HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 919, 12 September 1910, Page 5

HOCKEY.

BATTLE FOR.THE'SHIELD. AUCKLAND DEFEATED. AN EXCITING GAME. The weather on .Saturday was conducive to good hookey, and fully 2010 spectators witnessed the most important shield event of the season. Wellington, holders ,of the shield, Werw successful in securing tlie New Zealand Association shield from Auckland lastyear, and t-iie northern body have been anxiously waiting for the opportunity to regain tho. shield. Already this season a large .nu'mbor. of championship matches have taken place, and on each occasion the local, team has proved victorious. The opinion was freely expressed, prior to Saturday's big match that Wellington would win, and this forecasting proved, correct. . The game was fairly fast, right, from tho...commencement,'but on the whole play, was disappointing:' It-was.anticipated that .the'! combination of both /teams -'Would bo. of/, the highest ordor. As it happened, .neither side showed out with special brilliancy. ■ The home team has played "better- games—for instance,' in the Canterbury and Hawke's Bay matches.' Howover, it may Co said the local forwards: were, superior ; to, Auckland's front rankers, and.on the afternoon's play the-best, team won by'.three goals to one., ■'./;/", '■■".-■• • "":■'' '■■

; The Ferry.' Company's arrangements for/transit of passengers ■; to the bay proved ■ highly satisfactory. / Mi'.: Hatch, of Christchurch,. carried .out the duties of- referee; in a capable manner,,his decisions always'being most prompt and impartial. '.-.-.//: '. ; :,/-'

/:V;',:/The; Teams.,;-'; ] ' Wellington' (yellow, and : black),':'. Goal, W. G. Morpeth;'full-backs, G. Harty, C. Hickson;■ halves, # It.: Thompson, C. Campbell,' L. Christie;" 1 forwards,:- E. Loader, C. Strack, G. Strack; J). Smith, G. : Davie's.' :/"/'/'-/■ -: ■ ■ // '

■■ :'Auckland (blub and white): Gbal,,W. S.R.Bloomfield;-full-back's,-J. Baker. F. S.' Shirriffs;' halves, M./„ Allison, V. ,C: Kayahagh',-.'.A'.--:M. Itowe;.forwards, W., Brooke-Smith, "'N.' R. Jacobsenj P. R; /Mason, .D.;Smythe,;.H: .0. Welham.

:V\ / Tha Play. /. .' Aucklaud/.preSspd: from /the: initial bully-off j ■ and; matters .looked /black for the. home-team, : whpn Christie:■ mulled Hicksbiijifbll^back,.. as'.the'latter :w;as. clearing , -.Wellingtoii'.s:.: circle.'.■'■■■ Then Brooke-Smith .'took ,'aii unsuccessful shot .at'-'the net'.':,.Wel!jhgtdn!s'fbrwards-wero. yery. soon, prominent .-.with : a: forward movement, Smith;' inside-right, .'/being 'conspicuous. }\ His' pass: to Loader: .:was unfortunately,;taken, off-side.;,/Playcdri-tinued: on; in a: see-saw- - fashion. ' Smith', and' Shirriffs W'ere -both putting, in/good work:for/Auckland,', also ',-the. Stra'ck" brothers'; on 1 Wellington's., side, whilst. Bakbr' broke '.up : several sistent rushes..''/Campbell, as■■-. centre-. half,':was;'kept_',busy.-defending, in/fact' : both. forward lines' .were' losing. the ball amohgst.'the/opposing .backs. '".'.On ..one. :ocbasioh';G,';Davie's;'gave'''awa'y a;spien-, iSii:' chance;by, : : finishing -his very ..finerun with ■- a. breach- of /the rule, regarding .the'kicking of thoball;, Fifteun liiiiutes 'had.gone.;.' Then: a fast;march ,forAvard. set -iiv'from the: Wellington side; which'enabled: Geo./ S.tfa'ck. V.to' prove, -bimself..'.;,Ho/'fairly 'flew' into, the circle and scored frbm":a:very, difficult, aiigle, 't]io.-':Auckland ; goalkeepor. ; having.'little 'or, 'iip chance of saving. 1 , N . 'This,-was/thb first'■'score.- .'''.Wellington': ■ I; '■' 'Auckland;.0.;;:':;:;:'////./:'',':'/:://:'-.;'./:.: 'V '.•.-■■;*.-. : .-This breaking of tho'-''."duck"; was' the signal-.for, more',:spirited work' on the part of/the.: Aucklanders,, but "they could not, 'pass Hickspn or Harty/the'. two; full-backs. - G./Strack's l^ next, hard ,ahd/s\yift sli'ot atthe net was. saved comfortably .'by Blobiiifield, -in goal, coih ceding :a , corner: : The;'free, hit ;which 'was-/awarded Wellington -for .this.and/a subsequent /corner.,-yielded /rib further score,., arid finally ..play,was directed to-: ,wards .Wellington's 'defence. - Wellingtpn .were.-havin'g/the.'.best of the/game and had initiated several.rushes. -Mason, for-'Aucklandj/.'/when-; near /Wellington's goal, later, intercepted/a pass amongst, the local backs,' and Sent up'-'a very high shot, without' scoring..;',Harty!s: defence, was 'sound, 1 and.Thpmpsbh's work,, as left-half .very, effective, on. Welliu'gton'B. side.: .For the next, few : minutes Auckland pressed. _, On one" occasion- a freehit given'. in'. Wellingtbn' s..'. favour against;. Mason for off-side..'/,'Loader/re-ceivebV:a.:pass "from/the right-wing, "and ■sent in a ,h"ot 'shot-towards the 'Auck-' land/'g'o<ili-but/withbut adding to the score. •: /Still another,'.splendid., attempt was. made:by:Loader withcut effecting

' Not'; satisfied yet,V Wellington" '. foi* ■wards ■ showed _• r their :; , superiority,■■■; and ;Con Strack' secured 1 a magnificent goal; amidst; great..cheering'. Wellington, • 2;. Auckland, p... r■"';''■''.'.•.;;". ; ■;'., : '";- ,•■■; ':■ Play, .continued 'very fast. ■_.. Auckland finally carried. to; the oppos-ing.twenty-five, per medium of BrookV Smith and. J.a'cobscn.;,.. ;Auckland .forwards now showed, up: better, with a fine passing movement, -, and. Mason - sent, hi a deadly -shot,' whichSMorpeth, in goal, saved ;* admirably. ,' M'he. ■: ■ northerners continued,, to\ play with 'more , vigour; Kavanagh,' centre-half, putting in : some splendid work.', At. this, -point. vth'e Auckland, team's; attack was. very, spirited, and they-were pressing dangerously near'the .circle for some ■ minutes.•■•.;',"Mason was.:the-'most. deadly .forward I .amongst ithe attack!,' ; Great pressure was; brought to,'bear upon Wellington's goal-net, and finally Mason scored; after several players had handled ■the ball. .The spell ended: Wellington, 2j:Auckland; i:■"■;.^ '■■;;■ -;V ■'■ \ ,;,;. .'/ •'.Play opened briskly in the noxt. spell, but,':,at'time's , r was : ' rather,,,' patchy. Auckland had the 'best : of the first few minutes' play; and ; Jacobseh found the net,-'but'was; off-side; -After Wellington had taken a free-hit for obstruction ,in midfield,'Mason sawah opening for Auckland,, and) after! displaying .some'tricky stick .work; .was. .beaten by Harty, 'the leather finally:,being taken, down and ov.er Auckland's goal-line by G. Davies '/with a, splendid .run.: >■:: Brooke-Smith, Mason, .and Jacobsen (Auckland) initiated '- a dash, but .the. opposing backs cleared. , ..Wellington subsequently lost what appeared, to be a-sure goaPby Loader through his getting.hurt;'.".

; /, Making the Pace Hot. ' 'Strack ißrbs.: were- now, making, the pace, hot; on: the homo, team's-. side. They were playing a meritorious, ganio. G,;Davies was also playing'-,well.' . Welham. was now displaying some neat, tricky work, and carried play into Wellington, circle, where' Brooke-Smith took a pass .off-side. ' Auckland kept up a pressure, and Mason's'shot-at tuts net•■ was saved, by Morpeth, who conceded a corner. , From a. scramble in Wellington's'- circle, the local forwards opened 'up . the game; with Loader m prominence. Coiv Strack had a couple of good, shots ; at; the net, -likewise Jacobson, of the Auckland team. G-. Strack was now "almost certain, of a goal; 1 but Mason ■ obstructed him. A penalty-bully was .given, the result, being,in' favour of Wellington. Wellington now had 1 a . two-point , load. Wellington. 3; Auckland, 1., .-. Wellington were now havingthe best of.'tho . game. Mason, however, had several snots at Wellington's net with, out adding to the' score. Auckland were sadly in need of more combination.- Luck on '■■[several" occasions was against them; In fact, whonever Wellington made a rush, play invariably passed into the.opposing defence, owing to the halves and hill-backs being too far apart. Jacobsen initiated a good movement amongst the visiting forwards on one occasion, but Harty intercepted' the pass. Loader had

sent in a few hot shots, one of these being from an off-side position. After Wellington had had ■"matters their 'own way for some timo, Mason succeeded in getting near the' Wellington gaol,, and sent in a hot shot, which Morpeth saved comfortably. Mason followed 'up the comer-hit which' was given in favour of Auckland, but his shot went wide. At call of time Auckland were pressing. Thus ended an interesting game, the scores being; ; : ■ Wellington ....!.....; 3 Auckland .;.. ....... 1 '.'. CANTERBURY AND OTAGO. -, -\ ■ ■ —— TWO GOALS EACH.. . (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Dunedin, September 10.' Tho Canterbury' Hockey, team" ; met Otago to-day. in beautifurweather.. The attendance,was small. In tbe'first spell Caldor arid Rutherford scored for Otago but Canterbury forwards gave the opposing .backs a lot of defensive work to do. In. the ■ second spell goals were scored for tlie : visitors by Howison and Throp and the game thus ended in a draw.'Play was ; not of a specially interesting Canterbury forwards were superior to their opponents _ and Otago's strength-lay in the pack division, Gotz, in goal, giving a particularly fine display.

.LADIES' HOCKEY TOURNAMENT. ' Noison,,September 11. . Th 4 weather rein ained beautifully fine for the/conclusion of the ladies' hockey, tournament. . The attendance numbered about: 8000. . Results of tho day's; play .were as follow:—. .':■■'; ;. '■: Greymouth v. Wanganui, a draw, no score. V ■'. . '■':'•■'.. -Auckland v. Otago, a draw, two all. • Hawke's Bay defeated Nelson' by one :goal vto;;nil.!. .■ . . I ';. ; ';■ ' ( ... ;. ;This was the deciding match of.the tournament, and. one of the .best ever seen .here. Both sides played determinedly, but in the,best of. spirits."The teams were fairly-evenly matched, hi the ' first spell, two, scores were' averted : by .the narrowest margin. /•• >Play had return ed. from.' Hawke' s -bay terntory _ to the Nelson circlo and hard hits by Miss Smith struck' the post.. Shortly afterwards' Miss ;Enims (Nelson) had a similar, experience. The : .first spell ended, with no.score. -In the sceorid half there .was. a;fine exhibition, of hockey and no score came until .witliiif twelve minutesof time, when. Miss Pitt shot \ a good goal.;. Nelson's, endeavours' to equalise, we're unsuccessful. , As a result of-tho match Hawke's Bay retains the cham--pionship. .The'-points were-as follow :4HaniVs Bay. 18;' Wairarapa, 15; Nel-; son, 13; Auckland, 12: Wanganui,. 11; Taranalri, 6; Grevmoutli, 6; Wellington A, -5; Wellington B, 2;/ Westport, !.'■ Several -team!) had- another -match,., to, play, : . but the,, result .of .trie Hawke's Bixy-Nelson .Contest' 'makes it 'uniu;-ces- ! sary';to: prolong the'.tourriamfflit. 'The Hawke's, Bay tea'nv received ah'/ovation o'n.:leaving tliefieldi •; ,; .;■' '.'.':-. i' : \ ':':.■ •'.:' LAWN "^X^-^ ■ •The Brougham'' Hill- Lawn .Tennis Club;will.open its';courts on Saturday afternoon . next. ~ The; opening; ''ceremony will- be (performed ;by the,.president, 'Mr; - J/G. W.; Aitkeri.. '■';. '' ,V-