Hockey NORDON CUP GAME

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 111, 27 May 1937, Page 15

Hockey NORDON CUP GAME

Wanganui Lift Trophy , from Hastings N.Z. SELECTOR PRESENT So at long last the Nordon Cup, emblem of supremacy among minor hockey associsations throughout New Zealand, has changed hands. Wanganui are the new "champions," and they justly earned their succees last Thursday when they soundly defeated the Hastings representatives by three goals to nil. - It was «t the tail-end of 1933 that the Hastings tea,m journeyed in quest ot the Cup and wero successful in. liftipg it from Waiapa. Since then they .have had a pretty busy time defending (it, "but defend it they did until last v*eek, when they dropped on their 13th defence of the trophy. Something for the superstitious to ponder about! In- 1934 there were six challengers, the following season four and last year the number dwindled down to two, though other games were contemplated but suitable arrangementS could not be finalised. Last week's game was the first outing of the present season for the representative side, and it clearly' showed lack of training. It is not my izrtention to reView the game from that standpoint, however, for it hafl & gre&ter significanee than being merely a cup representative game. All that need be said, is that the Wanganui Side were definitely superior on the day, particularly when it came to finishing off their movements, the piayers on the right wing being particnlarly good iu this respect, while there was fine combination shown in the forward division. On the other hand Hastings gave a poor showing individually and collectively, and it was difficult to realise tHat this was a seasoned cup defending side. National Trial Game. As already mentioned, the game was more important than a Nordon Cup match. It was virtually a national Yrial game, for present among the selectoqs was Mr. E. McLeod, one of the three New Zealand selectors, who are looking over the material -offering for the team to tour Australia later this season. Taking part in Thursday '» ■ game -were six- nominations for national .. honours, three from Wanganui and three from Hawke's Bay. Need less te say more than passing interest was attached tothese piayers. Of this sextet, three may be said to have enhanced their prospects and their performances certainly warrant seleqtion in the more important elimination trials. These are A. Mahoney, the Hastings captain, L. Stewart and Smallwood of Wanganui. Quite the most impressive was Stewart, who last year came clase to gaining a place in. the Test sides against the/ Indians. Mahoney, despite his very long serviee, continues to produce high-class hockey, Experience counts a*- great deal with him, and it has been very Iargely due to his efforts that Hastings retained the cup as long as they did. He has a fine sense of positional play, and his defence is excellent. The same can be said of the other two mentioned, for they both 'revealed first-class form. Their stick-work was excellent, and ■ repeatedly they were seen in concer.ted aetion, for often a long cross-field pass from Smallwood at left half. would enable Stewart on the right wing to get going a hot attack. As far as Hastings enthusiasts were eoncerned, the disappointment was Tau Hemapo, who, in the recent representative game. at Wellington, had given such a promising display. Thursday 's showing was quite the worst he has made, and it can bo Iargely attributed to, firstly, the fact that he was a "marlied man," and, secondly, to the rather heavy, and certainly uneven, playing surface. He also received little assistance from his team-mates, who were all off colour, and consequently he had little opportunity to show of his best. He is undoubtedly a player of promise, and it is to be hoped that he is given another opportunity, for if ho does get the chance he would probably redeem himself. He has already proved that he has a naturai aptitude for the game, and is probably one of the best examples of the good work that *was taught by the Indians, for he has revealed Temarkably clever stick-work that bears a striking resemblance to that of the Indians. Good' Defence. In the other men's junior game eome close and exeiting play was witnessed. For a junior game it was one of the best I have seen. Kiwi White did most of the attacking) but their shootmg was poor and they met a sturdy but very diminutive goalkeeper who was as solid as the rock of Gibraltar in repelling attacks, and he wus largiely responsible for keeping the White • score down to one goal. Kiwi Gold played a good game both in attack and defence, and their passing in the circlo was superior to that of the Whites, eo they fipished up victors bv two goals to one. Napier1 MatohM. -The hockey games i% Napier on Saturday again demonstrated the need

===-—* in'itiative and resourcefulnese in adaptingj play to circumstances. In the men's junior game, Taradale v. Scmde, the latter in the first spell played without a goalkeeper, and ihe Taradale forwards sensing the weakness dribbled through in solo efforts from, the twenty-five line and notched three goals, Scinde failing to score. In the second spell Scinde played with a goalxe and he kept Taradale out oo several occasions when they changed over, and in this spell they only scored one goal, while Scinde, with better combination than in the early part of the game, put on four gfoals in quick succession, thus drawing level. The change of tactics enabled Scinde to avert defeat. Promoted Junlors. Kiwi seniors piayed with a eomplete half-back line comprised of all last season's juniors, two having been moved up _ from, the junior ranks at the beginning of the season, while the third was an emergjency who took tha place of a senior player who was ill. They all gave a good account of themselves, and assisted Kiwi to maintain riu.eir un^Jea'^en record for tho season. The game, however, was very fast and keen, each side playing good hockey, and nothing hut sound defence on both - sides kept the scores down, Women's Matches. In the womoiTs section Te Awa stood out as easily the best team on the ground, and the forward line wa3 much superior to the Napier side. Some of their fast passing had the Napier backs very busy defending, and in the end the defence to some extent collapsed under the constant pressure and tho score registered by Te Awa, six goals to nil, was the heaviest that has gone against Napier for mau'y seasons, but the winners well deserved tjbeir success. l>ogged defence rather than brilliant play xnarked the Tech. Old Girls— Huia game. It was played at a fast pace, and the ball travelled np and down the field in a constant succession of attacks and counter-attacks Sn which the ball was hit without much judgment. However, the game was fast enough to be exeiting to the spectators. In. the women's junior gam® Taradale played their customary sound game, passing well when near the circle and it was chiefly in these short, crisp passes that their superiority lay. Both teams defended well.