Hockey Notes.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 108, 26 July 1902, Page 25

Hockey Notes.

By Bully.

The following aie the lesults ot last Satuiday's matches. — Senioi Wellington 1, Karon 0 , Victoria College b, Vi\ian 0, United, a bye. Jumoi United 4, Wellington 1, Victona College 3, Karon 2, Waiwetu 10, Yi\lan 0. The. United Club now occupies tlie enviable position of ha\ing it& senioi and junior teams each with a cleai twopoints lead in their lespectne competitions. * * * Next month will be an e\enthil one lor hockey in tins city, which 15 thieatened with a regular invasion of teams from other distnets Three teams aie due from Chustchuich, lepiesentmg the Sydenham, Kaiapoi, and Christchurch Clubs-, besides the Cantcrbuiy representative team. The Manawatn Association is also sending its repiesentative team down at the same time. In addition to these fixtures, I am mfoimed that the various ladies' clubs aie inaugurating a tournament, and expoct visits from, teams from New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston Noith, and peihaps, Christchurch. » * * The Vivian Club had again to taste the bitterness of defeat in its game with Victoria College, though, as usual, the team battled haid to the finish in a most determined manner. It is veiy creditable to this club that its members should 1 oil out to get a giuelling every Satuiday 111 the spirit they do without getting discouraged, and it is to be hoped that next season then persistence will earn its due reward, and that the club will be able to lower the colours of some of the older institutions. The game itself calls for very little lemark, as the Collegians had matteis pretty much their owai way, Beeie securing four goals and bogle two. These two players were the most prominent 111 the winning forward division, and Richmond was the best of the backs. Morpeth and Hoby bore the brunt of the attack in the Vivian ranks, and did well under adverse circumstances The forwards got thei ball so little that it is a hard matter to particularise amonost them, but, as a combination they lack dash. • « * The claims of the Karon Club for senior championship honours were finally discounted by their failure to beat Wellington, and, as tilings are now the United Club have virtually won tho competition for the fourth successn c -\ear. having only the Victona College and Vivian teams to meet. Karon made desperate attempts to win the match w T ith Wellington, and missed several chances through bad luck and over-eagerness, but fortune was against them, and the older club got home with the small total of 0110 goal. Both teams were* short through sickness, Hull and Wheeler being absentees from the Wellington ranks, and Spiers from Karon, their places being filled by Midglev and Beere, and Cooper. The play, though interesting and fast, was devoid of much combined play each side being content to hit hard and follow up. In the first spell Kaa'ori had much the best of the bout, and had the Wellington backs, who missed Wheeler's hard driving, 111 trouble all the time. The second spell, however, saw a general livening up on the Wellington 1 -' part, and the forwards asserted themselves with some very hot rushes from

one of which Budge was able to notch the only scoic in the match. After this, leveise, the countiy team made strenuous' efforts to get on e^ en teims again, and should have done so had not Williams tin awn away two excellent opportunities throue;li bad shooting. Davies did excellent woik in this speJl for Karon, and must be considei ed a certainty for 'inside left" in the lepiesentative team. Campbell and Dasent weir the best ok the backs of this side, and Gnfhths was pi eminent on occasions On the Wellington side, Pieston, in goal, stood out above' the other backs, and certainly sa\ ed ln,s club fiom defe it by his cleve<r stopping He, too, may be considei ed a certamt\ foi his place in the leprcsentatives.

Boere and Atkinson, as full backs, put in some solid, stubborn, defensive work, and, though the former lacks Wheeled 's hitting powers, he proved a capital substitute. Reid was the best of the half-line, Ins only weak point, being his hitting, which is not at aJI up to the mark. All the forw ards worked hard, each 'on Ins own" (wherein lies the weakness of the Wellington team), and were so c\ en that it w ouJd be invidious, to single out amy particular one for remark. * * ♦ The Victona College Hockey Club's second annual ball was held in the Sydne^stieet schoolioom, on Monday evenma The hall w a.s decorated with the club's tolouis hockey sticks, etc., being shown about in artistic profusion, and, altogether, the dance was thoroughly eiTjoyable.