STILL IN A GRADE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 479, 8 October 1928, Page 6

STILL IN A GRADE

ELLERSLIE DOWNS GRAFTON

In a game which at no time reached a high club standard, Ellerslie, last on the Auckland Rugby Leauge’s senior A grade list, defeated Grafton Athletics, winners of the senior B competition, by 15 points to 13 # at Carlaw Park on Saturday. If the match proved anything, it was that on the day, neither team was worthy of a place in the A grade. The football was very patchy, b°,ing marred throughout by weak tackling, wild passing and little conception of the finer points of the code. Giving away over a stone a man in the pack, and being decidedly lighter aft, Grafton Athletic was, perhaps, unlucky in not scoring a victory. Tom Avery’s boys put up a very game fight, and after starting with lour of their original thirteen on the side-line, had three others leave the field before the game was over. Had the Blue and Golds not slackened up appreciably when they did assume the lead, they would probably have found themselves next season where they were last season—in the senior A grade. SPEIGHT'S GOOD DISPLAY Speight, of Ellerslie, was the outstanding back on the field. R. Crewther, the racing suburb’s captain, who has learned to control his eloquence on the field since the season opened, also gave a good display, being well supported by his brothers, S. and E. Davis was largely responsible for Ellerslie’s first try, besides scoring the winning points. Longville was outstanding for Athletic, and after going back to fullback, gave a great display of heady football and accurate line kicking.