The Surprise Packet—Where?

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1758, 24 May 1913, Page 12

The Surprise Packet—Where?

The United v. Metropolitan contest has beon termed by some a "surprise packet," but tho real surprise is how anyono could have thought it such. It is true that College beat Metropolitan by. nine 'to nil. It is also true that College beat Karori by nine to one. Yet, because Karori only beat United by 3 to 2, some call it a surprise. As a matter of fact, the result was expected. If anything, it was thought that the Red and Blacks might win, for, individually, theirs is the better team.

Anvhow, to get back to tho game itself: "in the opening stages United predominated, and had two goals on in ten minutes. But then tho younger team improved, and, finishing fast, they mado tho K.imo a draw. Tho great fault with their forwards is their habit of bunching, and getting out of place, Wallneo (right wing) being very noticeable in this rospect. Tho backs all played well, and if the forwards could only use their sticks lo more advantage in the circle they would prove a formidable eleven.

A Hockey Stick that Flow, There was one incident in this gamo that calls for attention. M'Grcgor was in the circle about to shoot. Tho keeper was away from the goal—and a seoro seemed imminent. Miller (United fullback) threw his stick at. M'Gregor, and, bv the time that player had recovered, M'Eldowney was on to him. The referee gave a penalty "bully," from which no good resulted. It is hoped for tho sake of tho sport that if a player cannot reach another player in time to prevent him scoring lio will «it least hold tlio stick in "his hand. This'goal altered the result of the game, and tended in this caso to create bad feeling. A Goal-keeper Criticised.

Wellington beat Government Life Insuranc© bv two goals to one, and ill doing so wiire iucky. Tho youngor team is a fast, improving and a vigorous oombination—but why do thoir forwards bunch so much ? Chance after chanco was spoilt this way on Saturday. Sturrock M Glintock, Williams, and Cleave all played well, and in fact the whole team is to be congratulated on their showing. And now to the Wellington eleven. To bo frank they were disappointing, and really nobody played well. After their match on the previous Saturday, a good victory was looked for in tills match, but tlio hope was falsified. And the chief factor in their undoing was Morpeth. 1 hero is no player who has the interest of tlio sport and his team more at heart than Morpeth, but why does he leave the goa and go up into tho It is hard to say. At half-time on Saturday the score was two to nil, with a promise of more to follow, but what did wo see in the second half ? A disjointed team. Everybody was playing nowhere, and nothing was accomplished.

Swat Those Thieves! For some time past petty thieving has been going 011 at Karori in tho drcssingshed and it is good to know that one culprit has teen caught. Ihis kind of thieving is mean and if any thief should read this, let him hie himself to mansions and banks and steal silver plate, but leave the poor hockeyito alone. He is often a good fellow with a short pocket. It is good to know that tho accommodation at Karori is shortly going to be improved, for which hockey players should be .thankful. It is much more congenial for each club to have a shed of its own, its was tho case at Day's Bay.