South Yorkshire Times, Saturday, October 3rd, 1959

Sides Master the  Swirling Wind

Old Wathonians 18; Barnsley 13.

An extremely hard pitch at Wath on Saturday set a problem for both the Old Wathonians and Barnsley, for with a bouncing ball and a swirling wind to contend with the prospect of an attractive game did not seem imminent. Both teams did their best to master the conditions and an exciting if not first class game of rugby resulted.

Wath were given an early lead when Malcolm Wood kicked a fine 25 yards penalty after a scrum infringement by Barnsley. Only a few moments later Barnsley missed a chance to equalise when they were awarded a penalty -identical to the one which Wood had scored earlier, but Harris failed with the kick.

Wath moved into their stride after this and, keeping the bail off the ground, they played some fast open rugby, swinging the ball from man to man, and on more than one occasion it was only the final pass, or the lack of it, which prevented Wath increasing their three point lead.

They did go further ahead, however, when Lidster scored a try to complete a movement which involved the whole of the Wath line. Wood added the extra points from an easy kick. Barnsley were not discouraged, however, and reduced their arrears when Harris kicked a penalty goal in front of the Wath post.

Dispossessed

Barnsley put pressure on the Wath backs and levelled the scores just before half-time when Teale, the Wath full-back, hesitated with the ball on his own line, and four Barnsley forwards fell on him to dispossess him and score. Harris levelled matters with a safe kick. Barnsley did not let up after the interval and the second half was only a few minutes old when they took the lead from a try by Goulding converted by Harris.

Wath rallied and levelled the scores again after a fine try by Dunn, Wood again converting, and with only three minutes to go Lidster went over for his second try to give them the lead and Wood, safe as ever, converted to make victory certain.

Wath deserved to win the match for trying to play attractive rugby, but the final result was always in doubt, with the lead changing bands, Although Wath won, credit must go to the Barnsley hooker, for repeatedly winning the ball in the strums against a much heavier Wath pack.