LEAGUE FINISHED

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 183, 24 October 1927, Page 6

LEAGUE FINISHED

Curtain Rung Down On Long Football Season

BIG DAY AT CARLAW PARK

THE curtain was rung down on the 1927 League season in Auckland on Saturday when a big day s sport was provided at Carlaw Park in aid of the unemployment relief funds. There was an attendance of about 5,000. The main attraction was the challenge match between Devonport and Ponsonby, the North Shore thirteen securing a fairly comfortable win by 27 points to 19. The Old Timers’ match provided plenty of entertainment, and a short programme of amateur athletic events further enlivened the proceedings.

DEVONPORT TOO GOOD FOR PONSONBY

LAST LEAGUE GAME

LIVELY FOOTBALL

A tussle between two teams of j League veterans proved a very fitting curtain-raiser to the fina\ League game i for this season, and the fans were given a good laugh before settling down to watch a really first-class match. Although, throughout the season, j games of a much more superior nature have been witnessed, the big clash on i Saturday between the Ponies and Shore was fast and interesting. A pleasing feature was the inclusion in both teams of various junior members, , who were being tried out with chances of donning senior grade colours next season. Playing among the seniors seemed to them a deal of incentive and they played hard and certainly showed up strong against some of the more experienced and weathered players. The game did not consist of a series of snappy back play, with the ball leaving the half to be passed rapidly from man to man in the rear-guard, but was more after the style of a loose game in which the backs got away in flashes. There was a fair amount of solo work done by the inside backs, who. at times, made some clever openings. PONSONBY WAITED TOO LONG In the early stages of the contest it appeared that Ponsonby was going to have a royal win. for within a few minutes after the kick-off. Langley broke through, and making a great opening, passed out to Allen to score. Shortly after this Gardiner took up and made a great run, byt was toppled over only a few yards short of the line. Delgrosso, however, was on the spot, and managed to take up and score. Then Devonport started to attack, and right up until well on into the second half, in which time the Shore men ran up a big score, they had the better of the game. The Ponies then came to light and made desperate attempts to overhaul its opponents’ big lead, but time ! sounded, leaving them eight points ! behind. Had the rally commenced a ; little sooner Shore would certainly have found things much harder. T. Peckham lurked behind the scrum for the Ponies, but appeared to be taking things easy. In the latter stages of the game, when Ponsonby was commencing its big rally, he got rid of the ball a little more often, and this no doubt proved one of the big factors in that final dash. “DELLY’S” LAST GAME. Delgrosso and Langley both played well and made the best of any opportunity given them. Delgrosso especially made some great openings, and his team have to thank him for many of those back movements which resulted in an improvement of the score. Hefty Gardiner, however, was not seen in the limelight a great deal except in the first few minutes of the game, when he broke away and made a good run.

Hutt, Fagan and Allen were perhaps the pick of the blue and blacks’ forward bunch, and the three proved quite capable of shining out in the open play, which was most suited to the day. The Shore backs were the deciding factor in the game. L. Scott and Beattie were continu- • ally breaking away well, while Saxon, a newcomer to the senior ranks on the wing, gave quite a good account of himself, and although not actually brilliant, he played a safe game.

Seagar, at fiveeighth, was a continual source of annoyance to the Ponies, and besides his heady play he made a name for himself by his fine goal-kicking. He had six shots at goal from tries, and converted every one of tliem. Owing to some big alterations in the team Alf Scott was again seen among the backs. His tigerish play when near the line usually resulted in sending one of his colleagues over. Simmonds, the full-back, is the cool, calm and collected type of player, who is sure to make good in this position. Although not such a great kick, he is very safe and his game on Saturday will be a lot in his favour when it comes to choosing a full-back next season.

; The Devonport forwards were solid, i Ruby played his usual roving game, i and was often seen racing away in j the open carrying out some useful work on his own. Dixon, although not displaying the same pep in the open as Ruby, worked hard and was perhaps better in the tight. Hum. another newcomer to the grade, also showed up strong, while Casey, Rule, and St. George all had a turn at showing what they were made of. Delgrosso and Allan scored two tries each for Ponsonby, while Fagan scored the other. Peckham and Langley converted one each.

For Devonport scores were obtained by Hunt, Ruby, Beattie, Alf Scott and Seagar. They were all converted by Seagar, who also managed to goal one penalty.

“Old-Timers” Do Their Share

HELPING RELIEF FUNDS

WIN FOR “OPAI’S” TEAM

j Memories of other days came back • to the fans when two teams of “Old- ; Times” lined out at Carlaw Park on j Saturday. With many, the years had dealt kindly; others blushingly disi played an aldermanic waist line, and j an aggregation of avoirdupois, which severely taxed the resiliency of out- | size jerseys and shorts. In fact, in the case of one sturdy veteran, rumour hath ! it that garments of unusual dimensions had to be specially procured before he | could take the field. Cheers, chuckles and general hilarity greeted the appearance of the oldtimers. **Opai” Asher, amazingly well preserved for his age. led his team on to the' mottled expanse of green sward i with all the gusto of former days, but I ‘'»Shaver” Hardgraves's familiar figure wfi.s missing from the sky blue army; j not that “Shaver” had any desire to

renege on i.is compatriots, but iflMi prevented his appearance, although fce was able to attend the match and cheer his side on. ••Shaver's” team lost the tosa. and the kick-off was entrusted to ’PcrkT* Gibbons. who sent a shrewd Kttle scooter” kick, bouncing into the rank* of * Opai’s” team. The unchantab * ties alleged that ' Porky” had *un. mozed” the kick, but the consensus of opinion among the “heads” in the starwas that it was a brilliant manoeuvre which took the opposition completely by surprise. A TRAGIC INCIDENT Anyhow. Opai and his merry men soon recovered, and set up a attack, which broke down tinder trag: circumstances. In the midst of a fi»rcnslaught on “Shaver's'’ goal-hoe. “Scotty'' McClymont was found Iyir.c on the ground bereft of an important portion of his rrform. The genial “Scotty’s” blushes could be seen from the stand, until a hasty convergent* of “Old Timers” on the danger son* mercifully shut on: the gaze of the vulgar multitude. Off they went again, and this tiro' “Opai's’ stalwarts were not to fce denied. The Press, lacking its usual sources of identification, could only record the fact that an Unknown Warrior had brilliantly registered the opening score. There was no goal. “Shaver's" men made a great rally, and Bill Davidson set sail for the line, which he managed to reach just as a crowd of old-timers swooped down on top of him. Arthur Bull, president of the Referees' Association, promptly disentangled the heap of waving arms and legs and awarded Bill a well-de-served ter. Vast merriment from the fans as “Porky” GibboE.' took the kick at goal, but the worthy A.EL. timekeeper was fully equal to the occasion. and Dufty himself could no: have bettered tl* kick which “Porkysen t gracefully sailing over the bar. “Shaver's” team, two up. George Davidson brought the scon-' level with a really fine penalty goa : well out past quarter way. Fierce arf guments followed in the stand as whether the goal should be all© we: in view of the fact that George wa? j originally selected for “Shaver s j team, and on being appealed to a Pressman in the stand, who had "wagered a humble “deaner" on “Shaver? : team, solemnly gave judgment th 3 such an unheard-of state of aCa:."' ; could legitimately be urged as a so unreason for calling off all the bets o: ! the game, especially if “Shaver’s” tean: ■ should be defeated. Defeated it was. for “Billy” Mincbam made a beautiful opening for Bill Fitzgerald to score for “Opai’s” team. goal was kicked, but it was enough tor “Opai” and his doughty men to troop j off the field smiling the smiles o' victors to the tune of eight point* *• 1 j five. It was a capital game to watch, and in the case of seme of the Old-Tnr.ers one wondered if they had not gi”*"® the game best before their time.

TEN WON—ONE DRAWN

WARATAHS’ GAMES

NO SCORE AT LONDON

By Cable.—Press Association. — LONDON. Saturday.

The New South Wales Kugbr toWJ the Waratahs, to-day played a _****’; ■ game, in which neither side ' against the London team at Twicer

ham. vis; . It was the hardest match t - e . tors have yet played. London P * powerful side in the field, inc nine internationals, and were i * i the English captain, W’. W.

, v v rain The game was spoiled t . throughout. Still. 20.000 P®°P -r--» tended and saw a great struggle, draw was a proper reflex ol ta v* although the Waratahs had mo one narrow escape. The de**£* , be each side mastered th * tackling of both teams the fully accurate. The handlinS. - torSball was most difficult. i “f_JJhJ v eiy forwards got the ball from scrum in the first half, kut th » blir.g was not so effective _ t j, e London s. In the second *% t j, e London threequarter line .ana- n _ ball better and the struggle r< ing throughout, owing to the

change of fortune. reed*** , The Prince of Wales to-da ! the Waratahs. His Royal ishook hands with all the j .. NP : ehatted about the game jsjt *i Australia. Letter the VarauW t , a the Houses of Parliament “J 10 .yjyjif. with the Speaker, Mr. J—A. and N.Z.