The Alleynian, November 1908
 

Football.


Dulwich College v. St. Paul’s School.

 

St. Paul’s kicked off, and we nearly scored in the first minute, Keddie gathering neatly and racing through to within five yards of the line, where Peacocke, unfortunately, dropped his pass. For some time we continued to press, but the passing among our outsides was extraordinarily poor, and chance after chance was lost. Eventually a bad pass let our opponents through, and Bramwell dribbled over and scored. The kick failed. With St. Paul’s three points up, we began to do a little better. Keddie was good on the touch, and Lowe made a neat dribble. Broad nearly got over. Scrums followed on the line, and a very weak round of passing ended in Kempson making an opening for Ball, who scored in the corner. Greenwood failed to convert.

Our forwards made a great rush after the kick-off, but, owing to Donald failing to catch a punt, St. Paul’s got back to within ten yards of our line. Broad and Cleugh showed up well. Green saved a try with a grand tackle. Our forwards then rushed, and Kempson got away to the back and punted over his head. Ball, following up, failed to improve on this effort, and scrums followed on the line, our outside passing still continuing to be frightful to look at. We had just averted our eyes in a spasm of pain from a particularly feeble attempt at a combined run, when, glancing at the game again, we were aware of Lowe running, punting, following up, and scoring our second try. A good bit of work. Greenwood converted.

A St. Paul’s forward rush next had us in difficulties, but Greenwood broke away with a splendid dribble, and Keddie took the ball on to the line. St. Paul’s got back to near half-way, when Keddie made a mark, and Greenwood only just failed to score with a grand kick. St. Paul’s touched down. After the drop-out, St. Paul’s rushed to our line, where Mackinnon saved well. Peacocke and Abrams headed a forward rush to half-way. From a scrum the ball came across to Kempson, who made a capital opening for Ball, who ran in. Greenwood converted. Half-time was called with our forwards on the St. Paul’s line.

After the kick-off, Lowe made an excellent opening, but threw away all the advantage he had gained by a poisonous pass. Donald kicked to the line, where scrums followed. Kempson made an excellent tackle, but St. Paul’s broke away to half-way, where Donald pulled them up. Then Abrams and Fisher made a grand dribble to the line, and the effort ended in Gasson getting over in the corner. Greenwood’s shot at goal, a very good one, just failed. Keddie was conspicuous after the drop-out. Gasson got to the line, where Mackinnon made a good tackle. Peacocke showed up well in some loose play. St. Paul’s rushed the ball to half-way, where Kempson made a splendid run to within a few yards of the line. Donald nursed the pass, but made up for it a moment later by picking up and passing to Darley, who charged over in his robust way. The kick, an easy one, failed.

We had most of the game after this. Keddie was particularly good. Peacocke did many good things, as did Greenwood and Abrams. Darley put in a long kick. A bad pass by Donald lost us a chance at this point. Green made a long punt into touch near the line, and Broad nipped over within a yard of touch in the left corner. Greenwood made a magnificent shot at goal, but the ball hit the post. No-side was called soon after, leaving us winners by 22 points to 3.

The team played better than against Merchant Taylors, especially the forwards. Mackinnon and Darley did a tremendous lot of work, as always. Keddie was in every respect the golden-haired young hero. We have never seen him play better. Greenwood, too, was excellent, and each of the others did plenty of good things. The fault of the forwards was that they heeled so seldom. This, however, was probably due to the fact that the outsides——. One moment. Let us pause. We must be calm and judicial. The fact is the outsides are good chaps—fine, sturdy specimens of Young English Manhood, and all that, but their giving and taking of passes is about as beastly a sight as we have ever struck. Tackle, yes. They are very good indeed at tackling. It is their repulsive mishandling of the bulb while on the attack that has spoiled our week-end. We except Kempson. He has a heart of gold. He takes and gives, he passes well, and makes fine openings. Kempson on Saturday did much to reconcile us to life. Green, that fine old crusted back, was very soothing and reliable in the last line of defence.

P. G. W.

The following were the teams:—

St. Paul’s School.—H. C. Reid (back); C. Dixon, G. Child, S. James, B. Bramwell (three-quarters); W. Child and G. L. Jequier (halves); G. W. Sharp, F. S. Lewtas, R. T. Pollard, G. Garraway, A. Middleton, P. G. Buckley, M. Gluckstein, R. D. Whitehorn (forwards).

Dulwich College.—A. C. Green (back); A. S. Ball, V. H. Kempson, W. A. Donald, L. B. Gasson (three-quarters); C. N. Lowe and F. H. Broad (halves); R. F. Mackinnon, C. C. Darley, C. M. Keddie, B. G. Abrams, J. E. Greenwood, S. H. Fisher, H. J. Cleugh, F. B. Johnson (forwards).