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Old Wathonians 3 Rotherham 3 – Rotherham Magnificent in Old Wathonians Game

26 December 1959

South Yorkshire Times December 26, 1959

Rotherham Were Magnificent in Six Point Drawn Rugby Game With Old Wathonians

Old Wathonians drew 3-3 with Rotherham at Wath on Saturday, but oh! how they were made to fight for those three precious points. They started in brisk fashion and Malcolm Wood narrowly missed a 35-yard penalty in the third minute.

They suffered an early setback, however when centre, Brian Lidster was taken off the field after having a stray Rotherham boot thrust into his face in a loose scrum.

Wath were still dangerous, especially in their charging forward rushes when they forced the ball to within a few yards of the Rotherham line.

Lidster returned after about ten minutes on the touchline, but from at point on Rotherham came more to the game, gradually taking command. Wath captain, Graham Wood saved a certain try with a flying tackle on Rotherham back row man, Charlesworth, who had run some 25 yards through a gaping hole in the Wath defence. Wood raced across the field from the top wing to put an end to Charlesworth’s hopes of scoring.

Bounce Against Them                     

Wath were convinced that the ball did not like them for the bounce was against them on a number of occasions, and stand off White had to dive over his own line after a cross kick by Steventon had been caught by the wind and bounced awkwardly towards the Wath posts, defying the Wath defence to catch it.

Wath had no excuses after this, however, for the last 15 minutes of the first half were Rotherham’s completely. They handled superbly, finding their man every time with pinpoint passes, and scrum half Sweeney and stand off Giliot started many promising moves, with Gillott smashing his way through the Wath forwards.

Rotherham were rewarded in the 10th minute when Stevenson picked up the ball from a loose serum ant raced over the Wath line. No points were added by the kick.

Bitter Struggle

Wath restarted determined to wipe out Rotherham’s lead, but Rotherham were equally determined to hold on to the three point, and a bitter struggle ensued.

Rotherham were still swinging the balls straight down their line while the Wathonians were making their team mates reach for the ball instead of throwing it into their hands, but Taylor and Davis were reaching or the ball in the line outs with profitable results for Wath.,

The Wath forwards hurled themselves time upon time against a solid Rotherham wall, but Rotherham hung on grimly and almost scored again after a kick from Gillott found touch three yards from the Wath line. The man in black judged the throw not straight, and ordered a scrum, which Rotherham won.

Scrum half Sweeney picked up the ball and raced round the pack towards the line to be met by two solid Wath back row men, and after a second scrum the ball was cleared. Wath’s grand effort was rewarded when they were awarded at penalty, which White placed between the posts from 35 yards, only minutes from time.

Verdict – a fine end to an exciting game, which both teams struggled over the sludgy conditions, with a wonderful display from the Rotherham line in the first half.