HOCKEY TROPHIES RETAINED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20021, 21 August 1939, Page 10

HOCKEY TROPHIES RETAINED

CARROLL SHIELD HOLDERS BELOW FORM WIN BY ONLY ONE GOAL STRONG WAIROA DEFENCE SCORELESS SECOND HALF Poverty Bay .. 2 goals Wairoa .~. 1 Playing hockey far below tournament standard, the Poverty Bay women’s team defeated Wairoa on the Childers Road Reserve on .Saturday by two goals to one, and retained the Lady Carroll Shield in their thirteenth game for the trophy.

Wairoa secured their only goal within a minute of the opening bully, and although Poverty Bay for the most part were superior, the visiting girls put up a splendid defence, which was so effective in the second hail that there was no score during that spell.

The Poverty Bay players have given much better exhibitions in club hockey and in the tournament, which will commence on Saturday, they should benefit from the season's Carroll Shield series and put up much better performances.

The forward line made a fair attempt at combined effort, but their circle work was poor, with too much hesitation. The halves backed up creditably, but their stickwork Was not always clean. The full-backs gave a better display than against Napier a fortnight ago. Poverty Bay Players Both wing-forwards had fair speed, but they did not have the knack cf getting in swift centres. Mrs. Neilson was the better, and both scoring movements came from her side. Miss Whitehead, playing her first representative game, kept her position well, but was not up to her club form. Mrs. Nieol. centre, opened up play fairly well on occasions and was able to carry the attack to the circle, where, however, she was not quick enough in getting in her shot. Miss Single, inside right, suffered similarly, although her work in the field was pleasing in the second half. Miss Ruru made sever.i, good attempts in the second spell, but her circle work lacked finish. Except for a few mistakes early in the game, the half line was sound. Mrs. Pocock, right, played her best game of the season and sent the ball to her forwards better than in previous fixtures. Miss Wyllie, centre, was hardly so prominent as usual, but made few mistakes. Miss Rich, left, was also below her form of a fortnight previously, but fed her forwards with good judgment. Mrs. Ngarangione was the better ol the two full-backs, usually stopping and hitting cleanly, and was well supported by Miss Wilson. Both were in their first representative game and, although they were never brilliant, they were sound and should settle down well together during the tournament. Mrs. Watts had insufficient to do in goal to show her worth. Wairoa’s Defence The Wairoa forward line, like the opposition vanguard, displayed a weakness in the circle, but the left flank, Misses Wairoa and Edwards and Mrs. Cotter, centre, shaped well in the field. The halves did not give them the best of support, but Miss L. Single played consistently well. The full-backs were very sound, 'Mrs. Pere showing up in the early stages, while Miss Adsett saved the situation many times towards the close. In Miss G. Single the visitors had a splendid goalkeeper who showed gooa judgment when it was necessary to leave her goal, and it was the strength of the defence that prevented a fairly substantial goal tally against them.

Qulck^Goals

Wairoa attacked from the outset and, following a series of mistakes by the Poverty Bay defence, the ball came across the goal mouth from Miss ‘McGregor to Miss Edwards, who effected an easy score within a minute of the start.

Poverty Bay raided the Wairoa circle immediately afterwards, but thereafter play, which was veryragged, gravitated between the two 25's until Mrs. Neilson took the ball down the left wing, centring to Miss Ruru, whose shot went, high, lobbing at the custodian’s feet. Mrs. Nicol caught the rebound, but her shot was blocked, Mrs, Neilson eventually slamming the ball in to equalise. Poverty Bay returned immediately to the attack up the left wing, and Mrs. Nicol accepted Mrs. Neilson’s centre to put a high one into the net within a minute of the former score, putting Poverty Bay one goal in the lead. The game still failed to open up satisfactorily, neither side being able to keep the ball moving among each other for effective combined effort, and half-time came without alteration to the scores.

Poverty Bay swept to the attack on several occasions after the changeover, and Miss G. Single defended her goal twice in spectacular fashion. Wairoa then took the initiative, and had the home defence scrambling hard in their own circle, until a hit behind saved the situation. The scene of play cnanged quickiy, and Miss Ruru led the home forwards into the circle several times, while on other occasions Miss Single sent the ball in, .but the defence held good. Off-side play spoiled a number of Poverty Bay efforts. ‘Miss Ruru, in a solo effort, beat the backs and also the custodian, but missed the empty goal. The game ended shortly afterwards with the score: Poverty Bay .. .. 2 W'airoa .. . i, .. 1 The umpires were Mr. Mclntosh, Wairoa, and Mr. McKenzie.