LINWOOD v. SYDENHAM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9303, 1 August 1908, Page 5

LINWOOD v. SYDENHAM.

After some uninteresting forward play, Mason placed Linwood on the defensive with a long kick. A short Linwood rush relieved the pressure, but the Sydenham forwards dribbled back, and Aitken fell on- the ball and scored, Doell failing in the attempt at goal. Love got well away, but was tackled near the lino, and. a forward rush forced Linwcod. A lot of uninteresting forward play followed, and frequent kicking by the backs was so inaccurate as to make no improvement in the game. Linwood worked their way to the Sydenham twenty-five, using the touch-line to some advantage, and half a dozen scrums followed on the Sydenham line, but an exchange of kicks left the ball at half-way. Evans and Boroughs led another strong attack on the Sydenham line, and from a scrum a few yards away Ormandy sent the ball to Alexander on the blind side, and he scored at the corner. Egan's kick at goal failed. Sydenhara got away well from the kick-out, and a couple of passing rushes took the ball well into i Sydenham territory, but Thomas dribbled to the twenty-five. The Sydenham forwards worked their way back, and Mason made a good dash for the line, but was well tackled, and Ryan failod to get any fux-ther. The second spell openod with uninteresting play, but Dingle cut into a Sydenham rush and ran to within five yards of the Sydonham line. Ormandy secured a mark just under the goal, and gave Egan an easy kick, but he failed. M'Phail and Hutchings broke away in the middle of the field, but the passing went astray, and a fine chance was lost. Sydenham continued to make the play more open, and Aitken was tackled, on the line. Linwood were kept defending for some minutes, and their tackling was sound. A forcedown gave them relief, and tight play followed at half-way. A couple of passing rushes threatened the Linwood line, but the defence was equal to the demand, and kicking by Egan and Dingle koot the line safe. From the Linwood twenty-five Boroughs broke away with a fine drib Me. Evans and Harvey kicked the ball on and boat Doell, and the ball rolled over the lino, Loader fnlling an it. The kick Avae a difficult one, and Egan just failed. Only a few minutes remained, and Sydenham were unable to remove play from half-way, Linwood winning by six points to throe. Mr J. T. Weston was referee. ALBION v. OHRISTCHURCH. Weston, by a run from a pass by Burns, put Christchurch on the defensive, but Fryer cleverly saved and kicked out at the centre. The Albion forwards went down the field again, and. from a penalty Stevens nearly kicked a goal. With the play in> tho Christchurch quarters, Luke scored by charging down a khuv by Cotton^ and We>ton kicked a goal. Keeping up the

after a passing rush by the backs, but the try was not converted. A lot of kicking was indulged in by the backs of both sides, and then Wood headed an Albion rush, enabling Webb to score just before half time, Henry missing the easy kick. The Albion backs got to work quickly on resuming, a_nd Eathorae scored three tries in quick succession, from one of which Stevens kicked a goaJ. Tho Christchurch team gained scan© relief by mistakes by their opponents, whose passing frequently went wrong. Finally Weston .got over, but no goal was kicked, Albion thus winning by two goals from tries and five tries (twenty-five points) to nil. Mr G. S. Mathews was referee. MERIVALE v. CANTERBURY COLLEGE. Merivale beat Canterbury College by eleven points (a goal and two tries'! to three (a try). The game waa full ot interest, the College forwards playing splendidly in the loose at times. Canterbury College, playing with the advantage of wind and sun, kept the game in the Merivale half for some time, mainly by the agency of the forwards, of whom Hflsklns put in some good footwork. Cleary did some smart kicking in defence, and gradually the Merivale forwards warmed up to their work. Cleary made a good run, anu sent the ball on to Wood, Menzies and Thompson, th© last-named making a splendid run. Chrystall kicked back, but Cleary made another dodgy run, and passed to Ford, who was brought down two yards from the line, the College tackling, however, being bad. From subsequent scrums Thompson dashed over near the corner. College were forced soon afterwards. Young then led a dangerous attack, but Thompson and Shanks put in good work and brought the ball right to the College line. From a scrum Cleary, Fuller and Wood handled; the ball, and Wood potted. Tho ball wenijust wide, but p. Menzies raced up and scoredMaokenzie intercepted another passing rush near liislino and ran past the centro, but was collared, and although Wigley took tho ball, badly-timed passing prevented a score. In a further College attack, Rhodes figured prominently, and Merivale were forced. Cleary nullified another hot attack with a run right through the College forwards, but College returned, Wilson making a good run, and half-time came with the ball in inidfiekl. The second spell opened with a splendid return by Read, but the College forwards worked the better on the whole. Shanks led a rush right to the College line, where, from a lineout, Cleary passed to P. Menzies, who jras well tackled by Rhodes. High/ kicking kept up the pressure, but 1 Chrystall and Mackenzie in turn saved. After a spell of further attack, Cleary secured the ball from a scrum in midfield, and ran right through the College team, scoring a splendid try, which Fuller converted. College weore forced 1 soon afterwards from a long kick by Shanks, who had led a good loose rush to the line. College then kept play in. the Merivale half for about ten minutes. Eventually Collins broke away, and, well supported^ took play to within ten yards of the Morivale line. From a scrum Young picked up and passed to Mackenzie, who beat two men and got over, Chrystall failing to convert. Merivale attacked, but there was no further score. Mr C. Buchanan was referee.