FOOTBALL NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 18, 16 July 1920, Page 9

FOOTBALL NOTES.

gajlbraith shield. J n > — fVBBCARGILL (16) v. WAIKIWI (0). — On paper I.F.C. had a strong team, and : eii defence of the first spell, when any gh punt would bring Waikiwi into at- : cking position, is a proof that their detj nce was sound, while the progress of the cond 45 showed that they were having a J^ky day. From the return of opening play aikiwi passed to within 5 yaxds of the te, and then forces numerous and clumsy ppened, the game lackin.g anything of lcerfc, even the forward rushes wereloneLSted things. Darragh, after a run and a ck was just beaten hy Yial for possession er the line. Scrappy up and down play llowed, each side clearing readily, Waiwi with forward dashes, I.F.C. with ■eling and short line punts against the ; rong wind. Several Blne passing rushes roke down, and Waikiwi oame through " i-j gaps smartly, generally forcing I.F.C., y being driven back by the full and the u ings. Whyte's absence in the forwards, ld that of Knight in the backs, was felt; id I.F.C. would have had to make a more irious game of the first spell if anything ke organised attack had struck them ; : ael appeared to be waiting for the sec- . il spell. Towards the end of the first Jf, Blues were forced several times, genally with little risk of their opponents reventing them. The Waikiwi were soon n defence. The first 45 had brought no core to either side. The Invercargill orwards settled down to work, and, their :oiidition holding, they did not feel the oss of Yial — retired injured — except back attack, which was pitiably weak, the clustws resembling loose forward rushes, the nen passing anywhere and everywhere, nd. Waikiwi kicking relief often. The ointing on each side was glaring in this , b-as-you-please game, and it took Blues long time to make a score, though Millar as unlucky in not scoring before the first y came. Waikiwi were showing signs f originality in footwork and in defence assing; but the wind and their youth and mdition would not hold against Whit:her, Miller, and Webb, and the last--uned dribhled through again, this- time Dt unsupported, and Webb scored at the iuth-east- corner. Invercargill 3, Waikiwi I. Waikiwi made a great eliort and bached the Blue line, but could not score, series of lines and dashes penning them ip at last for the Blues to score three more tries,_ two of which were converted. Ihe game ended short of time with Invercargill 16, Waikiwi nil. ATHLETIC (5) v. STAR (3). The bulk of the crowd was at this mateh, which was considered of more t-lian ordinary iuterest- as the Star's lestd might not be maimtained and other teams might jome iiito the rumnng. The game was siugulariy free from late tackles and obstructions. kickers not heing interfered with after the ha 1] had left the toe, and jersey-holding not being resorted to. Mr D. Stallar is to be felicitated on his excellent handling of a very difficnlt game, the whistlmg being very infrequent and the play heing allowed- to. becorne as fast as possibls with dae observance of the advantage rule. Indeed, there was a noticeable lacK of the pointing that has marred some of ounsenior games this year, and fcbe wing-forwards were not intermittently pawiag each other. Greens had the wind behind them in the first spell, but did not use it much in mid-field, preferring to linekick and smother over with their stron» forwards. Star attack came quickly even against the wind, C. Oughton showing nippiness and determination. What pa.ssmg there was in the first spell was poor, though: the Star backs kept their positions better in attack than did the Greens. A long stretch of attack came to Athletic, whose backs showed rank selfishness. Several scrums on Star eastern line penned them finally just at the flag, Lilley coming up toUialf and Agnew putting his weight in air about eiglit yards from the throwout. Ryan used the blind sido when he rccejved the "gocds-train" ball, and seveiaJ^Emes he or McKenzie seemed about to score, but Murray came over and took the galf's work and drove the pa-ir out. At last Greens threw the ball out a little fnrther than usual and Winders taking cleanly dropped over, Coakley adding the two wiJ> a remarkably jndicions kick. ihlehe 5, Star nil. On resnmpfcion of 5% some wretehed waiting for bonnces fjs seen , and Star got into an attack frh?ah they kept up for eom& timo Lilley laehed in and asecured^ hui h® ram acro,53 ®.d gave a weak pass. Play fluctuated ^tween Eiiddl© and each lasst 25, the 3«ems being c£tsner in Star territory, M&cfoe was playhsg a detenniaa.ed gaaaae for ie, though Leath freg®esrtly showed agas of lack of eoaching, Tt -was in the

loose that he appeared to be of use. Agnew received little support in his linebreaking efrorts, the Star pack being generally lacking the adventuroUs spirit that ha > made their forwards play so attractivo Greens got down to Star 25 through the full rebounding a take, a fault Be rarely commits, though he managed later to force vdth a trio right on him. Oughton got away from the scrum, sending to Murray, who kicked neatly across, a Star dribble following. Green came through to the corner, but Brown felled his man two yards from home. A Star mark went weakly to McKenzie, Ryan outing the ball without gain of groimd. The line scrum fed McKenzie, but Oughton carried the ball out when the Green wingthree dropped it. Half time sounded with Athletic 5, Star nil. Five points did not seem much of a lead when Star opened the attack from a poor kic^-off to Lilley, who sent to Coakley. The ^bounce not favouring thg Greens' centre Star attacked, but Coakley managed to line. Tbe resultant scrum allowed Ryan leave the scrum with the ball, the passing that followed being so very weak that Ryan had to dash across his other backs and to lie on the ball to prevent a big Star rush. The reluctance evinced to rise cost his side three, Lilley making a perfect goal from about 40 yards. Athletic 5, Star 3. This occurred during the first five minutes of spell two. Lilley returned the huge 25 but Coakley failed to secure, Star coming into attack. T'ie Green forwards stemmed, and their backs tried to run across, so the Star came further on. Then Coakley kicked judiciously, straight across to the western line. Star secured from the line, and C. Oughton flashed a pass which sent the Star over to be awarded a five-yards' scrum. Star again secured, but slow play and a knock-on checked them, Greens clearing amidst great excitement of their supporters. Jenkins got a good punt across, but Athletic managed to let the hail die for a force. Rotten play followed, Liiley not being backed up, Green fotwards showing up, Lilley checking. Greens were carrying lines and scrnms now, and Coakley dribbled through for Star to clear and to be sent back to the 25 by Gilroy. J. Oughton failed and Lilley did his defence, several kicks succeeding, Athletic finally moving into Star 25. A Green kicked back and Star freed themselves somewhat. Green attack hecame continuous, and, although C. Oughton cleared slightly, the big forwards pressed home, Roche doing great and fearless work. A Green haclc attack brought out a fine Starfull dive, the free failing in front of .the posts, and Athletics not bothering about charging. The balance of play was with Greens, Gilroy on no occasion letting them down, when the Star high kicks broughtup attack. The Star van did not seem to be vigorous or resourceful, Leggat being somewhat lame. C. Oughton made some desperate efforts to Cpen up the game, but, though the passes from the scrum were perfect, the other Star hacks failed to be aggressive, one of them even nqt caring to follow his own high punts. Some frees came, but Star did not materialise in goals. Towards the end Star came up several times but Gilroy's taking was exceilent, if his kicking was short, and the Star backs and forwards all save 0. Oughlon , lacking ginger, Athletics weathered, au'l ran out victors by 2 points : Athletics 5, Star 3.