THE FIRST GRADE.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LVI, Issue 42, 28 May 1935, Page 5

THE FIRST GRADE.

Dunsandel Defeats Leeston.

At Dunsandel on Saturday, the home side was victorious against Leeston by eight points to three. Leeston was without the services of five of its regular players, but despite this fact, the team staged a dogged fight and was only beaten after a desperate struggle; as a matter of fact, a draw would have been a good indication of the respective merits of the teams. A big factor in the Dunsandel victory was the ability to push the lighter pack off the ball in the scrums, and to make telling" loose forays which gained considerable territory. Although the Blue backs received plenty of the ball, they failed to make any use of it, the handling of the inside backs being poor. Forster, at centre, was the only back that was impressive, and he made good use of the leather on the occasions that it came his <vay. On the day, the handling by both sets of backs was very poor, fumbling and dropped passes being the order. The Leeston backs were superior in all departments. Gibb McLachlan was outstanding; his defensive work was of a high standard and he proved a tower of strength in the rearguard. J. Legg and Skilling were also responsible for good work. Of the forwards, Rookes, J. Legg, Smylie, K. Jones and E. Millar did yeoman service in a pack that gave of its best. For the Blues, D. Walker, Frew and Wycliff were most impressive in the vanguard.

Dunsandel kicked off, and E. Millar led a loose rush into the Blue quarter. Gibb McLachlan made a nice thrust that went down to Happer, but the full-back was safe and found touch at half-way. The Dunsandel pack went away in a telling rush that gained ground to the twenty-five, but Skilling booted out nicely to send it back. Skilling and Gibb McLachlan were again prominent in a nice movement which went dangerously close to the home side's goal, Happer just clearing in the nick of time. Walker came through a ruck in a nice dribbling rush and carried play into the open on the other side of half-way. Forster gathered and looked dangerous until he was called back for an infringement, and play went into touch at the corner flag in Red territory. From a set scrum the Blue forwards surged over the line, but over-eager-

ness robbed them of a scoring chance and from the ensuing penalty Rodgers placed a nice kick into touch at the twenty-five flag. Forster, Johnston and Walker staged a sortie which again took play to the visitors' goal-line, and the Blues battled hard to get across. Finally the pressure told, Walker diving over for a good try. The kick failed.

After several hard rucks and an exchange of kicks, Leeston took play to the home side's territory, J. Legg made a valiant attempt to goal from wide out, the ball just going outside the uprights. From the drop-out the Blues% attacked, a raking loose attack taking them well down. Wycliff and Marison were prominent in opening up a break, but fumbling among the backs let the Reds in and Rodgers repulsed to half-way with a nice clearing, kick. Happer narrowly missed with a pot from the twentyfive, and a drop-out ensued. The Blues were keeping Leeston penned up in the twenty-five, but the defence was solid, and half-time was called when play went into touch at half-way.

After the interval, the Reds, led by Rodgers, made a stalwart attack which took play to the Dunsandel twenty-five, and when the Blues infringed J. Legg put a beauty over from a difficult angle.

A Red attack went close to the line, but Happer was very safe and returned well down. Forster was seen out in a telling thrust, but Rookes and Smith came into the breach and cleared to mid-field. W: Legg broke away nicely, but was taken before he could get rid of the leather. Skilling and J. Legg carried on from the ruck, the last-named being held up right on the goal-line. Dunsandel staged a strong counterattack a few minutes later and after a slashing run by Forster, Wycliff dived over near the posts after B. Legg had failed to clear. Happer added the major points.

Walker was out in the van in another swift rush, but J. Legg was solid and repulsed to the twenty-five flag. E. Millar led a nice dribbling rush which carried all before it, but when the ball went back it was kicked too hard and a drop-out ensued. From a scrum at the twentyfive Rodgers sent to Legg on the. blind, but after a dashing attempt the winger was forced into touch at the corner and a penalty brought Dunsandel timely relief. A few moments later Legg went sailing away again, but was called back for a knock-on, and from the scrummage the Blua forwards went right away I and surged over the line, but a forcedcwn was ordered. Dunsaadel kept up a strong pressure, and the visitors' defence was sorely tried. After a strong siege, Skilling routed the Blues with a nice touch-finder and the Rod forwards smashed their way back. Gibb McLachlan did great serr jvice in three telling thrusts, but bad handling robbed them of gain. A period of very desultory play followed, being mainly confined to hard rucking and line-outs near mid-field, and play terminated when Happer booted out near half-way. Mr W. V. Chatterton was the referee. College v. Lincoln. The match between College and Lincoln, played at Lincoln, resulted in a win for College by six points (two tries) to nil. Lincoln won the toss and elected to play with the sun. College kicked off and Lindsay took the ball and kicked out at half-way. College passed the ball back from the lineout and the backs went away, but fumbled, and the ball went out on the College twenty-five. College got the leather and H. Deans and Blair led a rush, but were stopped at halfway. From a loose' scrum McLean picked up, passed to Harbord, who kicked ahead. Lindsay fielded and kicked the ball out. College was penalised for off-side, and W. Jordan found touch on the College twentyfive. From the line-out Greenall picked up, passed to Blunden, who broke away, but was forced into touch. Loose play amongst the forwards resulted until W. Jordan dribbled through, but Lincoln was off-side and Blair found touch at half-way with his kick. College attacked and kicked ahead, but a good kick by Templeton took play back to half-way. From the line-out Greenall took the ball and kicked out over the Lincoln line. ( Lincoln attacked, but passed forward. College heeled and sent the backs away, but the movement broke down. Blair, McLean and Copeland took the ball at their feet, but kicked too hard and Templeton sent them back to the College twenty-five with a good kick. Hay broke away, passed to Earl, who cross-kicked, but W. Jordan intercepted and kicked out. Play was still in the College half, and W. Jordan tried to drop a goal, but missed narrowly. Play remained near the College line until Hay kicked out near half-way. Play centred about the half-way line until Harbord passed to Hay, who broke through in the centre but was tackled in pos-

session. Lamberton picked up and cut through, but was tackled, and College put the ball out. Lincoln backs got away and the ball went out to Bennett, who kicked out on the College twenty-five. Lincoln was awarded a free kick for off-side, and C. Watkins narrowly missed a goal. Play centred round half-way till Hay transferred to the Lincoln twentyfive with a good kick. College stayed on the attack, but could not get away, Bennett got the ball and kicked ahead. Earl- fielded and kicked. Watkins took the ball and, together with Bennett, took play back to half-way. Blunden obtained possession and put College on the offensive, but mis-handling spoilt the movement. From a set scrum the Lincoln forwards screwed, and led by Watkins and Knight, took the bail past half-way, but kicked too hard and lost the ball. W. Jordan kicked j ahead and took play to the College twenty-five, but Lincoln was off-side and Blair relieved the pressure with a good kick which found touch past half-way. Lincoln brought play back to the College line with a dribbling rush and looked like scoring, but College spoiled well until - and Copeland took play past the twentyfive. Harbord worked the game up to half-way with a series of short line-kicks. However, play was well inside the College half when halftime was called, there being ho score. On the resumption, Lincoln kicked off and play centred in mid-field until Lincoln was awarded a free kick and W. Jordan put the ball out near the College line. Lincoln attacked hard until College was awarded a free kick. Blair put the ball out near half-way. From the line-out College backs went away; the ball went to Blunden, who dropped the pass, but dribbled through until Lindsay, picked up. He passed to Bennett, but he was tackled in possession. Knight secured and kicked into touch on the College twenty-five. McLean led a College rush, but was sent back by a long kick by J. Jordan. Lincoln kept on the attack until College was penalised, and C. Watkins missed a hard kick at goal, College touchingdown. College attacked, and from a scrum near half-way Earl received, ran in-field, but cross-kicked too hard and the ball went into touch. took play nearly to the Lincoln twenty-five. Wallace dribbled through but Lindsay picked up, passed to W. Jordan, to Melhopt, to Lamberton, to J. Jordan, who ran down the line but was tackled. College got the ball from the line-out and it went out to the wing. Greenall passed in, but Jordan intercepted and passed infield. Knight kicked through and sent the ball to the College line, but Hay beat him. Jordan caught the ball from the drop-out and kicked out on the College twenty-five. From the line-out a loose scrum was formed and Lincoln broke through, but Wilkie and Copeland took play back to mid-field. College began throwing the ball about, the leather travelling right across the field and back, and thus took play right to the Lincoln line, but resolute tackling kept them out. A long kick by J. Jordan took play back to half-way. College came back on the attack, and H. Deans, Wilkie and Copeland broke away down the left wing and, passing between themselves, beat the Lincoln backs and passed to Greenall, who went over far out. Greenall took the kick, but the ball fell just shore from an exceedingly long range.

Lincoln kicked off and attacked hard, but Carswell sent play back to half-way with a good kick. Melhopt broke away and punted ahead, but Greenall marked before he could get up. Greenall kicked ahead and the College forwards following up hard, took play to the Lincoln twenty-five. Lincoln defended hard and worked play back to half-way. Lincoln forwards bustled Carswell, who miskicked. They took the ball to the College line. College, however, was penalised, and C. Watkins missed the kick at goal from a nasty position, College touching-down. From the drop-out College attacked and took the ball to the Lincoln twenty-five. Then, from a set scrum, Harbord passed to Hay, to Blunden,. to P. Deans, to Greenall, who went over in the corner. The kick failed.

Lincoln attacked hard, but could not get through, and the game finished with. College returning to the attack. The win by College was well deserved and was due almost entirely to the brilliant work of the forwards in the tight and the loose.

Mr W. S. McLaughlin was the referee.

Paris claims to have more queerly named streets than any other city in the world. They include "Ash Trays Street," "The Street of Bad Boys," "Fishing Cat Street," "Son-in-law," "Hot Cat," "Lovely Leaves," "Big Bottle," and "Little Mugs."

First aid for Coughs, Colds, Influenza Woods' Great Peppermint Cure

There are now about 1,500,©00 private motor cars in Britain.

The British settlement on the island of Tristan da Cunha has not lost a single mother or child in childbirth since 1816. They have no doctor, but each generation must have boasted a highly efficient midwife.