THISTLE AND PONSONBY HAVE EASY WINS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 69, 13 June 1927, Page 11

THISTLE AND PONSONBY HAVE EASY WINS

A SURPRISE FOR TRAMWAYS Thistle v. Northcote. —The game was started in a continuous downpour and the surface made good football out of the question, but both teams waded in and gave a lively display. Thistle was S* * -i- * *

* X X * -jr * fit & X r!r * * * * * * without Zoull in goal, but his deputy, W. Cumming had little-to do as Northcote rarely struggled into Thistle territory after the; opening exchanges, while the Blues defenders failed to hold the dashing Scottish forwards. LJut for the great defence put up by Lyon in Northcote’s goal the score would have been much greater, as it was Thistle won comfortably by four goals to nil. The Scots showed some surprisingly good combined movements and, as usual, the surface did not seem to affect Kay’s brilliance and he was well supported. Christie was conspicuous in smothering the Northcote forwards and opening some effective offensives. Nothcote failed to reproduce their last year’s form against their opponents and never looked dangerous. Ponsonby v. Shore.—The weather had cleared before the big game started, but the previous match had churned the playing area into a slushy quagmire in which the Ponsonby forwards showed up to far greater advantage than the Short front line*, who seemed impotent in the mud. Innes and Mooney seemed to revel in the sloppy surface and played with great dash from start to finish. The first two goals came from well-placed corners by Mooney, the first skidding through the water into soul without being touched, while the second went to O’Brien, who potted neatly with a snapshot, and the Ponies held a two goal lead at half-time. In the second half Shore tried hard to even matters, Woolley, Jay and Cleal being responsible for some aggressive movements, but tliere was no cohesion in the line. Woolley scored from a corner which Jack was unlucky in not saving, and Ponsonby added two more goals as the result of dashing work by Innes. who was in great form. Pickett and Wright shone out in the Ponies’ defence, but Gerrard and Colebourne for Shore were not so safe as <jK Ua *‘ Baxter stood out among the halves until he became a ‘iame duck,” while Lipscombe was respone or some splendid saves in goal. The three goal win for Ponsonby marked their undoubted superiority. Onehunga v. Tramways. The Prospects of the home players looked gloomy when they started off at Onehunga with three absentees from their ranks. Trammies were a goal up a couple of minutes from the kickorr and continued to press hard. Then, us the dilatory ones put in an appearance, the blue-and-golds made a great recovery, and nippy play by Mellor p Ve him a chance to beat Batty with two unsaveable shots. Tramways were one down when the teams turned round, ihe ground conditions were good and m a lively second spell both goals had narrow escapes, but the defence proved -uperior to the attack until Dodds gave cmpeland an opening to make the score even, and a good contest ended in a