Hockey University takes two-point lead after good win

Press, 16 April 1979, Page 13

Hockey University takes two-point lead after good win

University has taken a two-point lead in the senior men’s hockey championship but one of its likely rivals this season, Selwyn-Hill-morton. has yet to play a game.

Selwyn will play its first match in the championship against another top side, High School Old Boys, at Porritt Park this afternoon. There are no inter-associ-ation league games in Christchurch this week-end. The competition will continue next week.

In the Canterbury Hockey Association’s senior championship, being played in conjunction with the league, three teams are tied in second place behind University, each with a win from two games. They are Pegasus, Harewood, and Redcliffs.

It was a frustrating day for players at Porritt Park on Saturday. The grounds had not been cut and it made skilful play difficult. With players knowing that they will have to wallow in mud later in the season, it must be especially disheartening having to play on poor grounds when they know they could be improved. University overcame the difficult conditions to a greater extent than the other teams and it showed in its five-goal winning margin. Results and scorers:— University 5 (S. G. Maister 3, B. J. Maister, N. Edmundson), Pegasus 0. Harewood 1 (I. Riach), Linwood United 0. Redcliffs 3 (P. Christensen 2, S. Smith), SydenhamCashmere 2 (S. Ambler, D. Williamson). IMPROVED REDCLIFFS Redcliffs was a vastly improved side on that which lost to Perasus a week ago. There

was more combination among l the forwards and although the defence at times was lax it managed to hold the slender onegoal lead throughout the second half.

Sydenham-Cashmere scored first from a Steven Ambler penalty stroke. Peter Christensen equalised from a penalty corner but Doug Williamson put Sydenham ahead again with a penalty corner. Just before halftime Steve Smith equalised when he pounced on a rebound from a penalty corner. The second half was only smin old when Christensen scored the winner. His wristy shot from a penalty corner skidded off Marty Fitzsimon’s pads into the goal. It was not a happy day for Fitzsimons, although he did make some good clearances later in the second half.

At that stage the Redcliffs for* wards, particularly the insideforward trio of Brendan Beaumont, Steve Smith, and Leon Munt, were moving the ball about smartly. Ross Ambler and Murray Peacock played steadily under pressure and helped to hold the shaky Sydenham defence together. Steve Ambler and Williamson bounded eagerly on to attack for Sydenham when given the chance and often only lunging tackles stopped them. SECOND-HALF ROMP Pegasus fought tenaciously in the first half to hold University to one goal: a penalty stroke scored 2min before the interval by Selwyn Maister. As the second half progressed and University’s forwards slipped into their best attacking form, the Pegasus defence became increasingly desperate and large gaps were opened. Selwyn Maister again scored from a penalty stroke smin into the half and added a third 4min from full-time. Barry Maister was the outstanding forward in the University team. His dribbling at times beat several Pegasus defenders in succession and he made the fourth goal after a 15m dribble that would possibly have brought another penalty stroke if Neil Edmundson had not on the loose ball and pushed it into the goal. Barry Maister scored the third goal from a cleanly struck penalty corner

Warwick Shillito played with maturity in the responsible inside-right position and teamed with Barry Maister and Edmund-

son on the right wing In some snappy passing movements. As always, Selwyn Maister controlled play from centre-half and the University right half, Greg Pierce, was also effective with quick, accurate passes to the forwards. Ivan Thomson several times forgot that he is a defender now rather than a forward: he found himself at the head of the attack and then suddenly out of position as University counter attacked. Roger Turner considered his moves carefully at right-half but too many Pegasus players wasted possession with wild hits that were picked up by University. POOR STANDARD

There was little to choose between Harewood and Linwood. Both teams played at a speed that was too great for the skills of most of their players and both sides wasted more passes than they used. There was much aimless hitting, which was also

dangerous because the ball tended to sit on top of the long grass and lift easily. At half-time it seemed like a case of the first side to score being the winner and that is how it developed. lan Riach, the Harewood centre-forward, ran on to a pass from his left at the top of the circle, the goalkeeper was stranded, and he calmly angled the ball into the net. A few minutes later he broke through the centre and almost scored again but was stopped inside the circle. Chuni Bhikha, at inside-right for Harewood and a New Zealand trialist last year, dribbled with control and passed accurately and intelligently. lan Steel was a valuable full-back, several times halting Linwood attacks in or just outside the circle. Darryl Smith, at inside-right, and Bhikku Bhana, at centrehalf, fought hard to give Linwood scoring opportunities but it seemed that the other forwards were not interested. At one stage Small sent a pass across the Harewood goal which three Linwood forwards watched go by.

Points: — P w D L F A Pts University 2 2 0 0 y 1 4 Pegasus 2 1 0 1 3 5 2 Red cliffs 2 1 0 1 3 5 2 Harewood 2 1 0 1 2 4 2 H.S.O.B. 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 W.W.M.C. 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Sydenham 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 Linwood 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Selwyn 0 -