Brighton Forwards Dominate Suburbs

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31363, 8 May 1967, Page 18

Brighton Forwards Dominate Suburbs

MEW BRIGHTOH 9: D. Dalton and G. Wilkins tries; C. Smith a dropped goal. SUBURBS 8: w. D. Cottrell a try; K. Nicholas a penalty. The aggressive and efficient New Brighton pack, with the half-back, G. Stanley, as ite extension, completely dominated the match.

Suburbs, striving desperately to keep Ite unbeaten record, tried hard to outepeed New Brighton through chain passing but almost all the movements broke down under the fierce tackling by the New Brighton backs. Although New Brighton did not make a great deal of use of Ite backs, It gave an excellent performance. The forwards drove relentlessly in the tightloose where I. H. Penrose and K. Tanner were dominant figures When the ball went loose the New Brighton P*ck would pour through, usually with one or two backs in support. It wm only resolute defence by Suburbs and some fine covering work by W. D. Cottrell and L. J. Davie that kept the score sO close. Suburbs was seldom in an attacking position. From No. 7 in the line-out, Penrose made life miserable for Davis. Time and again he would burst through on to Davis and frustrate all attempts by Suburbs to dear the ball from the swirling mass of yellow jerseys. Cottrell made some powerful runs and scored a determined try but many of the gaps he forced were wasted by the lack of penetration of the Suburbs mid-field backs. When K. Nicholas entered the back-line, tithe Suburbs centre, K. Prise,

made some good runs but the cover defence effectively sealed off these movements.

Tanner played magnificently for New Brighton. He was a force in the front of the lineout, crashed through determinedly in the loose, and was always in the front of the New Brighton forward rushes. Behind the solid pack, Stanley gave his usual competent display in guiding the forwards along the right attacking path. Otherwise there was not much to praise on attack. The backs stood far too shallow. This made their defensive task easier but forestalled any attempts at running and passing with freedom. The Suburbs pack did its best against the powerful opposition. E. Mallany was quite successful in the line-out and M. Moran and V. Baker were tigerish loose forwards, but collectively the Suburbs forwards were outplayed. Referee: Mr J. Milnes.