The Durhams played their usual open game, but their three-quarter movements were not too successful in that their outsides were not as fast as the Marines. It remained to them. to adopt kicking ahead and following up, of seeking touch that brought about their success and this mode of play was concentrated on in the Second half to good effect.
Their forwards were superior to ihe Marines in the tight, and Bed-dow was hooking splendidly. A much lighter pack, the Durhams made up what they lacked in weight by packing down lower than the Marines and gaining much more shove, and their heeling was rapidly executed. In the loose, they followed up. well, and it was noticeable that in contrast to their slower marking of their opposite numbers in their earlier matches, the forwards and the outsides were right up on their men and the Marines were given very little scope, being tackled deter-ruinedly and pulled down. It was thig good tackling and marking which completely held the Marines to defensive terms for the better part of the match.
It would be difficult to single out any one player for particular distinction over his colleagues in the winning team, all playing hard right through the match. Captain Kirby was very steady at fullback, and the threes all played well. Hunter was probably slightly more in evidence than his colleagues, his touch finding being very useful. He attempted to drop goals towards the end' of the game and was unlucky not to have scored. Hood was slightly too keen in trying to catch the defence on the wrong foot and was too often pulled down. Both Simpson and Edwards, on the wings, ran hard when given the ball. Hylton hung on to the ball too long in the earlier half, but was outstandingly good in the second, his punting ahead being very good. He has probably the best pair of hands in the team, and accepted passes at all artes.
It. Lister Todd was ever in the thick of things and despite some very close marking by the wing forwards in the Marines' team was able to get the ball back repeatedly.' Of the forwards, 14. May played a great game, and Cpl. Scott and Beddow were also prominent in the loose. Beddow took the penalty which decided the game.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.