ALBION WINS

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31985, 12 May 1969, Page 20

ALBION WINS

Second-half

Recovery

ALBION 14: J. Morrison a try. D. C. Leary a conversion

and two penalties, G. Barrett a dropped goal. OLD BOYS 6: A. Phillipson a try, M. Miller a penalty goal. Trailing High School Old Boys by six points at half-time, Albion came back into this match with a vengeance midway through the second spell, and in the space of 20 minutes scored 14 points.

Old Boys had first advantage of the brisk wind, and controlled play for much of the spell. The forwards won the ball consistently, while the backs played competentlyenough to suggest that they would be a potent force in the final stages.

Albion looked most ordinary, and appeared fortunate to be (only six points behind at the end of the spell, there being nothing in its play to indicate what was to come.

The Albion forwards paved the way to victory. Suddenly coming to life, they took control of the line-outs, pushed their bigger opponents back in the tight, and harried them unrelentingly in the loose. The backs tightened their play and with shrewd kicking kept the ball always in , front of the pack.

An element of panic crept into Old Boys, as penned in their own half they watched Leary take advantage of two penalties. Then Albion scored a fine try. From a five yard scrum the forwards simply walked the Old Boys scrum back for Morrison to fall on the ball under the posts.

The play of L. Scott was an inspiration to his forwards—and he received fine support. S. Geddes was a force in the lineouts as was P. Sands in the loose, but the others were little inferior. At times, their play was tremendous. C. Quested and Barrett combined well behind the scrum, and A. Quested was a nippy centre. Leary at full-back was as sound as ever.

The Old Boys backs looked sharper than their opponents but they had few chances. T. Mehrtens handled and ran well and M. Brown was a penetrative centre.

The full-back, R. Grenfell, played soundly under pressure but the defensive gap left when he chose to join the backs, caused his side some anxious moments.

Miller was the best of the forwards, who were badly outplayed in the second spell.

Referee: Mr G. E. Albertson.