The Alleynian, February 1927
 

Football

Dulwich v. Haileybury.

Played at Dulwich, November 20th. Result— Haileybury 1 goal, 3 tries; Dulwich nil.

Playing against a heavier side on a mud-heap, the team did well to hold the score down to fourteen points. So much rain had fallen during the week that the first fifteen ground was under water, and the game had to be shifted to that unpleasant spot behind the pavilion where the Eton match was played last year. We lossed the toss and kicked off at 2.55 up a steep slope with the wind against us.

For twenty-five minutes the game was surprisingly even. Our forwards got to work in excellent style right from the start, and the first scrum that was formed was inside the Haileybury half. The ball came back into our half, where Hughman, who played splendidly all through, made the first of the many saves he had to make during the afternoon. The Haileybury forwards rushed to our twenty-five, but were pulled up for offside, and soon afterwards Cook brought off a good dribble. Shaw tackled his man well, and another free kick to us took the ball into the Haileybury twenty-five, where Talbot did some good work in the loose.

Another Haileybury rush brought the game back into our half, but from about thirty yards out our three-quarters got going, and it looked as if we were about to score. But, after the ball had passed from Chapman to Kinghorn and from Kinghorn to Hammer and Hammer had punted over the back’s head, the defence rallied and Kinghorn was stopped on the line. It only needed one more effort to put us ahead, but in the scrum on the line Haileybury got the ball, and the forwards, wheeling, rushed back to half-way, where a long kick went over our line, with their right wing threequarter in pursuit. Kinghorn, with a great burst of speed, just managed to beat him and touch down.

The drop-out was returned into touch in our twenty-five, and Hughman had to do some more saving, handling the greasy ball beautifully. Haileybury were pressing when King and Campbell broke away with a long dribble, but unfortunately a free kick to Haileybury penned us up in our twenty-five again. Here Kinghorn got away and passed to Hammer, who was tackled on the half-way line, and soon afterwards Hughman had to touch down again.

King was good in some loose play, but the Haileybury forwards rushed to our line. Kinghorn made a good save, and Cook and Talbot dribbled to half-way. The ball came out on the Haileybury side, and a long rush sent it over the line, where one of their forwards touched it down. The kick failed.

Haileybury 3; Dulwich nil. Time 3.20.

The second Haileybury try came five minutes later, on the right. Haileybury had been pressing ever since their first try, and in spite of some good defence by Kinghorn, Bethell-Jones and Wiseman their right wing got over in the corner. A fine kick put them eight points up.

There were only a few more minutes before half-time, and we were unable to do more than work the ball into the Haileybury half. Half-time was called with the ball near the half-way line.

Eight points was not really much of a lead for a side to have established in the first half, taking the slope and the wind into consideration, and there was a general feeling on the touch-lines that now the real business of the day was to begin. But almost immediately after the restart the worst tragedy of the afternoon occurred. Instead of pressing from the kick-off, we were forced back to our line by a rush of the Haileybury forwards and almost before the game had begun their left wing was over in the corner. The kick failed, but Haileybury were now eleven points ahead.

After this we rallied, and were soon fighting hard well inside the Haileybury twenty-five. Another forward rush took the ball back into our half, and for some time the game fluctuated between the two twenty-fives, until Kinghorn with the best individual run of the day raced away down the right touch-line and looked as if he must score when he was forced into touch. We were now within a few yards of the Haileybury line, but once again we were unable to push home the attack. The Haileybury forwards broke away, but Hughman with a fine punt set us attacking again. Kinghorn nearly reached the line, and then a free kick to Haileybury relieved the pressure.

Our outsides got going once more near the half-way line, and only a poor pass from Dewey to Shaw spoiled the movement. The ball went loose and the Haileybury forwards, who played a very bustling, quick-breaking game all through, rushed it to our line, where Hammer ran back to half-way.

Hammer made another good effort immediately afterwards, getting into the Haileybury twenty-five. The Haileybury forwards again rushed, and Chapman made a good save. Then, after Shaw had touched down, there was some loose play about thirty yards from our line, and Haileybury scored their last try on the right. Haileybury 14; Dulwich nil.

Two minutes later the whistle blew for No Side.

The score about represents the difference between the two teams on the day’s play, the Haileybury forwards being too heavy for our light pack on such a heavy ground. All our forwards stuck to it gallantly and are to be congratulated on making such a good game of it under conditions that were all against them. The outsides had several flashes of form, but the wet ball was too much for the halves and there was seldom any real briskness at the beginning of an outside movement.

 

P. G. W.