UNEXPECTED VICTORY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10609, 7 June 1920, Page 7

UNEXPECTED VICTORY

UNIVERSITY DEFEATS ATHLETIC. -WINNING TEAM GIVEN AN • OVATION. The uncertainty ot football is a leal lire that, . helps tuyhokl public' interest and makes the game so popular. It. is' often tho unexpected-that happens, and- such was the case when Athletic uud'.University met bn the oval at Pbtoiie (ort’Satiif-, diiy-i'afftrlibbii. and ' aftof an • exciting struggle victory rested with . University by 10" points Id ;8* _ Tho' ground was in excellent condition,-'aiid Ihe’coir- 1 ditions wore all in favour of ,7a good’ exposition of-Rugby.v ;,There-iv-is’not a largo number of spectators.-but, the lack 1 of numbers was fully compensated by. the enthusiasm, that: :was shown;-: "Teddy’ - ’ Roberts .was .-absent' from tho; rankswof the A tbletic team, and it appealed to. the casual observer, that without his;-services the r team. lost- .half .of its • effectiveness-. Credit, however.' iniist bo given ■ tp-the-'Varsity'■representatives,. more- -especially' the forwards, who ...played, with- much determination aiid dash.' and'.' never flagged’,'in their' efforts- throughout tho match.'- ' ■ • ’

In rtho fffsfc .hiilf of'flip game the Ath-letic-forwards got ■ the ■ ball 0.h.-nearly every'oecasibu from the -scrums, bob the backs failed to '.make. thebest' use of .the opportunltiCb that.', were, given to t&ni. They "had 'also tho determined tackling' of the ’Varsity - backs to contend’ with.’ but there were occasions when- an Athletic, back -with’ an almost certain -try ;ti front of him would: do the wrong thing—kicking instead ot. passing. , On the play University fully deserved its,victory, and at the conclusion of the: match the players-w-dro accorded . an ovation. ’VARSITY SCORES EARLY

Thebe'- whs practically-'no‘ wind when Athletic kicked (off. \ Gillespie frfilpd. to. negotiate the return, -and itho .ball' wont out-' 'in.; ’Varsity’s, -twenty-five. . ' From the-linedut the 'Varsity forwards charged down.’the field, ail'd bad almost readied Athletic’s goal-line' w;hUn Brooks' : found .the .tpuehdine' with _a useful kick. Play was-worked away from .the. danger -zone, but -the bull was-, soon back again through the- efforts of the. green forwards. From a, line-out in Athletic’s -(blue) twenty-live,. Mi. L, Smith Secured * and clashed through tho opposition,'. D. "Scott- was .waiting unmarked. Smith -gave him.- the ball’ and ,he --scored ;it simple try. R.- Scott .-added the major points; UniVcl-sity, .5; .Athletic, Ch ( 7 Tho' blues, appeared to. recognise that in order to win they .-would have to play their best,'and they set-about their task in the most workmariUkd.-mauner.V Wilson, Baton , and Ryan headed a ,forward rush which, ended in • air ’ infringement kick being .given against-’Varsity. Brooks took-the kick and failed. - , Aitkoii kicked’ to half-way, when Wilson got' away with a dribble-, -but Jackson stopped’his pro; gress, and a counter loose rush .by ’Vatv sity took the -ball back again- to -mid field. Ryan was prominent in leading: a rush for Athletic, and for a. while W arsity -.Was hard i>ressed.:... The. forwards cleared the. . linn and. kicks by Gillespie and J aekson placed the. blues: on. the defensive again. ... .ITayvwas .now becoming fast, (but; it was mainly, confined, to the forwards. Another attack by. Ath-. lotio forwards, with Wilson, Baton and Ryan in the van, was held, .up by Aitkon obtaining a timely mark, but the kickonly, gave momentary relief. . , * . ’VARSITY- STILE- AGGRESSIVE.'

The-blues' were soon-hammering at the* defence.-again. Brooks - picked "Up .-a rolling' ball neatly and -stwinted dowu-tho line. - - -lie Was -.well collared, but for “holding-on”. ; Athletic were-awarded a free kick ,in .a. good position but- Urooks failed at- goal.- j A-short passing -rush between. Jackson and Day.followed;-then Burn., and ...Brooks .took .Mart -in '.another .'which ended, in play.being, centred.. Athletic .obtained; the .ball from..a..scrum. Burn ran .round, passed to Wilson, who kicked over .the, full back’s head; racing on .Osborne secured and. scored umler. thc goal’.. Madden converted..,. University, 5; Athletic S.. ... .. 7 'Straining .every n/eutve the ’Via|rsity players 'forced "their way' down' iii'to' Athletic 'quarters, where 'Barker displayed his sprinting- qualities,'’- but was brouglrt down-fast bv Brooks. Baton made, an Opening and the-bines taking advantage of ft, made' the-.pace a merry one, -Charging .down.' thelfield, a,try.- looked promising when .Soqt’t gpt in a kick,.which .was marked, by McCabe.' . Mpdderi .was., entrusted'- with the kick at, goal,, but was not 'successful. * '’lmmediately afterwards the blues wore given another opportunity and'this tinlo' Maddon- made no : mistake. ■ ■ -•- “ A good ra-llr bv ’VorpilV forwards ended in tho ball going, out iu Athletic territory,, and .half-time was sounded with the score; — . . -. Athletic .. - 8 University 5

■ THE SECOND SB ELL. 7 ’VARSITY'S WINNING TRY. ; Bv ■ the ■ second 1 ’half of the game ’Varsity players wfire successful i,'ix"gaiu-' iug ipooscssioil' of -.the ball'.iurther-BC't'ums-in the -majority; -of instances, aiut the ■beat, was.-made of the advantage. The for-, trawls kept--gqing .ajid 7put -eonsklerablo vim into, their play, whilq the Athletic forwards; tvith. the.exception, perhaps ot one'di' fwq-,. Appeared to slacken'their efforts.'— '7

■ .Fv? l3 ?. tto’kiokwifi..Athletic sot ,up an, attack, but ‘a - pa-sing bout,' in'which, Anton, Jackson,' Aitkeh' iiiid Scott took part, altered the position of plav'' from one .and'Of the field to the other,,! Give-and-tako kicking ended"in neither side gaining .an advantage'. Then ' Aitkon guthoi'cd in the■ ball: aiid -sot7sail until McCabe pushed him - into- touch. From the lino-out L; M. Smith, Who'was well out, secured tho hall. liovdaslied--away with a. dribble, the ball ;lxiiineed.’dver-the' full-back's head;.i.and. Smith:i.darted in and .scored ,a,...nieritoiioua.,try;;,, li. Scott foop4g'.J»e cijqss-bar.; with .the ,'fciek;, University, 10; Athletic. 8, . ••.7 Bhth, fourteen minutes befprei tlio v bell eoiiudqd there ’ was’ ample- itime fqr.- Athletic to buValdso' matters imd . .the excitemMlt of. the bijectators.’ ivos7in .keeping.' . jilay;D7,Scott led: f attacfc. ; fqr / Vhrsity,. , ',bht Ath-. ietio retaliated and "it appe'ated.' •as thongh■' ita“;dpp6rtunitv‘ '’ ’had "hibived. Burn got -nicely a wily, but when'within striking distance' hb- : kioked noisfead ’-’bf pays mg to Brooks, Who - - was waiting for •tna. attacks. VKs : wntiuuercl, •Jiowovor. and ended In .■'Varsity ’bein* forced and nvont .irom one;end .of 7then ground JP |“ e cl > !' , , le . r ' . v Then.... Athletic made, a' finoT -effort.. , A strong forward attackm possession of the.,ball, but lie held ott instead o£ passing, and wliat appeared, >hj be a, sure. try. was thrownaway. • ■

A mn'g hherrilv and. Vatwtj’-, however, was nmking evory ; pessiblb effort to . retain : its’ advaiifafte and at met -witli ‘6iic6e.**v ■■-As tlie ior- ; nO’.-siaoV di^Vv 1 nearer* tflficV nearer considwaWe wM mahifested' Varsity set up an attack aflti the bhies wero in their ferritOrV wlion tiie f>n,mo ended, with-thtx‘scores : • ; University id Athlotie *; ! . . -.g Mr O. Cielahd .was referee..