HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1210, 19 August 1911, Page 12

HOCKEY.

* s—• THE FRAY OVER THE" WATER. (By "Right-Half.") The long-expected meeting between the Auckland and Wellington representatives has come and gone, and local enthusiasts, when they meet, are still fighting "tho fray at the Bay" over agnin. Both teams were out to win,'and tlio result was tho finest display of hockey yet seen here. One. rather hopes that this standard will be maintained. Tho game was clean throughout, and was played in a sportsmanlike spirit by both sides. Auckland's weakness lay in their forv-rds, faulty sliopting, Hie majority of their shots going across the goal. Tho Wellington goalkeeper had very few sent straight in at him. Welham,\ tke- visitors' right-wing, was tho best of tho forwards. Jacobsen (leftinside) did goud work in tho centre tff tho fiold, but failed to stop Welham's "centres" at the critical moment, and lost his siilo several opportunities. Tho tame may bo said of jMason, Moore, and Reynolds, tho other forwards. Sorao of our own forwards appeared to becOyertrhhled.' , . /Training is essential in all sports, but can be overdone, and hockey players should at least put in two nights a week, but no more. At least certainly not moro when playing every Saturday. A rest from to-day's games should prove effective. Loader was tho pick of the Wellington forwards, and G. Strack and Davies also did well in the field, but tho writer has seen them do far bettor work in the circle than they did last Saturday. C. Strack made the mistnko of dropping behind tco often, trying to secure tho ball for his other forwards. This may work well at times, but ho 1-oft ft gap in the lino when his fellow forwards were in the circle. Andrews, who was Salok's substitute, put in a good run that ended in Loader scoring, but did not show up too well for most of tho game. The slick work and passing rushes of tho Auckland forwards in tho first two spells was far superior N and more effective than that of the local men,, who, when initiating a passing rush, always sent the ball too far forward, and usually did not dispatch it to a position whero tho next man could, secure, and take, down-field. Tho result was that the visiting backs had very little difficulty in intercepting the rushes and keeping Wellington out of their twenty-five. Porter, Kavanagh, and Robinson, tho visitors' halves, all gave a good display— l'orter particularly so—and it was noticeable that this player always kept his place in tho centre, and always sent tho Ball out to the wings, by sure hitting. Campbell, the local centre-half., did not in tho first half sliow his usual form, but "settled down to it" in the second spell. Thompson and Partou had plenty to do, and did it well, both falling back to assist in defence. But when their forwards wero on tho attack they at times stood too deep. On his gaino last Saturday Parton lias justified his inclusion in the team, niul tho half-back line is now stronger than it has been this season. Tho Auckland full-backs, Speight and Baker, gave u splendid display, and had the local for-' wards thinking. In tho second spell tlioj stopped Loader and Davies at tl)e twentyfive time and again, and both these forwards found it no easy matter to reach the circle. One thins noticeable about the play of Speight and Baker was that there was no crossing oiw another, and they always gave tho goal-keeper plenty of room so that he could see the ball. The reverse was the case on the Wellington side, Hiekson mid M'Eldowney both boing anxious. They played at times too close together, and also too close to the goal-keeper, who could not see when the ball was coming. The former player exhibited his cleanest game this cens'en, In , - ing penalised only twice for obstruction. 31 Eldowney, who replaced Kibblewhite, was always there when wanted, and ho hit with good judgment. It is pleasing .'o note that a word of praise was given by 31 r. Badham, manager of tho Auckland team, lust Saturday evening to the referees who so ably controlled the game. The Wairarapa Association have written asking the local association whether Thursday, August 21. would bo a suitable date for the proposed senior 1! and junior representatives to play at Jlasterton. It is doubt ml whether tho local men will be able to make tho trip on that date, and Wellington are trying to arrange for the ?i"v s v3 I' 0 1 , ' 1, !' 0, ' on a Saturday. 3lr. r jt" " il ''° ,l na * t> ooll appointed selector of the Wellington senior B team, and Jlr. A. A. Bennett and Messrs. A. Gill and Waldegravo captains of tho Wellington and Victoria College teams respectively, the junior team. It is probable that tlio _ senior representatives will visit Napier and Auckland at the end of tho season. Tho following ladies' teams have been selected to practice for the coming tournament to be held here next month:— Wanganui.—Backs, Ethel Turner, V. Collier, V. Thißiey, A. Storey, and Tl. Sutherland; halves G. Williams, N. Calvcr, U. Turner, M. Gilbortroji, D. Collier and I. Mcore; forwards, VI. Lain!, 11. Moore, K. Boyle, F. Sutherland, G. Jones, I. Perrett, and C. Macdonnld. Hawke's Bay.-Goallwper, Miss 31. Morrison; full-backs, Misses .1. Burden and A. Bundle; halves, Misses Grace 31orrison. J. O'Dowd, and 31. Swain; forwards, Mis.--.os V. Pitt, 31. Nivon, IC. Crowley, C. Smith, and B. Harrison. Emorgencios: Half, Miss C. Warren; forwards. 3lisses Ada Hollis, B. Cogswell, and B. Wood?. . Taranaki.—Forwards-. Misses Winks (Hawera). 3f'Kwen (New Plymouth), A. Young (Hawera), King (Kaponga), P. Young (Hawera); halves, Barnard (Hα-. wera), Bamford (Hawera), Penn (Kow Plymouth); full-baclts, Andrews (Kow Plymouth). Klson (Hawera); goalkeeper, Knm'koy (New Plvmouth); emergencies, forward, 3'liss Faull (Knpongn);' half, 3liss Quin (Kltham); lxick, 3liss Andrews .(Hawera); goal, Miss Arthur (Now Plymouth).