored two tries Wolhngton wore victorious over Jphnsonvillo, by 12 points to ml ( Tho game Vas played at Johnsonvillo , St. John's defeated Athlotic by 17 points to nil.' For tbo winners trios were 6cored by DunnJ Darby, Duske (2), and Ncighan Lambert converted ono try. Athletic played with cloven men , ,Epuni were defeated by Wellington Collego by 14 points to 3. Tho following players scored for the winners:—Martin (2). M'Coll, and Stewart; Ramsden converted one. ' Petono won by default from Oriental FOURTH-CLASS. ' Potone won from Wellington by default Oriental defeated Polhill by 9 points to ml. ; „ Poneke scored 3 points to Old Boy|3' nil, Adfcon securing a try for the victors ' At Karori, Southern defeated Karon by 25 points to 3 For the winners tnes were scored by Parker (2), "Wothorall (2), Gray, Nikw, and Flanagan. Capper and Parker kicked i& try goal each ■> > Tho match between Melrose and St James resulted in a win for Melroso by 17 points to 3 Tries' for Melrose wero scored by W. Gilohnst (2). H. Murphy El Hears, Barton kicked ono try goal Honderson gained a try for tho losers. ' FIFTH-CLASS. Potono defeated Epuni by 5 points to 3 MATOHES IN OTHER CENTRES. (By Telefrapli.—Scoclal Correspondent) Mastertan, Juno 27. Tho senior match played at Mastcrton yestorday between> Red Star and Carterton seniors resulted in a draw, each side scoring eight points. s / i > i Hastings, June 26 In-tho representatives Rugby lootball match, Hastings v. East Coast, played at Porangnhau, Hastings won by 9 points to nil. In tho senior Rugby games, Old Boys beat Kia Ora' by 8 points to 5. \ (fly Telosraph.—rrcss Association ) < DuncrJin, Juno 26. Football matches wero continued to-day in unpleasant weather, tho ground being very heavy as the result of heavy rain yesterday Alhambra (18 points) heat Pirates (nil), Southern (6 points) beat Union (8 points), Zingan-Riohmond (11 pomfs) l beat Dunedin (3 points); Kaikorai (14 points) beat University (nil); Port Chalmers (6 points) beat Taien Jtovort (3 points). Auckland, Juno 26. Tho Ai.rUind Rugby Union's district chanpkinsli'p matches were continued to-day I in sliiiwi iy iveathor and on muddy grounds I In tl i' ti'iiior grado Parnell defeated Univor- ! sitv by <i points to 3, Ponsonby beat North , Shore "by 61 points to nil, City beat Nowton by 31 points to nil.