Shore Leaguers in Form

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 649, 29 April 1929, Page 6

Shore Leaguers in Form

SPECTACULAR PLAY IN OPEN Easy Win Over Ponsonby SURPRISINGLY good form for the opening game of the season was shown by the Shore Leaguers in the feature match at Carlaw Park on Saturday, when they defeated Ponsonby by 20 points to 8. Their backs gave some spectacular displays and pleased the large crowd present. On No. 2 ground Newton and Marist fought out a hard battle with the honours going to Newton by a mere one-point margin. But in this game play for the most part was ragged and a considerable amount of time was lost through injuries.

The form displayed by the Shore thirteen was not the usual form of a team taking part in its first game of the season. Its back line swung away on numerous occasions in dazzling passing bouts, smashing through the Ponsonby defensive in spectacular style. The Ponies were solid, but lacked finish in their own play, and such a hard-working and smart forward set as Hutt, Payne, White, Gardiner, Fagan and Stevens could offer little assistance against the clever turns of in-and-out passing which was featured so often by the Shore backs. The Ponsonby rearguard, headed by the veteran leaguer Delgrosso, although outclassed by the seasiders* line on Saturday, have all the makings of a first-class set, and is bound to come into the limelight after a few more games. Its combining efforts were poor, although Revell, Scholfield, Thompson and Co. made some great solo attempts. Shore has picked up a good and likely one in Coghlan, who played half, and much of the credit for Shore’s spectacular play in the open must go to him. His line, consisting of Rhodes, Seagar, O’Learq, Beattie, Scott and Simons, which was in action last year, when in true form, is a very handy set. The Shore forwards are perhaps a little lighter than they were last season, but are a battling crowd and managed to get their share of the ball on Saturday. Loose and scraggy play by the Ponies enabled the better combining Shore side to go to an immediate attack. Snappy in-passing by the Shore inside backs took them close to scoring. Alf. Scott had a shot at goal, but missed. A few yards from the line McCarthy scooped up from the loose and sent on to Coghlan to go over near the posts. Scott converted. A solid forward rush by Ponsonby took play to the Shore twenty-five, where Payne and Stevens went away in a dangerous dribbling bout. Len Scott saved. The Ponies’ defensive crumbled under a “mixed" attack, and from a scrum in the far corner Coghlan secured and sent his line of backs rushing away on an easy mission. During his turn, Beattie opened up a big gap, and sent on to Len Scott, who went over to score without trouble. The kick failed. Standing up close and tackling hard, the seasiders’ rearguard set proved troublesome to the Ponies, whenever the latter started to throw the ball about. Seager managed a penalty with a good kick. An interesting change took place when Ponsonby swung into a good attacking position, while a neat obstruction unobserved by Referee Bull assisted the Ponies in hemming Shore in on a close defensive. Raking the ball up from the loose, Schofield jazzed his way through to tumble over the line. Delgrosso converted with a magnificent kick. Play was more even and was favoured with more dash during the first part of the second spell. Getting the better of the scrums. Shore was presented with some good opportunities which came to little against Ponsonby’s improved tackling. The Ponies made desperate charges into the Shore line but failed to score, their brightest chance being upset by a clever interception by Sea-

gar. Riley, who proved himself a handy back for Ponsonby, took a loose pass from a forward tangle. He moved fast and made a gap for Thompson to go through to score an unconverted try. With the Ponsonby score creeping up, matters became interesting. Shore backs gave some brilliant displays of rearguard play, but failed to break through the scraggy, but strong, Ponsonby line. The issue was settled however when Beattie intercepted a Ponsonby passing bout and raced away to send on to Seagar, who had a clear run and scored under the posts. Alf Scott converted. Shortly before the bell sounded Ruby scored a converted try.

BY ONE POINT

TYKES GO UNDER TO NEWTON By the odd point in 41, Newton Rangers defeated Marlst on No. 2 ground at Carlaw Park on Saturday afternoon, after an encounter which, if showing little League as it should be played, was certainly a hard-fought match. There were four distinct phases to the encounter. Newton piled on the points early in the game, but the Tykes finished the first spell well, when the score stood at 11—5 in Newton’s favour. In the last half, Marist opened auspiciously, and at one stage had a one-point lead. A remarkable reversal in form saw the red and whites shoot ahead, and lead by 21 to 12, with time running low. In the dying stages of the game the greens put up a desperate fight, and went within one point of equalising the scores. A feature of the game was the abnormal number of casualties, due r.o doubt to the fact that few players are in proper form as yet. Hardgrave, one of those unfortunate persons whose reputation goes before him, was closely watched, and was carried off suffering slightly from concussion before getting an opportunity to do much. Marist were inclined to mix things a little at times, and on one occasion referee Rogers was seen warning their three front-rankers—Johnson. Campbell, and Graham. BRIM BL E AND FRANCIS Rhodes and McLeod, both of Newton, were also injured, but the latter,

after receiving attention, was able to return to the field.

Tile two outstanding players on the field were undoubtedly Brimble and Francis both of Newton. The former. a lad of light build, acquitted himself well in the backs, and was always eager for the fray. He was responsible for the brightest bit of work of the day, when lie flashed in brilliantly, took his pass from Little, and scored in the corner, the try which probably gave Newton the game. Rhodes converted with a remarkable kick.

Francis, last man down in the Newton scrum, was ever in the battle, and he played just as well in the dying stages of the game, when most of the forwards were beginning to find the pace a bit hot. The best man on the Marist side was Hasson, the half. He put in a tremendous lot of effective work. Cronin acquitted himself well at fullback, but Purdy on one wing was not in the best of form. Brisbane, at centre, showed splashes of brilliancy, but Jim O’Brien, as a back, was like a fish out of water. Duane, among the forwards, showed a good turn of speed, and scored one try. The Newton side was probably quite a bit lighter all round than Marist, but the forwards, led by Hall, Rhodes and Francis, held their end up well, The back line did not work too consistently, but when it did, it was very effective. Little’s two tries were great efforts the efforts of a player hardly less brilliant than Hardgrave when in form.

CITY’S BIG WIN

KINGSLAND OVERSHADOWED City’s win by a substantial margin over Kingsland-Athletic on Carlaw, Park No. 1, at 1.45 p.m. on Saturday,' was somewhat unexpected. Last season both Kingsland and Athletic played in the senior B grade, but this year they decided to combine, and were admitted to senior A ranks. The early part of the match saw the combined thirteen playing to advantage. Longville broke through the ruck, and took the ball downfield, where Angelo mopped up and scored. The tide quickly turned in the other direction when the heavier City forwards began to make their presence felt. Townsend, Hadley, and Hamilton played well together, and against this trio the Kingsland-Athletic pack could not do much. City overtook the leeway, and at half-time was leading by eight points to three. The last spell commenced in a spectacular manner, with the red and blacks gradually wearing down the opposition, and piling on the points. Kingsland scored three more points, when List literally battered his way over at the corner. Barchard, at fullback for City, gave a solid exhibition. The outstanding player on the day, however, was Cox, the Kingsland-Athletic forward. He comes from the Waikato, where he played for the sister code, and on Saturday his unquenchable dash took him into everything. List did well with the few opportunities he did receive, and was ably supported on one wing by R. Carter. Longville and Angelo let few opportunities pass them by. It was probably the City backs which contributed most to the side’s win. Iverson, Perry, and Reynolds combined well, and Lawrence, on the wing, was a valuable man. The first three penetrated the opposition ranks again and again.

RICHMOND VICTORIOUS

Saturday afternoon’s game at Ellerslie saw the home team defeated by Richmond by the substantial margin of 14 points, after a well contested game, in which Ellerslie had held the lead until after half-time.

In the first half, the Ellerslie team adopted bustling tactics, totally outplaying the Richmond forwards, and by half-time the home side had an B—3 lead. After the interval the better condition of the Richmojid pack began to tell. The replacement of Hamilton by Coote gave them a fresh player, while Ellerslie was playing a man short.

Shortly before time, Ellerslie had Richmond on the defensive, but the better combination of the Richmondites won the day. For the winners, Lang played a good game at fullback, while Mincham, a junior, showed up to advantage in attack.

Hanlon played an excellent game, and was responsible for opening up the play time and again for the Richmond attack. On the Ellerslie side, Roxborough, Hobbs, and Paul did good work in the forwards, while Littlewood and R. Crewther were the mainstays of the back line. The final score was: Richmond, 22: Ellerslie, 8.. ticularl, on