HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1426, 29 April 1912, Page 3

HOCKEY.

* THE OPENING OF THE SEASON. SEN 10.1! HKSn.TS. • Karori, 3; Wellington, 1. United, 6; Wesley, 0. Metropolitan, 3; Government Life, 1. Greasy ground- were Hie portion of the players on Saturday, which >aw I he commencement of tin , competition hue-key matches. Notwithstanding this, plav in tome of the matches was decidedly good, ulthougli there are still s.'vcral phiyois «hi> think that they n lav hockcv m an untrained »lata. Hi'tore the season goes much further many players will have to turn over a new leaf in this resect. KARORI-WELLINGTON. Karori clashed with Wellington o'l Xo. :i ground, .Day's Bay, and, although the Blacks won, their margin of victory was no( so great as expected. Soon alter the commencement of the game, gooil work by the Karori forwards, headed bv Murphy, gave Hull a chance at goal, which 'he accented. Karori 1, Wellington 0. Up and down play then followed, although Karori were most in evidence, their forward line playing with good combination. Thev were unlucky once or twice in not goaling. Half-lime went with (he score one in (heir favour. Soon after resumption of play, Loader, by fast following up, was abic io send in

a shot Hint gave .MoriicHi no rlianec. Shortly afterwards, Henderson added another goal, making Karori three. Then Wellington took a hand in the attack. Armstrong transferred the ball to M'Ewan, who shot, only to see the hall rebound. Hcllis was handy, and seizing Hid chance, whipped in a goal for the. Blues. Wellington kept the attack pressing, but "time" soon came, without: further additions to the score. Air. Cockrell had control. UNITED-WESLEY. This game was played at Day's Bay, Xo. 1 ground, and, owing to the wretched condition of the field, apod hockey was out of the question. Wesley won the"bully," and, for the first few minute?, wrve "in United'* riu-irters, but splendid defence by M'Eldowney annulled their efforts. The ball steined to travel about much on endless missions. Wesley being weak in this respect. Their win?.', too, were always out of place., and the sood work of Birch and Keys was thereby nullified. The United forwards, on the other hand, kept, their places well, their play lieiiiß bright: and nippy—the result of " practice. On the whole, however, play in the first half was poor. and. when half-time sounded, the score board On resuming, play was lively, the United forwards krepin;.' up their brisk tactics, which were rewarded by a goal from Birch's stick. Weslev's defence then seemed to totter and fall. Hatch (goal), with Birch and tCey.s in the forwards, were the only ones to show. anything like good play." From then on, the United forwards, playing with rare dash, made onslaughts on Wesley's goal, am! Andrews sent, in three successful shots, bonn afterwards Boyd added another, bringing His tally up to five. Wesley then made efforts to score, but United presently attacked again, and Andrews sent in his fifth 1 goal, lcavine Uie score: United G, Woslcv nil. Mr. Gendall was the referee.

METROPOLITAN—GOVERNMENT

Played at Karori, this match was willing all the time, although much encrgy was u-elessly spent, and, it these two teams wish to .do well, they must figure out and practise some method of real attack before (ho season progresses lurther The two best players on tba ground were Maker—ex-Auckland representative, and M'Gregor. ex-Mnnawatu representa-tive-ami it was well for Metropolitan tl-nt they counted these two in their ranks. 'Metropolitan at once attacked, mid although they could make m> use of fcveral corners, M*uldoon eventually sent in a goal. Almost immediately, Clark took advantage of :i miss by a Governinont Life back, and sent in a goal, matin? Metropolitan two. Half-time was then bounded. J'l-iy ill (he second half was very spasmodic, although M'Gregor gave a ta>lo of his ability on one or two occasions. He was instrumental in giving Muldnon another goal, which made the Metropolitan score (iiree goals. Time then sounded, Mr. Hunter was referee.

THE LESSER LIGHTS. PLAY IN THE JUNIOR GRADE. Playing at Day's Bay, Gregg's v. K Y. 51.1. retired with honours even, one "onl each, beinsr tlie tally. Smythe, for Gregg's, and Eiiieny for Y.Y.M.I;, were the successful shooter;. United, playing at Karori - witli only eight men, Vere defeated by Karori to tlio dine of 10 to 1. for Karori, E. Lewer (3),' L<'?s (S), A. Lcwor (2), Jones and Noilson (1 carli), scored. Clarkson scored for the Red.=. Jlr. Jl'Kcnzie was rofeiee. Govprnmcnt Life In.-uraiwe beat K.V.i1.1. by oto 1. While (■!). O'Coniifll, and Hamilton (1 each), scored for the winners, Smith .shooting for Kilbiniie. St. Augustine's, playing on their own ground, accounted easily for AVesley by ito 1. Mr. Austin was referee. College A and Metropolitan met at. Diippa Street, the former bcins; victorious by .") lo 2. Grilliths (2). (.'leghorn ll). C f astle (0, and Di-laiiiare (I), for College, and AVrigley and Kitoliing for Metropolitan, were the- goal-getters. Mr. Francis " St. 'Mark's boat Hutt Valley at Hult Park bv 3 goals to 2. Goal? were shot by Reed (2), and Hntson for the winners, and by Fointpii and Wales for the losers. Third Class. St. Aiilan's (Kilbirnic), playing at Day's Bay, defeated Wellington by one goal lo nil. Almost the whole of the two teams were new. players, but they made a nro■mi'"i7 ilfibut. Kilbirnic Anglican defeated Wellington at Dav's Hay bv one goal to nil. At Hay's Hay Gregg's beat Victoria Collego by 7 goals to 5. The seorers for Gregg's were l-'oiiliy (5), and .Scliiilcnbcri; (2). and for the losers Pownall (2), Smith, Burr, and l'indla'y.