Off Day in League

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 697, 24 June 1929, Page 6

Off Day in League

NEWTON WENT TO PIECES Marist Moves Up One SATURDAY Mat, an oii* day for League. Unlike some of tiie brilliantly contested games this season, the PonsonbyNewtou match at headquarters was a washout. The beT game was that at Grey Lynn in which diarist narrowkly beat Richmond. Otherwise, the general run of competition points remained undisturbed.

WEAK BACKS CAUSED NEWTON’S COLLAPSE CRICKET SCORE BY PONIES The story of Newton's hopeless failure against Ponsonby on Saturday is soon told. It simply consists, in all its brutal truth, of a set uL backs who completely threw up the sponge, failed to mark their man, and refused to tackle. One can pardon a team that is squarely beaten by vastly superior allround play. That was not the case with Newton. Its forwards battled along bravely in the first spell. Even Rhodes, who should never have gone on, held his own pluckily and well until he had to be carried off the field- j It was the backs that let Newton down. With the exception of Hardgrave, and possibly Cammick, the j Newton rearguard ought to be heartily 1 ashamed of themselves. BRILLIANT HARDGRAVE It was poor consolation to such a great little player to have to lead such a disreputable team, on what may be Hardgrave's last appearance in Auckland for a long time to come. He himself did not disappoint the fans who gave him a special cheer when he headed his team on to the field. The try he scored was a happy augury for his success in England. It was a little saddening to think that we are to lose the brilliant artistry of as Tine a scoring man as has played for New Zealand in recent years. To show that it was not so much f Ponsonby’s brilliance as Newton’s weakness that made the game so onesided, it is only necessary to say that shrewd judges found fault even with Delgrosso’s clever display. He hung on too much, and several times was caught in possession when he ought to have passed out. Apart from that, he played ducks and drakes with the Newton defence, and scored three spectacular tries.

At no time was Ponsonby all out. Hutt threw away a perfectly good try by failing to ground the ball when over the line, and more than one other simple chance was missed. SOLID SIDE Ponsonby has undoubtedly built up a great pack of forwards this year. Payne, Stevens and Fagan can be relied on to do their share in the fight, and on Saturday, Skelton and Gardner proved dangerous whenever they got hold of the ball in the loose. Mclntyre is beginning to reproduce some of his old 1927 form as half. He made several very tricky runs on Saturday, and got the ball out well. The Newton forwards stuck to their hopeless task till well on in the game. But they never had a chance. Hall, Francis and Rhodes worked like Britons in the early stages, and Jiswie. Middleton and Page tried hard, but the whole side was demoralised at the finish. The scoring register was as follows: Ponsonby, tries by Delgrosso (3), Skelton (2), Schofield (2), Thompson, Winters, Mclntyre, goals by Delgrosso (4) and Gardner (2), 42 points; Newton (try by Ilardgrave), 3. Mr. V. Simpson handled the game capably and well. SHORE WINS AGAIN KINGSLAND-ATHLETIC SIDE MAKES GOOD SHOWING Although Shore managed a victory over the Kingsland-Athletic thirteen by 19 points to 8 in the No. 2 ground match at Car law Park on Saturday, the game by no means lacked interest and tiie combined side, in spite of the fact that it missed the services of Longville, played as good football as it has played this season. At halftime it led, b-3. The absence of a brilliant trio in Alf Scott, Dixon and Beattie, certainly weakened the Shore side considerably, and it was not until the second spell that it featured some of those spectacular and penetrating dashes so characteristic of the team. In the opening stages of the game play was loose and lacked combination on both sides. Kingsland managed the ball from the majority of the scrums, Wilcox as hooker, doing his job well. But while Lucas hurled the ball out to his rearguarders in an endeavour to send them away in a passing turn, he was seldom successful. The two five-eighths, Nasey and Sims, did not feed their threequurters sufficiently, and gave points away. Certainly the Shore defence was solid and the seasiders’ back line raced up hard on each occasion the Kingsland backs handled and gave them little time to waste in throwing the ball about. Knowing that they were getting the better of the ball in the scrums in the first half of the game, the Kingsland five-eighths would have done much better had they lined out ready for attack and not defence, which did not give them sufficient time to get. going. In the second spell the veteran hooker, St. George, came to light and started to rake the ball from the scrums. This made matters hard for Kingsland and the Shore back line, being well fed, commenced to play havoc. Shore’s pack made up of St. George, Casey, Ruby, McCarthney, Rule and Clarke, worked with its usual dash and vim, while I-lailey, Wilcox, J. Carter and McCloughen, were the pick of the Kingsland forward division. Railey was continually shining in the open. Ho is a good loose forward and is always ready to jump into line with his rearguard and help them out in a passing bout. McCloughen was possibly the hardest working forward on the field. The Kingsland backs were not finding the line a great deal and upfield kicks gave fullback Simons a chance to shine. He played a great game

and outclassed his opposing fullback, Angelo, who, of course, must be excused owing to his playing with an injured arm. In fact, throughout the better part 'of the game he had only the use of one hand.

Rhodes at five-eighths made some clever moves, which were well finished off by the two fast wingers, L. O'Leary and L. Scot. Coghlan was sound at half.

B. Carter and List were the pick of the Kingsland rearguarders. List, well known to Auckland League fans after his representative games, played well and would certainly have shone out more had he been supported by two five-eighths, who could get the ball out cleanly. Sims gave some very wild passes. Carter on the wing is a fine stamp of a winger and he put in some great runs down the line. MARIST FOUGHT HARD TO DEFEAT RICHMOND NO UNTROUBLED ADVANTAGE Marist and Richmond spent a trying afternoon on Satuf day at Grey Lynn Park ploughing through mud and water. The outcome of slogging play was a win for Marist, 11 points to 9. Tykes had just a little too much knowledge for the Biehmonders. but there was so little between the teams that no one would have raised an objection to a draw. The game was Marist’s second narrow win in succession. League followers will not grudge Marist’s victories, for the team had bad luck to a degree in several first-round games. Richmond’s forwards proved what a proposition they can be on a wet day. The red and blues had to turn out one or two juniors, but the pack set the tune for most of the game, although the Tykes managed to keep a big hold in scrummage work. In the backs, Marist could do nothing penetrative, but the defence was

too strong for the questing Richmond forwards. Richmond’s reorganised backs could not reach an effective stride on a sodden ground. Three tries and a penalty for Marist: three penalties and a try for Richmond—the scoring worked itself out in that fashion. Richmond just failed to add two tries in the first spell when Marist’s forwards were not wholly inclined to settle down. Tykes played furiously fore and aft for’ the rest of the game, though, and tempers on both sides were obviously jarred once or twice. Mr. B. Emerali, the referee, had to be watchful. The fullbacks, Hanlon, of Richmond, and X. Campbell, of Marist, played top-notcher games. Campbell had the heavier work to put through, and his mistakes were not glaring. lianlon handled surprisingly well. The other defender who stood our for Marist was Brisbane, in the Jiveeighths. lie saved his side time and again. Hassan was back at half for Marist after a spell and did well. It was not a day for the attacking men. and the only other defender of consistency in Marist was Brady, at centre. Mincham’s enterprise aided Richmond. "With the soaked ball, he landed three penalties, and, in spite of Marist’s supervision, lie played a bright game as winger. McKinnon and Davis, the fiveeighths, flung the ball about efficientlv, and McKinnon settled several Marist rushes. The half, Agnew, played well against tlio quick breaking of Marist’s scrum. Richmond’s most energetic forward was the breakaway, Jenkinson., He played an excellent game, but Colebrook. W. Jones and Lonnie were not far behind him. O’Brien, the big Marist forward, worried Richmond. The referee found him off-side frequently, but he played a valuable game. With him, Moisley was always in the hunt, and Young and Hickey worked honestly. Richmond might easily have pulled the game out of the fire at any stage. The young team had the satisfaction of bustling and extending Marist to the limit. Scoring register.—Marist, 11 points (tries by Bulcraig, O’Brien and Hickey): X. Campbell (penalty); Richmond, 9 (three penalties to Mincham; try by Jenkinson. ELLERSLIE UNLUCKY GOOD GAME AGAINST CITY The City-Ellerslie match was fast, clean, and interesting on Saturday. Both individual and combined play was well up to the approved senior standard. The final score, 10 to nil in City’s favour, does not give Ellerslie the credit for a great display of determined attacking in the second spell. With 10 points to better for a win after half-tim.e, the suburbanites’ task seemed not too difficult. But their exciting forward play, and fine backing j fry Dufty when the ball got too near 1 their goal, failed to change the score. i This fullback proved valuable to j Ellerslie on Saturday, saving final in- | vas ion by good tackling and solid kicking. ELLERSLIE’S NIPPY HALF The limelight also played on Bob Crewther, Olliff, and Hobbs. Crewther was so much in the thick of things I that ho retired twice for repairs, but i

his head injury did not seem to stop him from holding tilings together in the scrums for the local team. He played well throughout, and, with more support, might have altered the cipher. Halfback Olliff, small but very useful, was everywhere that he was needed, and often where the City men thought he should not be. His work behind the scrums was faultless, and his nippy openings sometimes gave his supporters a good long dash before City’s sound defence stopped them. Hobbs could not get his forwards to carry on the passing as well as they might have, although Johnson was a good man in the front line, j But for fumbling, and a little wild ' passing, Ellerslie should have had the numbers more even at the final whistle. The City’s defence was not lacking in any department, and their back men saved them from defeat. The opposing forwards were willing enough, but only once managed to get the ball j across, for it to be forced by the City side. McLaughlin kept play well up,*" and to him goes the credit for City’s first try, as he passed to G. Perry right on the line after a pretty bit of dodging from the twenty-five. McLaughlin nearly repeated the performance later with Wilson-Hall in collaboration. Laurie Barchard shone individually in attack. His clearing kicks were seldom wasted. He converted the first try, and shortly afterwards diddled his way through for a second, to which he added the extras. The town skipper, Hadley, was reliable in heady forward play, being well seconded by Clark and Pascoe. However, the visiting forwards had little opportunity in the second spell until near the end, when the red-and-blacks had another score in sight, only to be foiled by Tooman. SENIOR B GRADE OTAHUHU V. NORTHCOTE Playing at Sturges Park, Otahuhu, on Saturday, the home team reversed the only defeat suffered by it up to date, that at the hands cf Xorthcote in the first round. This time, Otahuhu gained the verdict by 21 to 5. The game was keenly contested, and opened with the visitors showing to decided advantage, which was maintained for practically the whole of the first half. In the second spell the home team settled down to its task, and as The result of consistent training was able to stay the distance better than Xorthcote. The Otahuhu forwards gave their best exhibition of the season and dominated the scrums. On the few occasions that Xorthcote did get possession, the home forwards were on the ball before any benefit could be claimed. For Otahuhu, Conway was the best forward, closely followed by Hart. Farrell, at half, played his usually consistent game, and with the improved form shown by the forwards, was able to keep his backs well supplied. Eustace at five-eighths also played a steady game. Tries were scored for Otahuhu by H. Whyte 2, Eustace. Conway, Ellery. 1 each. Ellery converted one try and Eustace converted one and kicked a penalty goal. TWO GOOD WINS ATHLETIC SPORTS ON DOMAIN The popularity of the Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycle ■ Club’s winter series of sports meetings was again well displayed on Saturday afternoon when, despite big sporting attractions elsewhere, a large number of competitors took part in the two track and two field events staged by the club on the Outer Domain. Several new faces w r ere seen in the 75yds. handicap sprint, among them being the Training College athlete, E. C. Wooller, who was a regular competitor last season, but had not taken part so far this season. Wooller won his heat in the sprint in convincing manner in 8 2-ss. In the final he ran even better than previously, and, by winning rather comfortably, lowered the time to 7 9-10 s. One of the biggest fields this season faced the starter in the two-mile steeplechase, and although the two well-known runners, Kells and Savidan, were unable to compete, a very interesting race resulted. The veteran, Alf Clarke, with 128 s. handicap, held the lead for a good part of the journey, but was eventually overhauled by C. V. Clapham. who warded off all challengers and won the Olarko filled second berth, and was followed by Con Scown, who had run a particularly fine race. X. F. Cooper secured the fastest time, 11m 265, and Scown was next fastest with 11m 29 2-ss. Barker and Henshall also ran very : fine races. A good deal of importance will be attached to these weekly steeplechases in the future, as Auckland’s team to compete at the New Zealand cross-country championships at Dunedin on August 24 will have to be selected in the next six weeks or so.. Following are results:— 75 YARDS HANDICAP First Heat. E. C. Wooller, 41yds i R. L. Stewart, 91yds 2 T. Montgomery, 7iyds 3 Eight started. Won by a foot in S Second Heat. C. Torbett, Byds i A. Clarke, 14yds 2 B. Cohen, 41yds 3 started. Won by a foot in B*2-5 Final. E. C. Wooller, 41yds 1 C. Torbett, Byds .' * * * • B. Cohen, 4’.yds . ’ ” « *lsead heat second. Woolier got well away off the mark, and assumed the lead 20 yards from the tape, to win easily, by about two yards. Torbett and Cohen breasted the tape together. STEEPLECHAra About two miles. L. V. Clapham, lOOsec 1 A. Clarke, 128 sec .... o C. Scown. 55see ’.*. *.* 5 PUTTING THE SHOT T.. C. Barker. Z?.ft 4in i C. Torbett, 32ft 6in •» A. Clarke, 32ft Jin 3 THROWING THE DISCUS C. Torbett, 101 ft lOin C. R. Wilson, 97ft lin *.*.*.!*' * B. C. Leikis 06ft lin .. ** -1