Hockey.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 257, 11 October 1928, Page 8

Hockey.

NEAL CUP. Putaruru 3,' Mamaku 1. A three-cornered contest between the Putaruru, Mamaku and 'Kia Ora ■■ladies’ hockey teams for the silver cup presented to the first-named club by Mrs. C. C. Neal eventuated on Saturday, last at Putaruru. Unfortunately the Maori team had to forfeit at the last minute through being unable to complete their team, so a full-time match for the trophy was played between Putaruru and Mamaku. The weather conditions were ideal,

and a perfect ground, so far as holding v|p3 concerned, resulted in the fastest game. of the year, the home team a great victory by 3 goal 1. There was a fair attendance of spectators. The teams were: Putaruru (red and white). —Goal, Mrs. Anderson (captain); backs, Mrs. Brown and Miss Gallagher; halves, Miss E. Rolfe, Miss Dunstan and Miss Miller; forwards, Miss Semple, Miss Eolfe, Miss Wheeler, Miss O. Benton . and Miss Berg. Mamaku (blue and white). —Goal, Miss Piapa; backs, Miss Stehr and Mrs. Eobinson; halves, Miss Brennan, Miss Sutherland and Miss Scott; forwards, Miss Bishop (captain), Miss A. Broad, Mrs. Pattle, Miss Kilgour and Miss K. Broad. Umpires: Messrs. Eeid and Griffiths. Putaruru defended the town goal for the first half, and the first piece of play of note was a glorious run down the right wing by Miss Bishop, who came from her own half and beating player after player centred from near the flag. The effort did r.ot bear fruit, however, and the reds then had a turn, but Miss Stehr kept them at bay. The blues again attacked, and from a short cross by Miss Bishop, Mrs. Pattle and Miss Kilgour outdistanced the backs in a short sprint, the former notching the

first goal. Misses Wheeler and Semple made several bold attempts to pierce the defence, but Miss Stehr again shone out. Mamaku then pressed the reds to their own half for ten minutes or so, but the covering of the home backs and halves was solid. In the final ten minutes before half-time Putaruru got a new lease of life and Miss Berg made a dash down the left and turning quickly banged the ball across for Miss Eolfe to give the visitors’ keeper no chance. Half-time.-Putaruru 1, Mamaku 0. After a fairly even opening the local team settled down and as the game progressed gained greater ascendancy over their opponents. Miss Semple on the right led several determined raids, from one of which, after beating two defenders, she put in a perfect square cross for Miss Berg to put the home team in the lead.

Mamaku rallied somewhat, but the pace was beginning to tell and the better-trained home team gradually wore them down till their superiority was most marked. The home halves, playing well up, supported their forwards in great style, and, thus paved the way for a third goal, which came from a short cross by Miss Semple. Miss Wheeler gained the point. Mamaku were now a beaten team, and were almost continually penned to their own 25, where eight or nine “ behinds ” were gained in succession by the reds. Misses Miller, Benton, Wheeler and Semple were playing in finished and confident style and only the good work of Miss Taipa kept them out. Time was called shortly afterwards with the score: Putaruru 3 goals, Mamakq 1,

Comments. , - The Putaruru team surprised ’their supporters as well as their opponents by the excellence of their display. It is giving away no secret to say that with Mamaku it was only a question of by how many goals they would win, the cup being looked upon as theirs. There was good ground for this confidence, when it is recalled that earlier in the season the visitors had beaten the home side on two occasions by the same margin of 6 goals to 0. In the intervening two months, however, the Putaruru team had put in some solid and conscientious practice, though" only two matches wore played. This, coupled with the fact that practically all of the team had. attended regular lectures for instructional purposes, resulted in such a vast improvement in the play of the side that the tables were turned. The score of three-one by no means flatters the home team, for in the final twenty minutes they outstayed and outplayed the Mamaku

team. Every player knew her position, kept it, played to the last gasp and also as a unit in a team.

Mamaku, on the other hand, were not as fit or so well balanced a side, their half back line in particular being somewhat weak. Miss Bishop, at outside right, Mrs. Pattle, at centre, and Miss Stehr, at right back, were the bright stars of the team and shone valiantly to stave off defeat. Mrs. Tiapa, in goal, also saved several certain scores even if she had to use her wearing apparel to do so. Playing to instructions, the home side marked Miss Bishop in relentless fashion, without impairing the efficiency of their team work, with the result that this brilliant player, who was perhaps a trifle stale after her southern tour, was not much in the picture after half-time. For Putaruru, Mrs. Anderson had little to do compared with her vis a vis but effected a very clever save by running out and coolly clearing from the opposing “ insides,” when her backs were beaten.

Miss Gallagher and Mrs. Brown, at fullback, gave a sound display, covering a tremendous lot of ground and being relentless in their tackling. tf not as strong, or as finished in their hitting as. Miss Stehr they gave a finer exposition of position play, never leaving a gap between their halves when their side was on attack, and supporting each other when the occasion demanded. The half-back line proved stubborn and effective, if hot quite polished, in their play, and laid the foundations for victory. Miss Dunstan did her best work on defence covering a great area and being always ready to block a gap. Her placing of the ball was at times very fine. Miss Eolfe covered less grou.r than anyone, sqleiv because she has a fine sense of anticipation. She rendered great aid to Miss Dunstan, being enabled to do so by the fact that she had the full measure of her own particular opponent. Miss Miller played an outstanding game at left half, and if any distinction can bq, made in a gams where all played so well, shared with Misses Wheeler, Semple and Benton the honours of the match. After subduing Miss Bishop, l , with the combined help of Misses Gallagher and Dunstan, the left half played a sterling game in the second half, frequently running through to the fullback when she found her outside left incapacitated. In the forward line Miss Berg lacked practice, and faded away at times. One fine dash just before half-time however, started the movement which ended in the equalising goal. With more practice Miss Ber™ showed she would fit into the line well and make a solid outside left.

Miss Benton, at inside left, fitted in well with Miss Wheeler, their combination at 25 bullies in the second half being very effective. Miss Wheeler was perhaps the most outstanding player on the field, showing remarkable energy and initiative. At odd times defending in her own circle, she also led the attack well, only once failing to be in position for a cross-hit. Miss Eolfe, at inside right, did not play up to her usual form. As a rule a very dangerous player in the circle, on Saturday' she lacked sting and seemed to be affected by a couple of offside decisions given against her in the first half. Miss Semple played a great game at outside right, and -ran Miss Wheeler close for honours of the game. As with Miss Miller, it was her best game of the season. There was no hesitation about her play, and she proved relentless in her pursuit of the ball, while her crosses were very fine and brought two goals. The team as a whole kept their positions much better than their opponents, and with more power behind their strokes would have done better still.