The Babbitt Warren: Joad

make openings for itself and escaped with a draw only because of the brilliance of Garnham, in goal, and the tenacity of the defenders.

It must be said that the ground was so muddy that anything less than a hearty crack at the ball was doomed to failure. Ashville realised this at the start, but the School took a long time to settle down. The first chance came, however, when Brockbank went through and shot weakly as the goalkeeper advanced ; the ball trickled across the goalmouth and out of play before anyone could follow up to it. At the other end of the field, Garnham was lured out, but luckily the ball was centred directly to him from the left and he was able to clear. Garnham also saved brilliantly from the centre forward at point blank range. The rest of the first half was spent in fruitless pursuit of the muddy ball.

In the second half the School should have made more of their opportunities, but the forwards were very slow to part with the ball. Naturally, on such a ground it was hard work, but it was just the day for a push between the backs for the centre forward to run after. Neither side did this, however, but clung to orthodoxy. Stephenson and Belchamber did not have any difficulty in keeping Ashville in check, and with Lynch playing remarkably well at centrehalf, the School should have won. The Ashville goalkeeper frequently came to the edge of the circle to deal with the most innocent of raids, and once was away from his goal on the right when Brockbank was in possession barely ten yards out with the most open of open goals imaginable, but in haste he blazed wide.

Dickinson was unlucky with a flick shot with about two minutes remaining. Another good attack followed, but the Ashville defence remained cool until the end.

Team:—J. S. Garnham; G. P. G. Stephenson, H. C. Belchamber ; P. A. Andrew, R. C. Lynch, F. F Steele; L. W. Bennett, J. R. Walters, J. T. Brockbank, E. N. Dickinson, D. Cole.

ST. PETER'S SCHOOL v. LEEDS UNIVERSITY. Played at Home, Saturday, February 11th.

Result—St. Peter's School 1, Leeds University 4.

At the beginning of this game the School were outplayed by the direct hitting and clever stickwork of the Leeds players, but after conceding one goal the forwards 47

improved and drew level at half-time, only to fall away afterwards and lose by a margin of three.

From the start the Leeds University halves swung the ball about, and Warin was given several chances, but the tenacity of the backs and the bumpiness of the ground prevented good shooting. Clearances were slow, however, and an attack, once started, was difficult to repel. Warin opened the scoring by running past Lynch and veering to the right past Stephenson to score with a flick.

School attacks were spasmodic and lacked cohesion, and goals did not seem likely from combined play, but occasionally Brockbank put in a good dribble, and it was he who equalised on the stroke of half-time.

In the second half the School were penned into their own half for long periods, due mainly to the fine positioning of the Leeds halves, who were quick to return the halfhearted clearance whence it came. That more goals were not recorded against them was due to Lynch, who displayed a lot of dash at centre-half, and Steele, whose lazy style proves sometimes rather forceful. Warin scored two more before the School really answered back, but unsustained dashes were the order of the day, and the most successful at that mode of play were Brockbank and Sleight.

Just on time Holdsworth took advantage of a mishit on the left and put in the fourth goal, leaving the University supremacy undoubted.

Team:—J. S. Garnham; G. P. G. Stephenson, H. C. Belchamber ; P. A. Andrew, R. C. Lynch, F. F. Steele ; J. L Sleight, J. R. Walters, J. T. Brockbank, E. N. Dickinson, n Cole.

ST. PETER'S SCHOOL v. YORK. Played at Home, Wednesday, February 15th. Result—St. Peter's School 1, York 1.

Though still without four of the forwards, the School put up a good performance in drawing after leading at halftime, and actually should have won on the run of the play.

The School forwards displayed considerably more dash than usual, and though York had most of the game earlier on, Dickinson scored from Sleight's centre after the ball had evaded the sticks of three players. Sleight contributed some useful runs down the wing, but he failed to centre soon enough.

Tyson was outstanding among York's forwards, who were very slow in the circle. At half-back, too, the School 48

was quicker, and there were times in the first half when York seemed to be run off their feet.

As time wore on, York improved, and after Garnham had made some fine saves, Stanley scored from a penalty corner on the left. Though each side played attractive hockey, there was little thrust shown, and defences held the upper hand after this, and the result was a sedate draw. The display given by the School was, however, much better than those against Leeds University and Ashville, especially at forward.

Team :—J. S. Garnham ; G. P. G. Stephenson, H. C. Belchamber; P. A. Andrew, R. C. Lynch, F. F. Steele; J. I. Sleight, J. R. Walters, J. T. Brockbank, E. N. Dickinson, D. Cole.

ST. PETER'S SCHOOL v. BOOTHAM SCHOOL. Played Away, Saturday, February 18th. Result—Bootham School 2, St. Peter's School 4.

After leading at the interval 3-0 and being four ahead with twenty minutes to go, the School fell away towards the end and allowed Bootham to score twice.

From the start play was very even in mid-field, though the School halves were the quicker on to the ball. In front of goal there was no comparison between the teams, and while the reorganised School forwards scored thrice, the Bootham attack did not send in a shot.

The return of Graham, Bennett and Cameron to the forwards brought about a big change, but it was Dickinson who pushed the ball through for Brockbank to run between the backs and open the scoring. This was followed by some spirited attacking culminating when Cameron drew the fullback and gave Brockbank a clear field for his second goal.

The Bootham forwards played well individually, but failed completely to combine, and thus lightened the task of Stephenson and Belchamber at back.

Brockbank scored a third goal in a manner similar to the first, as the ball came to him down the middle of the field. This half-time lead of three goals was perhaps a shade too much on the run of the play, but this was more than accounted for in the second half when the School attacked solidly for the first quarter-of-an-hour for a solitary goal; Cameron cut in on the right and presented Brockbank with a sitter, only for the shot to hit the goalkeeper and rebound to Graham, who scored easily. 49

Dixon rallied the Bootham forwards during the closing stages and they were transformed completely. The School defence became rattled and mis-hit its clearances, and before it knew where it was Dixon had scored two fine goals. But it was too late, and the School reassembled its wits and the match ended with neither side in the ascendancy territorially, but with everyone in mid-field committing an abnormal number of minor infringements.

Team :—J. S. Garnham ; G. P. G. Stephenson, H. C. Belchamber; P. A. Andrew, R. C. Lynch, F. F. Steele; T. F. Cameron, P. R. G. Graham, J. T. Brockbank, E. N. Dickinson, L. W. Bennett.

ST. PETER'S SCHOOL v. STYX. Played at Thirsk, Wednesday, February 22nd. Result—Styx 5, St. Peter's School 2.

For the first time since the Ben Rhydding match the School turned out with its full forward line, which performed with considerable dash in the first half and might easily have scored three goals. As it was the game was level at 1-1 at that juncture, and three goals from penalty corners by the more experienced Styx forwards afterwards, settled the result.

The ground was in beautiful condition, and the School quickly began to play fast hockey. Several times Lynch and Steele sent the ball between the Styx backs, who were inclined to stand square, but Brockbank was never given a chance to get in a good shot. From a corner, however, the ball was placed in front of the goal and just when complications seemed to be setting in, Brockbank nipped through and scored. At various moments thereafter fortune smiled on the Styx defenders and no further goals were added.

It must not be imagined that the School had things all its own way, for the fast right wing, Holderness, was a constant menace, and Knight needed close attention near the circle. Holderness equalised close upon half-time with a shot from a narrow angle after the ball had been pushed through the middle.

Curiously enough, despite the solitary win to its credit, the School has never been behind at half-time, but owes its defeats or failures to win to some irresolute play in the second half. In this game the falling away was not marked, but the goals came just the same. Let it be said that three of them came from penalty corners, which Knight hit very 50

hard. The fourth was scored by Knight following a breakaway. Stephenson and Belchamber, at back, fared very well against the Styx forwards throughout, and Matthews, playing his first game in goal, was not to be blamed for the score.

With the score 1-5, the School rallied strongly, and after Milburn, Brockbank and Graham had tried shots with varying degrees of accuracy, Graham scored from close range.

This game was the best that the School had played for some time, and the halves were especially good ; Lynch and Steele cleared and passed cleanly and Andrew positioned himself well.

Team :—K. Matthews ; G. P. G. Stephenson, H. C. Belchamber ; P. A. Andrew, R. C. Lynch, F. F. Steele; T. F. Cameron, P. R. G. Graham, J. T. Brockbank, H. A. Milburn, L. W. Bennett.

ST. PETER'S SCHOOL v. SCARBOROUGH. Played Away, Saturday, February 25th. Result—Scarborough 6, St. Peter's School 2.

As the School ground was unfit for play, the match was played on the ground near the race-course at Scarborough.

For a change, the School forwards jumped into form at the very beginning, and Scarborough were hard put to it to survive five minutes without conceding a goal ; the ball was swung about considerably, but no one could get in a shot.

The game swung round, however, and Scarborough scored twice in quick succession. The School defence showed weaknesses hitherto unrevealed, and was ragged all through the first half, but this may have been due to the intensely cold wind, which prevented a sufficiently fluent grip of the stick. Brockbank reduced the lead with a finely-judged push after Graham had bored out to the right.

In the second half, Scarborough scored no less than four goals, and were clearly the better side. The School play was lifeless and the approach work of the forwards slow, although greater reward than one solitary score, a good shot by Brockbank, might have been forthcoming.

Scarborough first of all went to 3-1, and after Brockbank's goal took command of play to the extent of scoring three in a quarter-of-an-hour. Easily the best of the School halves and backs was Lynch, and though Andrew stack to his man well, his hitting was erratic. 51