Squash

The scores levelled when Pickersgill went over for a try after a good break by Emsley, and then Clegg scored in the corner after a quick penalty awarded in front of goal, of which for some unaccountable reason the School disdained to take full advantage.

How the School failed to score on many occasions in the last quarter, when the additional 8-yard width of the 1st XV field was having a telling effect on the Old Boys, they alone might know.

Our thanks to W. H. Sugden (Yorkshire Society) for refereeing.

OLD PETERITE XV P. B. Clayton; H. A. King, G. W. Cloughton, D. I. Fletcher, J. J. Rhodes;

C. D. King, J. M. D. Kirk; W. Gibson, R. R. Baldwin, C. W.

Thompson (Capt.), R. J. Sharp, P. Shearsmith, C. Metcalfe, I. B.

Robertson, P. A. Liversidge.

RETROSPECT

It is no vain boast to say that we can look back on this all too short season with a real sense of satisfaction for its achievement and success. To add to our pleasure the Senior Game returned to its proper domain, and once again 1st XV matches could be watched from the top of the bank, overlooking a pitch which is now almost full width.

The opportunity, too, was not lost on the 1st XV, for, after a long and rather uphill struggle, they did not disappoint but rose to the occasion splendidly, and achieved much of the success which had been tentatively predicted at the end of last season. Their record of three wins and five losses in inter-school matches was so nearly very much better, and their measure of success is best assessed by comparing points for (103) with those against (80). Of the five matches lost, none was so by a margin of more than 10 points, and in scoring over 100 points in their favour they achieved something which no side since the war has attained, although it must be admitted that the new rules of last year had a considerable bearing on this total.

As a result of playing such a very young team last year, we had nine old 1st XV colours available again this year. Making up the remainder of the team were two from last year's Colts, two from the 2nd XV, one from the 3rd XV and one (P. Abel) from "out of the blue" (no previous team selection). Experience was well spread through the team and an air of hopeful expectation pervaded.

The first match against Durham (away) proved a bitter disappointment and was a serious set-back to our aspirations. We felt we had been defeated more by local conditions than by our opponents and, with the knowledge of last year's series of defeats, there was now a growing danger that this year's 1st XV lacked above all else the conviction that they were going to win. That they did so, even to the extent of defeating Ampleforth by the largest margin since 1926, was to their credit.

The strength of the team finally lay in the pack (average weight 11 st. 13 lb.) and the confidence it had in itself. The backs were efficient handlers but generally lacked pace. The team as a whole gained in selfassurance as the season progressed, and when they were beginning to reap the harvest from all their labours the season came to an untimely end. 28