FOOTBALL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18051, 27 September 1920, Page 2

FOOTBALL

OTAGO v. SOUTHLAJSED.

THE BLUES WIN-7 POINTS TO 3.

; . Otago concluded tho heaviest season of _ football that haa etot been i experienced on Saturday, when tZ S , fifteen met and defend Southland a£ j by 7 points to 3. Otaco his , came wall out of her interprov°nc T\ matches, as will be seen by tho^folßj , record:-Against Canterbury, lest; Wai £ ost; feouth Canterbury, won; Southland L (twice), won both. Otago was', in a way , unl,,cfc y to be beaten by Oanter-bury, )At ■t° w iFJ* 00 *". Jo offer for her defeat t by Wellington—without doubt the b-st , team that has played in Dunedin this season. rhe record stands-played 7, lost i> won o. j The greatest interest was shown in Saturclays match, and eloso on 10,000 people , were present. The ground was in lino order, and a cross wind did not favour } cither side. The match resolved itself into 1 O *u^f afc fislt the forwards, and - * h ? oh ..™ s the better pack will be a latter , ot individual opinion. A calm survey ot tho 5 respective showinga of the two vanguards . must however, lead one to tho conclusion , that the Blues were the cleverer eight The i Otago team suffered from the disadvantage , tliat iuchardson, Paterson, and Tumbull at , times acted as lock in tho scrums, and de- , spite the fact that no one could argue tfiat I the best scrum could bo formed working ! on this system, the Blues were just as good I as their opponents in the tight, if not ( shght.y better. And it may bo added by . tue way, that the Blue forwards could oven liav-e been strengthened. ; The Maroon torwards started off with a . rattle, and the opening exchanges did not . inspire tho local team's supporters with a . great deal of confidence, inen tho Blue ; gacK, playing closo, worked the toil to the . tooutliland line, OwJes diving over for a > f ever . V 7" ilhis w: i s the om y score in the ( ftrst Jialf, and opening tho second spell tho ( Blues played over the Reds lor cJoso on . JO minutes. With the greatest determina- . tion tho Reds steadily drove their op- , ponents back, and they then had ther chance—-and not the first during the play— [ of winning the match. For over 20 minutes [ they held the Blue forwards within striking I distance of the Otago line. But their backs , let them down time and again, and even l although the Maroons were, as stated, well . inside the Otago territory, they never . looked like a winning team. It must be , admitted that more chances to score came . the way of the visiting team than to Otago , but they were always spoilt by the poor . play of the backs. It is very easy to criticise, and there is no need to add more than that it was , directly behind tho scrum to the centre three-quarter tliat the Maroons-failed. I'ortune and Holmes, on tho wing, did not got , many chances. Brown (full-back) played i fairly well. His fielding of the ball was, , however, uncertain at times. And what of the Blues?, Their pack played a great game, and once more they ; received only fair assistance from their backs. The fonvards put up a desperate resistance in the middle of the second half, ; when the Southlanders were driving in their ; attacks with the greatest vigour. Locked i together, the Blue forwards held the Maroon pack in do-or-die scrums for ; seconds at a time, and then burst through with a short relieving dash, to be drivn back again shortly after. Paterson, the come back" of the Otago team, Bain (the cleverest forward on his side) and Duncan were in the very thick of this heavy work, and the tension was only .relieved when the Southland forwards, after this grim effort were driven back to midfield. Their last opportunity to win had come and gone. Watson, at full-back, was at the top of his form, and played a very fine game. His display was practically faultless (with the exception that ho just failed to get' the lino once or twice), and his tackle of Whyte in the first half wns splendidly executed. T-Ie gave his team tho greatest confidence, and it was well placed. Perry played his usual solid game, and Owlee was going well until ho got hurt in tbo first half. M'Dousail played a plucky game, as he received a heavy kick in the face early in the second spell, and was rather severely scarred, apparently by the pegs of a boot. M'Naughton showed that he has initiative and pluck, and gare a good exhibition, and M'Cleary got the bafl away when he could get liis hands on it from tho scrums Neither side got the ball well from the scrums, however. Ward hardly received fair treatment from the selectors. Ho iias been played at three-quarter in his previous representative matches, but on Saturday was shifted to outside five-eighth. Then_ when the team was re-arranged st half-time Ward was sent out again to wing three-quarter, and M'Naughton" was brought in from wing to centre three-quarter. THE GAME. Otago.—Full-back, Watson; three-quarter-backs—Crewes, G. Owles, M'Naughton; f.veeighths, Perry and Ward; half-back M deary : forwards — Bain, Duncan Kiohardson, Tumbull, Berwick, Paterson, Edwards; wing forward, Knox. Southland.—Full-back, Brown; threequarter backs—Holmes, O'Kane, Fortune-five-eighths, Stead and Lopdell; half-back, Dalgleish; wing forward, Baird: forwardsMiller, Agnew, .Whyte. Cockroft (captain), Roche, Smith, SfKenzie. Otago won tho toss and played from tho Glon end. Slow passing by the Blue backs at once let the ."Reds away, Lopdell, Stead. O Kane, and Fortune coming through with a dangerous looking run. "A line-out was ■formed right on the Blues's line and M Naughton got in a short punt. Ward failed to field the ball after a long throw-in and Southland were almost over Holmes i just missing a high ball which 'went out on the opposite side. Turnbull had a penalty kick, Dalgleish returning to the Blues' twenty-five. Tho Southland backs tried passing, but it broke down, and fumbling by the Otago backs was stopped by Perry picking up and kicking back to the centre. The Otago forwards were not going too welL and the Southland forwards wore finding open spots, with hard dribbling kicks The Red -backs again tried passing but the five-eighths were gettinp in each other's way, and Duncan came through to toe centre with a fine rush. A dash bv Holmes on the left wing caused the Blues to force, and on resuming Paterson and Knox broke through with a rattle to the centre, Dalgleish stopping well. Crewes u P S,, s ade ;vith a fine line-kick, and tlie Blues were now well in their opnonents' territory for practically the first time. The Red forwards, led by Miller (who was inclined to play offside) returned to the Otago twenty-five, Bain marking from a line-out. Two lacks by Fortune were charged down in turn, and then Agnew was hurt and Sparkes came an Passing from Ward to Owles looked promising, but Lopdell stopped well, and the play went back to Watson, who punted well down the line, and repeated liis performance . shortly alter. Tne Blues' backs had a chance, but their i>assmg was too slow, and Miller dribbled back. Paterson, 'lurnbull, Bain, and Kdwards led a tine dabbling rush from midfield, when Whyte picked up and bolted right up the middle of the field—a great run—to meet a deadly taeude by .Watson, Brown was cheered for a lengthy line kick, and a cross kick by Crewes and a dash by Ward raised tne hopes of the Blues, but the Blue passing was again too slow. The fcoutnlaua Docks were not frightened to throw tho ball about, but they were making no ground. PJay hung at tho centre, when a daring speculator by M'Cleary took play right to the Rods' line. MiCleary marked, Lopdell sending back with interest. Paterson put his sido in position with a solo dribble Brown missing the ball, but Baird stopped the rush. Play swung over to the Blues' left wing, where Ovvies picked up and dived through to score a really iine try. Crewes missed the goal kick.—Otago 3 points, Southland nil. Miller and Cockroft showed out on the lino, and from a scrum on the Reds' side of the halhvay M'Cleary and Crewes combined in a fine bit of passing "on the blind." The Reds shifted play back to centre, whore Cookroft and Baird dribbled through and caught the Otago backs out of then- places. Fortune picked up and short punted, and the play moved forward to tlw Blues' lino, till at last Bain managed to pick up t'io ball and stop what locked like a sure score. Owles now had to go off, and M'Doutrall took his place. Fortune received a pass from Stead on the blind side at the Blues' twenty-five and punted over the line, an Otago man forestalling him by inches! in the race for the ball. A misunderstanding between Edwards and M'Dougall saw the Reds attacking in front of tho goal, Ward saving well by kicking to Brown. The half-time bell weni shortly after, with play at midfield.—Otago 3 points, Southland nil. M'Naughton went into the centre, Ward out to the wing, M'Dougall played first five-eighth at ufe opening of the second half. After givo-and-tako play M'Naughton ran from midfield, and punted, Southland forcing. The Blues returned to tho attack, and AVhyte was taught offside. Crewes's penalty shot fell short. Fortune failed to r -'M a lutrd ground kick, ead Ward, folJotii.itf up iiw'., play rested i£ Reds'

twenty-five. The Red forwards broke away from tho lineout, 'and play wont to tiie centre peg at tho opposite side of lie field, when it was discovered that the man with the hno flag was patiently holding it up at the spot where tho line-out play started. From the throw in tho Blue forwards broke away, Bain and Ward just missing tho ball, and Southland forcing. M'Dougall put in a clever lino kick, and Otago pressed, Cockroft took a penalty, Perry returning well, and then Brown had to save in ;i hurry, and shortly after tho Reds : or. v<l J. ho Blues came again, and a passing bout between Perry, Ward, and M'Dougall saw trio last-named find touch at the Reds' line. Close line-out play followed, Kdwards snapping up a mark. His place kick at goal failed, and Lopdell kicked back a "shooter." Tho ball wont through to Edwards, who drop-kicked, the ball floating Mrjh in tho air and just falling over tlie crossbar, amidst tho wildest enthusiasm.—Otago 7 points, Southland nil. This reverse saw tho Rods rush play to the Otago line, and the Blues had a hard timo holding back the attack. Twice Holmes, jammed on the loft wing, tried to. go through. The second time he was well collared by Crewes. Watson found the lino at tho Blues' twenty-five from hard kicks by Brown and Baird, and M'Cleary also drove back a hot attack with a line kick. Roche charged down a kiek by Edwards, but a lucky speculator by an Otago man sont the ball back to m;dneld. Southland had a-'.penalty, Watson taking a high kick well, but dropping on his knees as he gathered in the ball, and was collared by Baird. The referee disallowed the mark, and the Blues were deep in trouble when Watson passed back to Ward right on the line, tho Blue wing three-quarter kicking out. Play was at the Otago comer flag when Whyte had to be carried off, Rice coming on. Southland continued to press till Ward secured and kicked out near tho centre. Holmes then secured, nnd ran mto the pack and dropped tho ball, Perry picking up and having a penalty given against him. Brown's place kick went wide, and the play shifted to the Reds' right wing, whence Lopdell tried to get through on the blind side of a. scrum. M'Dougall stopped a heavy forward rush well, and kicked out. and afc last M'Cleary pot in a beautiful lino kick .which enabled the Blues to carry play past the centre— the first time play had been outside Otago territory for some timo. Passing between Dalgleish. Stead, and O'Kane broke down at the last-named, and Holmes caused Otago to force with a hard kick. On the kick out the Blues were awarded a penalty at their twenty-five. Holmes returned to Watson, wh o _ sent back to Lopdoll, tho Rod back kicking right across from the left wing to the right. From the line out an Otago back miskicked and Miller scored. Lopdell failed with the kick. Otago 7 points Southland 3 points The whistle went shortly after. Mr R. M'Kenzie was referee.