HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 622, 27 September 1909, Page 4

HOCKEY.

WELLINGTON DEFENDS THE SHIELD. ' . MANAWATU DEFEATED. I Wellington has. successfully withstood the 'first onslaught of; those desiring possession of the. Challenge Shield.- A first-class team came down from Palraerston North, and on. No.-1 ground, Day's Bay,'on Saturday afternoon, they met Wellington's chosen cloven, : and suffered defcat'by three goals to one: The play was always'interesting, and the result was in doubt, almost'to the end. All' records' Were broken'for the ground in the matter of attendance—about -500' spectators being. present—and the supporters- of both sides were much, in evidence. Perhaps the presence of-the shield in this, part-of ,the country.-for a time will hare the-effect of increasing public interest .in hockey. At anyratc, enthusiasts hope so. ■ : The. visitors got the better of tHe "bullv-off," but the ball was returned., fa the . circle, Elliott .passed to, Organ', whose shot at Boat'missed. : 'The snbsoquciit play was very fast. A r -swift Manawatu rush'caused Hickson to corice'dft'a comer, a second .o'nd soon following; t M'Gregor shortly afterwards had a shot, which missed, and a moment Tater- 1 Dwyer J'saTCd" n good shot.. After.further fast play Elliott secured possession, • and' passed throiighto Organ, the latter centring to Smith, and Elliott hit in. ■•„-...' '. Wellington , ,-,'.... •_',-.' ~.-... 1 : Mannwatu- :,. , ■~..,. . :1 .. ~., ......o ' • After only'tenVminutes-' play this .was a good beginning for the defenders;.but -more was to come, .for. a couple of minntes later Organ, passed-to Davies, and. the latter sent on to G. Smythe, who scored. .- ~ / . ' Wellington '," '~; : ... . :;, ',„ -.2 '.; .Jlanawata •'. .............. ... o

On resuming Bwyer's services .' were again l called into requisition.'. He kicked out, and a hit'onthe'reboimd'misseS fire: At this-stage of: the -gattte the Manawatn attack; was vigorously maintained,- Dwyefj however, proving consistently sound. Then. Wellington' instituted a hot.attack.on the.visitors' goal, a. shot by G. Smythe narrowly ■ missing;. Some ' merriment was heia provided by Dwyer. Hb ran.' out of goal, to' the wing,.nnd on returning to ■ play kicked the ball frequently and so much to the purpose that all danger was averted. ■• Presently Wellington again pressed'warmly, a couple of shots failing, to. find th« not. ' ' ■■, Upon resuming -after•the' interval the play was of an. even kind. The visitors- instituted scmo pretty rushes ,np the left-wing, Webb and M/Gregor .being ennspicuons,.- : but the forward* did not.riss.tp. the ..occasion.- Davies■ started out on a sudden'rush, but heWan unsupported/ and his,shot :was'stopped. Wellington maintaineU their attack, two shots flying over .the rail.i.'A secand,brilliant individual effort was 1 r initiated oyDavies-. He evaded three opponents and passed ;td.'Elliott,''whose shot- just missed. Two left-ifinif rnshw -on' the -part of the vjsftors followed,'' but: the .'• defence proved; excellent, and then a rushup the right wing (the result-, of. good passing) allofred Fitt to score Mhnawatu's -first goal. . - ... , Wellington, .... ... ... . „; : ... 2■ , ; '.Manawatu ... :.,.' .:,.. ... ~. 1 : , Play now brightened'irp, and the excitement increased, ycrr. fast play followed, the local forwards- putting '.in determined, work. G-., Smythe' hit in-front a pass from Davies, hut the-, .latten was. clearly, off-side. ! A moment later," hdwever,, Smythe ■■; passed far across to Organ, and the latter .scored... ■ :' ; Welifngton .-.:';''■'..:■' ■■■■„': ... ; ''.'... -3 •'": •Manawatn''... -.:. ■ .... : :... .-... -1 ■-.■■■' Immediately afterwards Davies-' niissed a chance.. Manawatu attacked', vigorously, 'towards the finish, goal after goal' being "saved" by the splendid defence, and no ' further scores-.were .notched. .Mr, H. V, Walton controlled .: the - game. > ■•:■■: .....■■.. ; / !,NOTEB;pN ; .TBE PLAT. '"'.

Owing to. the absence, of. Harty, whose illness .was only known, at the last moment,. Kibblewhitn (Victoria.' College)' was included in cno. .Wellington team... ;,That,,'player -was at some disadvantage, as he has never played left fnlUback before.... •■'■'.. .......' '."

'.Tho visitors showed.themselves to be a fine dashing team, and,'as soon-'as-pldy commenced, it 'was; dearly seen that the defenders, had a tough' proposition to meet.' Taken as a whole,the visiting forwards were a fast and-deter-mined lot; They pressed their opponents hard on many occasions, bnt .they had one besetting sin—they,conld "not.shoot when in"the circle, ■Had they possessed "avconple- of. good, shooting ■forwards,': tlw/r^OTlt.'might''li'ave "We'ri 'very different.;'; They ' supplied < nil' the • necessary dash, 1 but Scarcely' dnonghVof' the- finishing tou'iihw."Their'combination,,too, might have been better. They were most dangerous. on the left ~wing,7 Webb, .JH'Gregor,' and Cramp, playing'very'.well .together, ■ and instituting 1 some very pretty tushes, vTheHammer, coold not compete with'G/Smythe. .'The visiting-halves:(Sorrensen 'in:particular) were sound, but the full-backs found the local forwards- too'ranch' for.-'them. .-rPorsaith,-' in goalpdid-very. commendabl©-,work,■> The shield defenders played in-unison, and dcsei'ved • their win. Hockey; is now over for the year,,and Wellington's title to hold 1 thei Chrtlleng« Shield for the, year 1903' is :nndis- J pnted, '■' V ■";, L ..'; -.. ''■■■■■ "; - ■

An interesting game of hockey was-played at. Miramar on Saturday,/between .teamsfrcpresehting Messrs. Whitcombo'.and- Tombs" and Ci JS.. Banks. After.an 1 'even 'game, 'each;side' could' only claim' one goaf, so that honours wero'etinally divided. The'Misses,Bramlev and Hardie, and Messrs, Dom, Wetherall, and Whitcombe played : best for, Whitcombe and Tombs; Wctherall score for Whitcomo's, and Miss Pullman for C, M. Banlw". Mr. J. K'lntyro was referee.' ■'' ' '■/ .••.■'.",■:...'■ ,;' ";.'/'