NORTH SHORE LOSES ITS SENIOR STATUS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 123, 15 August 1927, Page 6

NORTH SHORE LOSES ITS SENIOR STATUS

CITY WINS POSITION In defeating North Shore on Saturday, City, the leading senior B team, won promotion to the senior A competition. Shore, which has only been in A grade one season, now reassumes its B grade status. The match which brought about this damage was an evenly-contested one, and considering the slippery state of the ground, the exhibition was satisfying.' Both sets of backs did the best they could with a heavy, greasy ball, and the forwards made things willing right through. The state of the ground, however, robbed the match of . some of its sparkle. With but one point margin between the teams at the call of time, it is hard to say which side deserved to win, but Shore were unlucky on two or three occasions. Solid attacks placed men in scoring positions, but somehow they were just deprived of their rewards through minor misadventures. The game opened up in scrambling fashion, but the City forwards steadied down first, and snappy attack got the side its first try when E. Fell cut in from the corner. Encouraged by this, City continued to press, but the defence, welded solidly by this time, kept sound, and affcer a spell of even play, Shore backs became aggressive. Franklin, Walsh, and Monk handled the ball with judgment, and made some brisk sorties, which came to nothing, although on one occasion they were unlucky not to have scored. Mouatt kept his backs fed, while Palmer and Lynch were doing nippy work. The City threequarter line was far from lacking in enterprise, so both sides were fairly constant in attack.

The Shore forwards were • tireless, and Solomon played a brilliant game. Always in the thick of the fighting, he was dangerous on attack, and invaluable on the defensive. Johnson played a safe fullback game, keeping cool, and getting in his relieving kick without being “rattled.” Toward the end of the game, however, a leg injury caused his retirement. Page, Meikle and Grace were always prominent among the Shore forwards.

The City backs generally made few mistakes, and their handling of the ball was crisper and more sure than their opponents. Ellis, Ifwerson and Ellis 'made up a solid and aggressive threequarter line, and Harriman was fairly kind to his backs. Crisp, Young and the Fells were the stoutest of the forwards, and they were always among the rush leaders.

Interesting to watch, the game had its lightened moments, and, taking into account the importance of the match, it’s a pity that the win was not more decisive.