THE COTTONIAN
half and they maintained continual pressure on the Cotton line for long spells. Nevertheless they were kept at bay by some good stubborn defensive work for most of the half. Then one of the visiting three-quarters cut smartly through the School line to score a try. The School rallied well after this reverse, but the visitors added one more try before the end.
Final score : Cotton 5 points (1 goal) ; O.C.T.U. XV 9 points (3 tries).
SCHOOL s'. BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY.
Played at Birmingham, November 15th.
Won 9-3.
This match was evenly contested and although the School was victorious, the XV gave a disappointing display, particularly in three-quarter play. The School pack was superior in both tight and loose scrummages, but poor handling among the backs spoiled many chances. After a quick heel from a loose scrum, Bolton scored a good dropped goal-the only score before the interval. Half-time score : Cotton 4 points ; Birmingham University nil. A University wing three-quarter ran very strongly to score a try early in the second half. The School XV then managed to throw off its sluggishness to some extent and rallied well. The handling of the backs, however, remained very mediocre, and the only score came from O'Leary who cut through to score near the posts. The try was converted.
Final score : Cotton 9 points (1 goal, 1 dropped goal) ; Birmingham University 3 points (1 try).
SCHOOL z'. AN O.C.T.U. XV.
Played at Cotton, Won 6o-o.
This Army XV came from the same unmentionable village as the XV which defeated the School earlier in the season, but they were a much weaker team. The School pack gave a regular supply of the ball to the backs, who proved much too fast for their opponents. The School scored 24 points in the first half, and after the interval attacked almost incessantly. Scorers were McLoughlin (5), Pearman (6), Bolton (3), O'Leary (2).
Final score : Cotton 6o points (6 goals, 10 tries) ; O.C.T.U. XV nil.
SCHOOL z'. NEWCASTLE HIGH SCHOOL
Played at Newcastle, December 3rd. Won 11 3
The School XV kept up a fairly consistent attack in the first half of the game, but despite Good's exceptionally consistent hooking in the tight scrummages, the attacks were not pressed home. Good defensive work on the part of the Newcastle backs, who marked up very closely, and poor handling among the School three-quarters were features of the play. Newcastle scored a penalty goal with an excellent kick. Half-time score : Cotton nil ; Newcastle H.S. 3 points. After a long period of constant attacking by the School, Bolton managed to cut through the stubborn Newcastle defence to score a try, which was converted. This long-awaited success seemed to put new life into the School XV, and from this point more confidence in the handling of the backs was noticeable. A smart cut-through by O'Leary gave Cotton another try, and Hartley, backing up well, added a third.
Final score : Cotton ii points (1 goal, 2 tries) ; Newcastle H.S. 3 points (1 try).
SCHOOL z'. FLEET AIR ARtI CADETS
Played at Cotton, March 21st.
Won 21-0
The School side was obviously suffering from lack of practice in this first game of the term. In the first half, play was fairly even, although the School team displayed more potential scoring power than their opponents. Only once, however, was the Navy line crossed, when McLoughlin outpaced the defenders to score a good try near the touch-line. Bolton converted with his best kick of the season. Half-time score : Cotton 3 points ; Cadets nil. In the second half, the School XV livened up considerably. The forwards began to obtain possession more frequently from a vastly heavier pack, and the three-quarters ran well. Tries were scored by McLoughlin (2) and Pearman.