Women’s Hockey UNIVERSITY DRAWS; ONLY UNBEATEN SIDE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29513, 15 May 1961, Page 17

Women’s Hockey UNIVERSITY DRAWS; ONLY UNBEATEN SIDE

All matches other than senior A games scheduled for Saturday were cancelled by the Canterbury Women’s Hockey Association because of wet weather in the morning. The four senior competition games played—third-round matches—were held under near ideal conditions. The turf, although damp, was of a reasonable holding quality; and although the sky was overcast there was not a drop of rain, and there was no wind. Under these circumstances and with teams drawn on fairly even terms, there was some exciting hookey even if the paucity of goals and lack of science was annoying to the puritans. There were signs, however, that teams were more settled into their games after flrst-of-season jitters. Improved cohesion was, seen particularly in the Harewood side which. although beaten, played more correctly than an eager Digby’s team which deserved its win nevertheless. One fault seemed common to all matches—•over-hitting The thing is so elementary that it should not be worth mentioning; yet time after time one saw a player running with the ball and slogging it far out of reach, with the intention of following up to keep a movement going becoming just a forlorn and ridiculous wish as a result. Results are:— West Old Girls 2, Hinemoa 0. Digby's 2, Harewood 1. Rawhiti 1, Carlton 1. University 2, Aranul 2.

WEST OLD GIRLS' v. HINEMOA A vigorous defence saved Hinemoa from seeing a huge score piled up against It. A hard-working set of backs who covered each other up and who were fit enough to set riposting movements of their own going after deflecting West probes at the net were worth watching.. So was the Hinemoa goalie and captain, R. Black, who had plenty of work to do and who made some good salves. On one occasion Black, kicked back an incoming ball with her right foot; the ball landed on an opponent’s stick and was shot back; Black returned it to the field with her left foot; another West, player slammed it back towards the open side of the goal, and Black cleared with her stick—three shots in almost as many seconds. West spent most of the time on attack throughout the game and were unlucky on at least two occasions not to score. In the first half a straight bail slammed into the net behind the Hinemoa goalie, but the Instant after becoming airborne the whistle went for a minor breach. Then, a few minutes later, another ball went into Hinemoa’s goal, but the sharpshooter was outside the circle and the point was disallowed This was disappointing for the girl concerned. J. Hall, who usually plays right back, a position which gives fewchances for shots at goal. On Saturday. Hall was filling in as centre half, and the goal, if it had been allowed, would have been her first ever. One aspect of the Hinemoa defence was notable if only to emphasise its suicidal possibilities; that is. the shudder-in-ducing habit of some back to hit across, and even centre, while fighttng in front of their own goalmouth. West led by one goal at halftime, after one of Hinemoa's rare excursions up the other end of the field. Forwards made a fast run down, with B. Withers, on the right wing, making a fine impression and sending the ball over to the centre forward. B. Knudsen, who pushed it home. Knudsen also scored West’s other goal in the second spell. UNIVERSITY v. ARANfI A disorganised University side petered out in a game with Aranui. and barely escaped being beaten. With the exception of its centre-half. S. Comer, a stocky and workmanlike player, whose energy was boundless and whose brain functions the whole distance. University played below itself. By half-time it had a moralebuilding lead of two goals over Aranui. which had failed to score. F. Kelly, at centre-for-ward. and K. McKellow. inside left, were the scorers. Aranui did not rise to the heights of magnificence, but after half-time it returned to the field a determined team, which acted in concert tor the rest of the game. There was a lot of body work, perhaps, but the hockey was generally good and hard. Led bv J. Davies, right Inside, and M. O’Brien, the right wing. Aranui called the tune and prevented University from making any further Inroads. O’Brien was first to open lAranul’s account; and three or four minutes before full time

i A. Fleet whipped the ball in . from right half to draw level. From then on it was not a ’ matter of University drawing s away again to win but closing f up the game to stop being beaten outright. ’ Rawhiti v. Carlton I The match between Rawhiti ' and Carlton was fast but not spectacular. Carlton was last > year's senior competition grade ’ winner and on Saturday looked ' as if it might have to suffer a • second consecutive loss. > Rawhiti, which had run a , strong University side close the week before, played well and was leading 1-0 at half-time with a goal scored by its left [ inner, E. Johnson. Half way through the second spell Carlton managed to pull l its socks up and draw level ’ when the left inner. A. Hawman, shot a ball into the net. I Harewood v. Digby's In its first two games of the season Harewood hand runaway . wins and ran up 14 goals; on | Saturday it met Digby’s which had the previous week accounted for the 1860 winner 1 and it lost by one goal to two. ■ Harewood's loss now means that a University is the only unbeaten team left in the competition •• this year. 1 Harewood and Digby’s were 1 fairly even sides, both teams . having some good runs into ’■ each others territory, but the 1 Harewood goalie had more ; work to do. - The half time score of nilall was a reasonable indica--1 tion of see-sawing play not far r short of sparring for there had r been few occasions when the , ball came to the goalmouth J with any real prospect of being I, netted.

The second half was a different story with an Immediate attack pressed home bv Digby's after the whistle. This game saw passing of a higher standard than that of any other match on Saturday (and even it was not first rate), but ft resulted in Digby's two goals. Digby’s forwards took the play in their hands after a downfield rush and raced across field with it. A short push across to the right inner. S. Boag. who gave the ball a short reverse chop into the net. made the first point in the game. A few minutes after, with Digby's maintaining its pressure. Boag ran the ball into the goal once more. Harewood was not a beaten team by any means—if the fighting qualities of its players were considered rather than the points—and it returned some fine attacks which left Digby’s standing Unfortunately each probe ran un -against the sturdy and hockey-wise B. Makinson who turned long hits aside without even looking anxious about them. B. Turner, the Harewood centre forward, was the onlyplayer to get Makinson’s measure. She took the ball herself down the middle of the field dribbling, feinting, dribbling and finally flicked it around Makinson when almost face to face. The move was a fine one but it was too late in the day to repeat it.