17 Points In 20 Minutes

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31111, 14 July 1966, Page 17

17 Points In 20 Minutes

Shirley had complete domination during the first 20 minutes against , Xavier College at Gamblins road, and in that time scored 17 points. Xavier fought back well and it was not until seven minutes before the end that Shirley could score again. However, Shirley had a marked territorial advantage over-all and was more on top than its three tries to two margin would suggest. The teams were:— Xavier.—Emery; P. McGlinchey, Anticich, P. Brown; Preston, Campbell; B. Cox; Doody: O’Byrne, N. Langenberg, Brown (captain), K. Moesbergen; J. Sullivan. R. Clough, P. O'Connell.

Shirley. Hancox; Doyle, Abbott, I. Cretney; Mitchell, Hanham; Baker; I. Kir ton; Glass, Myles, Thorburn, Lodge (captain); G. Breeze, G. Walker, H. Anderson.

There were two major reasons for Xavier’s more impressive second-half performance after it had trailed 5-17 at the interval. The first five-eighths, Campbell, elected to run his backs rather than kick monotonously for touch and the Xavier backs had more penetration when Anticich moved in from centre to change positions with his second five-eighths, Preston. Although Anticich did not make full use of his weight be made several breaks that were carried on by Preston. The Shirley backs began very impressively and from one such break-through the wing. Doyle, scored the best try of the match after a 60-yard movement.

In the Shirley pack, Myles and Thorburn won a lot of ball in the line-outs, and the flankers, Lodge and Glass, were fast off the scrums.

The Xavier captain. Brown, upset the Shirley backs when he moved to the end of the Mne-out and O'Byrne and Doody also impressed. Myles, Doyle and Baker scored tries for Shirley. Myles kicked a conversion and two penalty goals and B. Hanham dropped a goal. Anticich scored two opportunist tries for Xavier, and one was converted by T. Emery.