FOOTBALL NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 17, 9 July 1920, Page 9

FOOTBALL NOTES.

WEDNESDAY'S GAMES. I.F.C. (3) v. ATHLETIC (0). The tearns found tbe ground hoaxy, Bmes especially, for they were weak 111 the first return of a Creen kick, coming into trui sfers that uicxel vim or direcnon, an assertion that xnight be rnr.de for all their attompts in this, their favourite, attack. Biues were slower to get into line work than were their opposing forwards, excent that Vhittaker's spot 011 the line was always well marked. His three-quarter fed him badly, the big, eager forward frequently jumping for throws he couldn't reach. If a good line man isn't fed, he .'s not correctly employed. There was a mor.otony in the play during all the game, ihe first spell being very drear. Rushes and scrambles and rucks, and badly formed hoes, an occasional dribble, and an intermittent Blue pass which travelled from middle to line and from line cross middle to the other side, or was checked autom-ati-cally by seifish backs or by process of exhaustion. Davidson, Blue half, gave his backs sterotyped ball, but did not feed when he was away from the ruck or the scrum, preferring line-kicking in which he gained -ground but^brought dull defence to his side's attack. Coming on to the .interprovincial matches as we are, we are consoled to note that there are sub-unions and selectors who have seen them play. Leith appeared to clear nearly all the lines for Greens, his hu-ge kicks — mostly grubbers — frequently finding Blue backs out of place. At-hletics had one chance to score at the south-west corner, but the baok mulled,-an-1 defence ended in a force. Invercargill appeared eager to get rid of the ball before the marking back could be cut out of the play, or proud in possession when they were dragged down with 7t after momentary successful cut-in. Vial did onj fine and fearless ground smother, and was besides -generally successful in getting in his defence kicks, Greens having- few low tacklers. Chang,es of scene were frequent though kicking and dribblirg were numerous' in spell one, but anything resembling ill luck in not scoring was absent, tlie score being nil.

Ihe se-cond spell, opened by Greens, let Leith into position trom a rebpund, his side advancing and securing the ball which the half sent along the ground wide of his firsr fraction. The Athletic backs were too far away from one another for a siow ground, and the feed was slow and grudgingly given. Free kicks consumed much time,, whistles -being frequent, sometimes comciding with pathetic appeals. Blues were in ditFiculties, and even a penalty did not relieve them, the kicking was so ineffective. O11 attack Grc,en backs showed latk oi practice in tran sfers, players going into tlie thick of a defence in which tackiing was fairly sound and very hard. Mapletop came away, and fed McKenzie, but tleer, Blues checked with resolute bodies. Numerous scrums slowly formed occurred at this period of the -game, Blues being kickcd or mulled into defence often. Their lines were not compact, though their swirg from scrums would have nonplussed even backs that were backs. The tired Green forwards now had to defend. — -their backs h.id not mad,e any hand at .passing — and Blues came up gaily to the 25, where a good defence pass by McKenzie aliqw.ed C'ofgrove- to clear somewhat, Fraser being the aggressive Blue. McKay sent back we.U and McKenzie was caught in possession, a seri.es of scrums folowing 011 Greens' line. The initial lnov.ements of I.I'.C. passing promised something for the shilling, but the string went over to the

hm? with exasperating clevcrness, getting two m,en in at times on the slow trot and being in no-man's land when the jaunts ended. Rlay was eager and penalties frequent but at last Greens cleared, and Leith, Timpany, 'and Winders, came on rr.ore ahead, for Cleland to save well and Fraser to block the r.eturn of his kick, the eft'ort ending in a Green off-side — 110 goal. Several good boolc marks were taken, Gilroy and Vial pairing, but when the rootist rocted his poor forwards chased the bait in vain., Whittaker showed up in a determinted rush and several exchanges saw McKay good in, ' come up and take, and fab'ish only in kick. Blues passed Liiile txcng- nippy in cut, but there the bout ended. An Athletic rush earr." to the middle, but I.F.C, rau back wiui ball and Greens' tackling wa. atrocious. Several frees at this stage were not obvious to the uninitiated, and sides spelled. McKenzie and Irving showed up on their respective sides, the latter gaining ground even when he went too far. Blues attacked and Leete kicked his side out of danger for a second ; but the play quickly changed to the middle where a high kick from Vial was approached on the hop by McKenteie, Todd coming across the -goal face and tak'iig the ball on his chest from tlie very slow kick, the rebound favouring a

straight ruri over and a try by the big forward. A very good attempt was made by Millar, the ball passing just outside the east post. I.F.C. 3. A slight wind then rose, and Athletic found great difficulty m keeping the Biues out of their 25. In addition, the score .seerncd to have remind«d Biues of their coaching, and they began to pack on the lines, while the Green forwards began to show lack of training. Blues passed, Vial judiciously kicking, the drcpping ball almost coming to his men's onrush. But Gilroy cleverly marked, \*ial took and sent his tcam into neutral, where their dribblirg was good, Millar, Webb, and Fougere appearing at intervals. Kicking back and Iro went on, each side showing signs of wear and tsar, Greens partially attacking for the I.F.C. packing to drive tliem to defence from every parallei Davidson fed Cleland who feinted, j cleared, and fed Via), the last-named end-in-g -the effort. On went the attack, but a1 free relieved. Much Blue passing with fir.ality of side-lines followed, one transfer j begiiming from a well-timed line feed. i V'al cross-kickd and Little came through an 1 got the receiver with an excellentdive The Blue attack wais long and weary, so gOod centring and smother punti'lg coming into view. But no score r,esulted. I.F.C. carried lines, Whittaker | doi.ng much in this direction. The end * nearing, and Blues passed again over to their favourite side-line, Irving being crampsd for room and finishing. a yard fron home. Cleland got past his marker, i hui, was brought up short, a scrum r.esultirg, and then a Green free and a whistle, the score being, Invercargill 3, Athletic 0.