Hagley Has Useful Lead In Men’s Hockey

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31108, 11 July 1966, Page 15

Hagley Has Useful Lead In Men’s Hockey

Because of the even nature of the struggle for championship honours, the narrow lead with which Hagley Old Boys emerged from the thirteenth round of the Canterbury men’s hockey competition on Saturday could be decisive at this late stage.

Their team is firmly based upon the skill and knowledge of the centre-half, K. Thomson, who deserves rnueb credit for his leadership, especially during the last five ! rounds.

did not watte the ball. In th* half-line. A. .Patterson and DWarren tackled and intercepted surely, and their passing promoted many attacks. The right-wing. C. Dawson made some useful breaks, ant the dribbling of T. Burrows in approach play was good, but he was hesitant in tne circle. T Thomas slipped *ome centre passes into the goalmouth with the air of a snooker addict, but R. Bailey and E. Barnes found the cover defence a frustrating problem. B. Judge scored both goals for Woolston A. Umpires: Dr. L. McH. Berry and Mr M. R. Good. UNIVERSITY V. SELWYN This engagement was an extraordinary affair. In the flr»t half University dominated the proceedings without revealing the authority of complete mastery, and coasted to a comfortable lead of two goal*. Thereafter it moved with stately, upright measure, like a group of dignified Druids, solemnly observing but disdainfully ignoring the ball, and its forwards appeared to require a goal with the dimensions of a Stonhenge temple. The trapping was woe fui, but whoever did achieve occasional success returned the ball to Selwyn with alacrity. In these circumstance* Selwyn found Itself In possession more often than 1* its wont, and the pathway to the University goal became littered with the remains of a cover defence whose efforts to arrest th* ball made its assembly an irrational expenditure -f energy. Some good goal-keeping by J. Monk helped Selwyn, and the defence of the backs, A. Abernethy and B. Turner. wa» very stubborn. K. Cherry, A. Waters end VI. Burtt were permitted to dribble prodigious distances, end their assistance to their defence was most creditable. In the Univereity team the only exceptions to the general malaise were C. Ineson throughout the match, and M. Mikhelson for much of the time. Both trapped cleanly, and there were purpose and spirit in their passing. J Christensen and I. Bishop scored for university, and ■>. Paterson and W. Burtt for Selwyn. I Umpires: Messrs E. Thomas I and B. Lloyd. HAGLEY 0.8. V. SYDENHAM The final score was not a true reflection of the run of play, because Sydenham frequently pressed Hagley severely. However. Hagley was superior in trapping and passing, although neither team Impressed greatly in the*e skills. Each was handlcappsd by the heavy, unoven Hagio'y wa* won served by th* strong kicking ot ft* custodian. N. Uttio, and by th* admirable trapplngand blocking Of it* leftback, D. Robertson, whoso positioning reflectod an aecurat* anticipation. . _ t Th* tendency of G. Clarkion to arrest and retain the ball on his left side exposed him to the fault of obstruction. Sydenham’* banishment of its leftwing to purely defensive duties was countered by Hagley'* withdrawal of Pater Clark to a roving eentre-half commission, wMch enabled Mm to molest ! Sydenham attack* successfully

and to feed his own forwards with regularity. Thio enabled K. Thomson to fulfil an attacking centre-half role to good purpose. The right flank pair, R. Thomson and W. Thomson, made consistent progress with spirited dribbling, but the latter’s through passes were often delivered so far from the gap that interception was inevitable. A Scott at centre-forward, directed the attack intelligently, end Paul Clark fetched and carried with his customary diligence. Although his positioning was not always sound, J. Bradford often cleared the Sydenham goal with strong kicking, and R. Fergus played soundly at leftback. Because of his tendency to fly-Mt under pressure C. Reid made some prodigious air shots. The concentration of M. Bennett, the centre-half, on defence, in which he was prominent, restricted the support which he could give to his forwards, who achieved some authenticity when they sought combination, but were futile when they lapsed into long hitting. Close marking succeeded tn containing D. Petherbridge on the wing, and Sydenham's alternative use of the centre attack was hampered by the congestion which Hagley created as an answer to its team formation. Goals were ecored for Hagley by K. Thomson <4) and A. Scott, and M. McKinnon scored for Sydenham. Umpires: Messrs R. Campbell and D. Lloyd.

Woolston A slipped into second position at the expense of High School Old Boys, and University missed an excellent opportunity of accompanying it.

Results:— * Hagley 0.8. 5, Sydenham

Woolston A 2, H. 5.0.8. 0. University 2, Selwyn 2.

Harewood 2, Woolston B 0. Competition points are:—Hagley 0.8. 10, Woolston A Bi, Uni versity 8, Harewood 8. H.S.O B 8, Sydenham 5, Selwyn 4, Woolston B 1. WOOLSTON A v. H. 5.0.8.

This match was evenly and sternly contested, with Woolston producing the better combination in the first half and exerting enough pressure to gain and deserve a lead of one goal at the interval. For much of the second spell Old Boys launched attacks in sufficient depth to breach the circle or to force penalty corners, but erratic shooting and desperate cover defence denied them the final fruits of their labours.

HARBWOOO v. WOOLSTON • Wooiston's long and usually desperate clearing hits were collected tn comfort by the Haro, wood backs, who restored the ball to their forwards with systematic regularity. Hence the match was reduced to innumerable sprties by the Harewood vanguard against the many Woolston backs, self appointed of necessity. Better trapping and passing by the former must have produced a much higher score. In the Harewood half-line G. Baldwin trapped and paseed neatly, and with time to spare. Although closely marked, C. Broadhurst, on the Harewood right-wing, often wove a precipitate pattern through the defensive populace, which usually succeeded tn Isolating him. Deceptive dribbling by D. Stanton worried Woolston but his passing was imprecise, and the elusivenesa of D. Lloyd tempted him to take the ball too far.

For a period Woolston showed signs of panic by endeavouring to restore counter-attacks at too great a speed. However, it returned to more accurate placements in time to invade the Old Boys citadel with some regularity towards the end, and in gaining a second goal it placed the issue beyond doubt. Old Boys' effort to save the match made the final score a little flattering. For Woolston, R. Jenkins made several valuable saves in the goal, and the covering of J. Abrams was excellent. He wrecked many attacks and repulsed Old Boys time and again, but his partner, B. Winks, was ex tremely tentative. C. Cox was the best of the halves becausel of his stickwork and neat pass-1 ing, and he was reasonably successful in filling R. Gillespie’s place. Although closely marked, B. Judge dribbled most elusively but there were times when h» collaborated with those who sought to gMtrict Mm, by withholding th* pass, His right flank partner, N. Hobsen, missed no ehance of promoting attack*, and hi* decisive contribution oq defence made Mm an extra half, back. Both P. Bygrave and B. Aid’ ridge harassed the Old Boy* forwards and halve*, and th* former frequently threatened to tear the defence apart with hi* swift visitation* from various quarters. At times the Woolston forwards achieved useful combination, but close marking just as frequently robbed them of fluency. The Old Boys goalkeeper, 1. palmer, blocked well, and if T. Iggo's trapping technique appeared devoutly monastic it was at least effective,) and he

The reorganisation of the Woolston team produced the same numerical balance on defenefl and the same disorganisation In the development of counter-* ttaek.

Harewood’* goal* were eeored by B. Watson and L. Smith. Umpires: Meser* N. Dailey and P, Chant,