The freshman football team combined a sturdy defense with exceptional punting to preserve Grady Watts' second period touchdown and defeat Dartmouth 6 to 0 on a slippery field yesterday afternoon.

If statistics instead of touchdowns determined the result of a football game, the Yardlings would have lost their first contest of the season. Dartmouth out rushed them, out-passed them, and lost 45 less yards through penalties.

But a four play series, sparked by quarterback Grady Watts, gave Harvard the six points it needed to win. Early in the second period, Watts threw a 60-yard pass to right end Tom Boyda to bring the ball down around Dartmouth's 20.

After a penalty and short ground gains, Watts went back to pass, saw that all his receivers were covered, and swept 14 yards around the right end to score.

He elected to pass for the extra point and was stopped.

From that point on, it was up to the Yardlings' defense, which has now allowed six points in three games. Twice, Dartmouth penetrated within the 20 and twice they were halted.

The other main factor in Harvard's victory was John Damis' punting. Before the game Coach Henry Lamar had commented that the Yardlings' punting ability was still unknown. But Damis, who averaged 42 yards with three punts, proved that Lamar has nothing to worry about.

In the J.V. game, Harvard also shut out Dartmouth, to remain undefeated. After runs by Frank Crossen and Ted Marmor had brought the ball to the Dartmouth one-yard line, Steve Cohen went over for the touchdown. Cohen also made the conversion.