EVEN SENIOR CLASH

Chronicle (Levin), 29 July 1946, Page 7

EVEN SENIOR CLASH

SHANNON AND ATHLETIC DRAW

Continuous drizzly rain made playing conditions unpleasant ior the senior game at Levin 011 Saturday. Shannon and Athletic ctid their best to cope with the wet and mud, and the consequent difficulty in handling, to finish the game with a draw, three ail. The teams were well matched, and neither could be said to have had the upper hand for any length of tirnc. Although the large crowd of each side's supporters were on their toes at times, there were no really'eiassic, lovely-to-watcli movements. However, this was undoubtedly due to the almost impossible state of the field, which prevented the backs, no matter how they tried, from getting away in likely scoring attacks. Some of the backs did remarkably well in the circumstances, Skilton in particular putting on a near faultless display of safe handling and cool judgment when pressed hard by the fastbreaking Shannon forwards. Except for a few occasional attempts by the backs to start something. the game was practically ail forward play. The field was in such a state in the later stages of the game that it was hard to distinguish Athletic players from Shannon, as they were covered from head to foot in mud. The score rnay be taken as a fair indication of the game; in fact, winning chances were evenly divided. Both carne close to scoring on numerous occasions in the second half, but the mud seemed to prevent that finish and control which were essential to the successful completion of an attack, once started. The teams were: — Athletic: Skilton. Stevens, Galloway, Skuse, Hudson, Blenkhorn. Lomas, Carkeek, Palmer, D. Denton, P. Denton, Fletcher, Morris, Everton and Batten. Shannon: Martinsen, Aitchison, G. Chester, Higgott, Pedorson, Fuller, Gadsby, Rolston, Callerston, E. Chester, Rauhihi, Robinson, Horongo, Campbell and Piggot. For the first five minutes of play neither side held any advantage, but then the Athletic forwards broke fast around a scrum in the middle of the field. Stevens made a strong run for the bail, but Shannon forced in the corner. Play hovered on the Shannon line for some time after, until Shannon got their chance to break out, after a promising movement by the Athletic backs was spoilt by faulty passing. Shannon took the iniiiative from this stage, and held it to make a determined attack 011 the Athletic defence. They were unlucky not to score at this point. and Stevens saved Athletic only bv a desperate kick, which sent the

ball out behind. Athletic's defence held long enough'for thern to takei the ball back to Shannon ground,' where a penalty awarded inside tne' twenty-five, close to the line, gave Galloway a chance to show what he could do with a heavy greasy ball. His kick, taken from a very difficult angle, succeeded. Athletic 3, Shannon 0. For the rest of the half Shannon tried hard to equalise the score, and kept Athletic coopcd up in their own half, on the defensive until the. whistle blew. The Shannon forwards took up the oifensive in the second half, and it was not long before their efforts met with success. Aitchison. scored in the corner, having foiiowed the ball up in a race for the Athletic line, after a forward attack by Shannon. Fuller's kick missed. Athletic 3, Shannon 0. Play was undecided for the next five minutes, and the condition of the field began to have a noticeable eflect on the game. The ball appeared to be almoit impossible to pick up and hold, and players were seen fumbling with it on the ground on more than one occasion, unable to get a firm grip on it. From a scrum in the Shannon line, however, Blenkhorn got- his backs away, and it appeared from the stand that Stevens had scored in the far corner, but an infrjngernent made during the movement ruled the try out. Shortly after Galloway had another chance with a penalty, and came very close to succeeding, with a long kick, which was an excellent attempt. There were one or two more bright moments in the game, but it eventuaUy took the form of a battle in the mid-field mud between the lorwards. Occasionally either side would break out, but for the most part the rest of the game was indecisive, it being almost impossible to play anything like orthodox football. The game ended' with no alteration in the score of Athletic 3, Shannon 3. Mr. J. A. Zuppicich was the referee.