FOOTBALL GALA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 372, 5 June 1928, Page 14

FOOTBALL GALA

THAMES EN FETE RHODES PARK OPENED THAMES BEATS PONSONBY (Brom Our Ou*n Correspoudoif j THAMES, Monday. In conjunction with the PonsonbyThames football match here to-day the official opening of Rhodes ParkU’ which comprises 22 acres, and cost the union £ 900 took place in the presence of a large crowd. Mr. H. Frost, chairman of the management committee of the Auckland Rugby Union, performed the opening ceremony. He gave some interesting reminiscences of f.K.tball at Thames in the early seventies. Mr. T. W. Rhodes, M.P., also congratulated the union in having its own ground, and said it had a magnificent 1 park in the making. ; Mr. W. Arbury, chairman of the Thames Union, said his urion was grateful for the assistance the Auckand and New Zealand Unions had given the Thames Union. Mr. Aitken, manager of the Ponsonby team, congratulated the Thames Union on the opening of such splendid grounds. He was assured that had it not been for Mr. Reg. Rhodes, the new grounds would never have been secured, and it was a fitting tribute to name the park after him. On behalf of the Thames Union, he presented Mr. Rhodes with a gold medal in honour of being made a life member of the union. A LIVELY GAME The match between Ponsonby and Thames was a good exhibition of football, especially on the part of the Ponsonby backs. The Thames forwards were superior, and kept up a continuous attack. For the first half they had Ponsonby on the defensive. At half-time the score was Thames 11, Ponsonby 0. Winder kicked two penalty goals; Smith scored; and Savage converted. The visitors livened up in the second spell, and put on four tries, Fleet, Laurie, Cammick, and Bunting being the scorers. The tries were in easy positions, but no goals were kicked. Thames added a further 11 points, Percy, Moran and Sorby scoring, and Winder converting the latter’s try. Final score: Thames 22, Ponsonby 12. During the progress of play three players were ordered off for rough play.