HOCKEY

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1937, Page 7

HOCKEY

Buller 1, Coast 0 MAWHERA CUP MATCH. WESTPORT, September 18. Ideal weather conditions favoured the Mawhera Cup hockey match played on Victoria Square this afternoon between West Coast (challengers) and Buller, who have held the trophy for many years. There was a fair attendance, and the ground was dry and fast with the result that the game was fought at great pace from start to finish. Buller retained the trophy by one goal to nil, there being no score in the second half. The backs of both teams had plenty to do, both sets of forwards being repeatedly on attack. The goal-keepers, J. Rose (Buller) and W. Ryan (West Coast), both played exceptionally brilliant games, their kicking and clearing of difficult shots being splendid. Probably the outstanding player on the field was L. Coffey, the Coast Captain, who greatly'troubled the opposing forwards, and was responsible for the opening up of many movements which should have ended in scores. W. Nicholl (Coast), and W. Atkin (Buller), the opposing centre halves, put in much useful work, Nicholl having superior stickwork. H. Harper, the fast Coast winger, was the best forward in the visiting side, his centreing being a feature of the game. The teams were:—

Buller: J. Rose; A. Pain, R. Naylor; N. Gillovic, W. Atkin, F. Ferguson; J. Easton, S. Oldham, F. Todd. J. Hodgson, W. Watt. West Coast: W. Ryan; A. Carter, J. Dixon; L. Coffey, W. Nicholl, I. Burn; H. Harper, H. de Freatus, G. Cullen, J. Weir, M. Eatwell. Winning the toss, Buller defended the southern end of the ground, playing with the sun at their back. Early the home forwards pressed, but Dixon relieved, and later Ryan made a timely save after a hot Buller attack. Coffey sent De Freatus away but the latter’s hit went over the line. Buller conceded two corners in reply to Coast’s attack, and de Freatus had a shot at goal which Rose cleared to the edge of the circle. Up and down play followed, both teams making good forward movements. Weir missed a shot at goal, and later Todd was unsuccessful for Buller, Carter clearing. An easy chance for Coast was lost when Cullen’s hit went over the posts. Buller were penalised outside their circle for sticks, but a brilliant clearance by Rose saved them. Although play was confined for some miL'ites to Buller’s 25, the visitors were unable to score, poor following up of the forwards being mainly responsible. Buller staged a spectacular effort when Watt ran well down the sideline to in-pass to Todd, whose shot found the net. Buller I—West Coast 0. Eatwell had made a good side line run and play was centred in Buller’s territory, when half time sounded with no alteration in the score.

Early in the second spell, Buller missed a very easy chance of scoring when three of the forwards failed to field a ball sent to them by Easton, In taking shot at a corner hit, Cullen gave sticks and Buller cleared. Dixon brought off a fine clearance in face of a Buller forward rush, but Coast were offside in the subsequent play. For the rest of the game, they gave tne Buller backs a worrying time, and only on three occasions were Buller able to get far out of their own territory. Nearly every Coast forward made several shots at goal, but the direction was in most cases erratic. In a clever movement, Eatwell and de Freatus played the Buller backs and goalie right out of their positions, but Eatwell could not get to the ball, before it crossed the line, and Cullen missed another easy shot shortly afterwards. In a solo effort, Eatwell passed the Buller backs, but his shot at goal rebounded from the posts and Rose was first to reach it and clear. Despite every effort to score, Coast could not equalise, play ending in midfield with the score: BULLER 1 WEST COAST 0 Messrs J. Bowden and W. E. Newton, were the umpires.

BULLER “B” TEAM. DEFEATS WAIRAU. [Our Own Correspondent]. WESTPORT, September 19. In the curtain raiser to the Mawhera Cup match, a Buller “B” team defeated the Wairau side by the odd goal in five. The hockey was fast and of a high standard, and the final score, 3 goals to 2, in favour of the Euller team, was a good indication of the play. Andrill and Herd found the net for the visitors, and Ferguson and Borlase (2) scored for Buller.