FOOTBALL.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 101, 1 May 1905, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY. OPENING OF THE SEASON. Tho various football grounds in and around tho city wero occupied by eager followers of tho oval on Saturday afternoon which marked tho eumm.iicomont of tho matches for the viuious championships. Two senior games «ero played on tho Athletic Park, one of thorn — Old Boys v. Poneko furnishing a roully good display for the beginning of the. ficnuon. Tho match wus strenuously fought, from tho kick-off, and resulted in a, win for OKI Bovb by tho narrow margin of 3 to ml. The other game, Oiioutal v. Southern, did not appeal to onlookers, and it resulted in a runaway victory lor Oriental, tho scons being 41 to 3. Thero wiia a, large crowd of spectators at the Park. Tho other (wo senior fixtures were played on suburban grounds. I'etono and Wellington met at I'etone, the former team winning easily by 47 pointn to 6; and Athletic defeated Victoria College at Miramar by 3 to 0. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. OLD BOYS DEFEAT PONEKE. v Tho Old Boys' forwards piessed Poneku at an ear.y btago of the gume, and ended up sevoial rushes in closo proximity to tho reds' goal line. The Ponekc defenco was hound, however, and Calnan and Toohill both .stood out conspicuously. Play centred after a lime, and honours wero fairly even, or perhaps (slightly in favour of Old Boys. At length tho Old Boy forwards rushed tho leather to tho Poneko line, and Avcry snapped it up and scored near tho posts/ iso goal icsultcd. Poneko rallied and carried play into Old Boyb' 25 for the lirst time. Ihey workod to within a few yards of tho line, but; Old Boys cleared, and evenly contested forward piny hold sway until relioved by a. sharp sprint by Wallace, who was grassed in his opponents' 25. Towauls tho end of tho spell, l'oneke played vigorously, keeping Old Boys within tho half-way ilag and compelling thorn to force down moro than otico, out tho .scoro icmaincd unaltered. Fust looso play characterised the opening of tho second spell, but at length J. P. Blacklock was called on to save, and only did ko through being forced into touch m goal. Poneko wore now playing a hard gamo and putting forth the best in them, out Old Boys with throo in hand to hearten them, stuck to uphill work with iv will, and at length carried play into Poneko'-. quartois, A nerios of ucrums happened near tho line, but a pot at goal lost tho advantage. A kick behind tho lino saved Poneko again, but Old Boys caino on, J. P. Blackloik finishing a pretty dash by being gnw&ud close to the lino. Pouckc again sought relief by forcing down. Tho rwL« mado ono moro determined effort to score, but weio driven out after a continued attack, and an interesting Kfttno ended hi v, well deserved win ior Old Boys by 3to 9 J. P. Blaoklock, Dodd, Avery, Gardiner, and Jordan played splendidly for tho winners. WnlUco, Calnan, and Calhim did good woik for Poneko. Mr. Weir was referee. ORIENTAL v. SOUTHERN. Tho entrance of the Southern team into tho arena of senior football was signalised by nn undeniable, defeat by 41 points to 3, but it is hoped Una blow ul the outaot of their senior circcr will not ilishoarten the young club. Tho Oriental men did nut play abovo their ordinary form, but uftor the first 20 minutes' play they began scoring freely, so freely that most peopio lost connt of tho score Tries for tho winners wero secured by M'lntyro (3), Collerton (2), Kerr (2), Robert*, Gumlcy, Highot, and Wilkinson ono oncli. Anderson converted fuur of the trios. Juwon scored a try for Southern, but it w_,!> not improved upon. Mr. J. Murray carried tho whistle. ATLILETIO v. VICTORIA COLLEGE. A light, active lean), full of vim and good condition but lacking in pnbtting ability, tepie»ontfl Viotomi College in the senior championship tins your. At Miramar on Saturday they met tho Athletic fifteen, which is comprised of two "old stagers" inji. Hales and E. Coady, backed by thirteen young players full of eneigy and pressing just v liulo combination. A strong wind blew across tho ground, and made accurnto passing diiueull. Little pausing of any de.ciiption «'M hcou during the giunu; it was a lively, good-humoured, fall-and-eoine-again btmggle, with rush and counterrush of evenly matched forwards, varied by short runs of the hacks, to which tindovmtiug use of the line was tho termination. Athlotic had tho best of the lir-st half, and Hales, from a penalty kick, missed tho goal by the ienglh o{ a line umpire's eyelash. Later on Lynch made a- creditable khot at goal for Victoria College. Tho second half was better contested, and on two occasions Victoria College went clo*o to scoring, but the advantago was with Athletic, und just before timo was called elicotivo proof wiw given by Pitt, who took a pass from M'Carthy and ran in closo to the touchlino. Hales made a linul but inclTcctiml attempt to convert tho try against a strong wind. For tho winners, Hales, Pitt, and M'Carthy worked best amongst" tho backs, while Sullivan, Coadv, ami Wilson wore tho best of tho forwards. Do la Mere and Kitching wore mo.st prominent in nn even set of Collego fonvards, and Hunter and Tudhope wero useful in defence. Mr. Hcmplcmuii was tho rcfereo. PETONE v. WELLINGTON. Petono beat Wellington at Petono by 47 points to 6. Pel one had tho u.unl strong pack, nnd with good support in front, Ramsden, -il'Gregor, tho xiy.ins, and Braid got in whmover thoy seriously wanted to; M'Beth (half) and S. Wilson played best if or Wellington. Hardham and tho ox-Wairar.ipa ropresentative Warner, wore 'lk hot pair of Pot ono wingers. Warndr played whero Brico played last year, but it is understood he is only temporarily at Petone. A passing run saw J. Ryan (centre-thrce-qiurtvr) scoro first blood for Potono. The nlert Warner, aftor a short dash, registered the second, which M'Gregor converted— Petone 8, Wellington 0. ,Wiug three-quarter P. Ryan was the next scorer, Rotting a nice pass from lU'Gregor. A Wellington rally resulted in Al'Both scoring, and at half-time tho gamo stood Petone 11, Wellington 3. Warner scorod his second try shortly aftor resuming, which M. Ryan converted. Sc«ros by P. Ryan and Hardham saw 22 up for Potone. Another Wellington rally led to a ay by Morgan, tbut again Wellington failed to convert—Potoiw 22, Wellington 6. Tho seven remaining dries wero secured by tho (following in tho order given : Warner, Cross, P, Ryan, Warner, Braid, Braid, and Wright. Two were converted. Mr. G. Howo was rolcrco. JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. Old Boys defeated Wellington by 9 to 3. O Leary scored for Old Boya; Uirdleslone converted tho try and kicked a goal from a mark, Hill scored for Wellington. Athletic won from Poneke by default. Kio Ora 6, St. James 4. Johnsonvillo 17, Southern 0. Petono 9, Orie-ntaJ 0. THIRD CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP. Oriental 33, Victoria College 3. R. Browci (4), W. Brewer (3) Jacobsen and Mpoch scored trios for tho winners. Selwyn won from L'oiwk.* by defnuVt. Southern 17, Wellington 0. | St. Patrick's Collego defeated Ath- ;

lotics by 5 points to nil. A (ry was scorod by O'Connor, and converted by Walshe. fit. James defeated Karori by 11 to nil. (Joocli, Cozens, Baumg.irt, and Neilson one try each, and Nelson converted ono try, scoml for Si. James. FOURTH CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP. Ilailway A defeated Polono by 3 points to 'nil. Lama scored a try. Athlotic A donated Jolmsonville by 33 points tp nil. WCardell, Arthui, King, Smith, Carmody, Condliffo, Tolley, Jaffray, Gledhill, and Roberts (2) bcorod tries. Athletic B team defeated Southern by 6 points to nil. p ooJey and Harris scored tries. Selwyn beat St. James by 9 to 8. Oriental A 7, Brooklyn 3. FIFTH CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP. St. Patrick's Collego A dofoalcd Selwyn by 9 points to 0. Tries wero scored by Dovoy, Boyco, and Quinlau. Orientals defeated »St. Patrick's College B team by 6 points to 0. •St. James easily defeated Wellington Collego B by 31 points to nil, Goldfinch, Hills, Church, M'Konzio, Hawkins, Phillips, Clark, and iM'K.nz-io scored for the winners. [irr tblkqraihi — mess association.) DUNTDDIN, This Day. Southern, 9 ; Alhambra, 6. Duuedin, 9 ; Pirates, 0. Kaikorai, 14 ; Union, 3. ASSOCIATION. The final practice matches were held on Saturday. All the teams, excepting Rovers, mustered strongly, and put in useful work The Rovers team for several seasons has boen without a junior team, and now when some- of its older playors wish to retire from the gamo it. is unuble to get recruits. There is a proposal under consideration for amalgamating Pearls, a junior club, und Rovers. The former tc»m has more players than it has room for in junior ranks, and several of its members are anxious to play senior for which grade thoy aro in cveiy respect capable In the interests of the game it is to bo hoped that the amalgamation can be effected, and that a combination worthy of tho traditions of the older club will be placed in tlie field. A match arranged on Saturday by tho Missions to Seamen between tho stewards and seamen of R.M.S. Gothic resulted in a win for stewards by two goals to one. The match wns productive of some smart play.