SATURDAY'S MATCHES

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 128, 2 June 1919, Page 3

SATURDAY'S MATCHES

The senior championship matches were continued on Saturday in dull weather. The games resulted in victories for Athletic, University, and Poneke- Details of the play are as follow :— PETONE v. ATHLETIC Petone's oval has not seen so large a crowd of "bankers" as was present on Saturday, when the local team played Athletic. A perfect day made up ior a slippery ground, and the football was good throughout. Athletic were heavy in the pack, and appeared to be forcing the l'etone forwards in a brilliant manner, but the back play ot the Blues was correspondingly good, and their defence was excellent. The first half was mostly hard, even going, the advantage being now on one side and now on the other, but the superiority of the Athletic forwards showed itself time and again in their rushes. Towards the beginning oi' the game;Ryan, on the wing, scored a neat try for Athletic, and then the play continued fairly fast, with a good deal of scrum work, in which Petone were unfortunate, having a number of free kicks given against them. The Blues seemed very unlucky, also, in not scoring several times, but this was chiefly due to a certain looseness in their play. Ambler missed several difficult kicks by a small margin. M'Cabe, after a splendid run, scored under the posts, and at half-time the score stood : Athletic, 6 J Petone, 0. The second half was, to say the lease of it, surprising, as far as the Blue forwards were concerned: They played with amazing spirit and combination, and their brilliant dash and baffling tactics gave them a decided advantage. Ambler kicked a really good gaol from well out in the field, and made the' score. 6—3. From this stage onwards open, fast play was the order, and Petone were given the lead by Hamilton scoring and Ambler converting, B—6 in favour of Petone. The game started late, and the light was now very bad, it being hard to distinguish players, and Athletic, by a burst of good play, although their condition was none too good, were given the victory by Cunningham scoring, M'Cabe potting a goal, and Church scoring, the major points to the last try being added by Healy. On tho call. of time, the score stood—Athletic, 18 ; Petone, 8. Mr. Tregear had the whistle. UNIVERSITY DEFEAT ORIENTAL. In their game with Oriental at Duppastreet, University showed improved form, winning rather easily to the tune of 31 points to 3. College played with much better combination than usual, a feature being the pace of the backs. Oriental, on the other hand, lacked combined effort, depending mostly on individual forward work, but for the greater part of the game they were kept on the defensive. A period of give-and-take play followed the opening, until Jackson, following up a forward rush, scored near the corner. Beard failed with a difficult kick. '3—o. From this out the' Greens settled down, but found the Oriental defence solid. Eventually a scramble near the line enabled Jackson to add another try, which was not converted. 6—o. A little later Papps essayed a penalty kick, but failed by inches. A passing bout by the College backs ended in M. Smith getting over. The kick failed 9—o. During the ensuing play a beautiful "pot" by Jackson hit the bar, but the score was brought to 12—0 soon afterwards by a penalty kick by Scott. In the second spell the University -backs threw the ball about in good style, tries being registered by Barker (2), Dighton, Jackson, and Aitken. Scott and Barker each converted one. ■ During one Oriental attack" they were awarded a penalty, Papps being successful with the kick. The game ended: University, 31; Oriental, 3. Mr. F. Larway controlled the game. PONEKE v. WELLINGTON These teams met on No; 2 Ground, Athletic Park, and, after an uninteresting game, victory rested with the former combination by 24 points to nil. In the first half Tilyard (2), Troy, and Calcinai scored tries, Tilyard converting one of them-, and Algar potted a goal Two tries were scored by Slater in the second spell. Mr. G. Wale controlled the game.