HOCKEY EXCITES LITTLE INTEREST

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 135, 29 August 1927, Page 11

HOCKEY EXCITES LITTLE INTEREST

WILD HITTING FEATURED REMUERA COMPETITIONS For the most part the hockev grounds at Itemuera on Saturday were in splendid order. Play was fast and. at times, exciting, but batter play could have been expected. There was much erratic and careless stickwork, and hitting was wild and poorly directed. Tho men's senior matches incited little interest, though they were mostly keenly and evenly contested. SOMERVILLE DOWNS ST. LUKE'S Tho final score of 5-1 in favour of Somerville in its contest with St. Luke’s is little indication of the game. St. Luke’s put up a hard battle throughout and confined play for the most part to its opponents' territory. Lack of finish proved its downfall, and Somerville won on the dashing, and at times almost brilliant work put up by the front line in quick decisive moves which came up the field and penetrated the circle before the St. Luke's players had time to rally round. The St. Luke's forward line plaved hard keen hockey, but lacked the finish in the circle necessary to complete. Close play was featured throughout and there was' little midfield work. !-■ W atts, Rodgers and Gardiner \yere seen to advantage for Somerville, while tho most prominent players for St. Luke's were Steele, Giles, Foreman and Craig. VARSITY’S HARD BATTLE The Varsity-Areta match proved to be one of the most strenuous and closely-disputed fixtures decided at Remuera this season. After a ding-dong struggle on a good field the Blues achieved victory by the narrow margin of 2-1. After their lengthy series of victories the students apparently failed to appreciate the calibre of the side they were to meet, with the result that they took the field expecting a comfortable win. Playing with great dash Areta’s forwards dominated the first quarter of the game and had Varsity mainly defending. During the remainder of the session Varsity made vigorous efforts to break Areta’s defence, but Davis *rnd Hughes at fullback were equal to tho students’ pressure and played an excellent game of defence by offence., Supported also by a reliable half line Areta's vanguard launched attack upon attack on Varsity’s fortress, in the safeguarding of which Brown and Hume were required to exercise all they knew in defensive fullback play. Linton was called upon to kick clear on frequent occasions and gave a creditable performance. In the second half the students settled down to business with determination and had evidently profited by their experience in the earlier stage of the match. The forwards had not been working well together and had indulged in much bunching and loose stickwork in the enemv circle. Seelen’s following in upon an advantage enabled tile students to draw level with their rivals and the inside right soon afterward put his side in the lead to Varsity’s great relief Only by desperate efforts were the students able to bring off a victory. Although not up to the average of last year's standard of senior grade hockey the clash was spectacular and full of exciting incident VARSITY COLTS DEFEAT EPIPHANY An unexpected win was the 3-2 victory of the Varsity Colts over Epiphany. Taken as a » whole the game was not of a high standard, but it was fast and willing with occasional flashes of attractive play by both lines of forwards. The halves gave mediocre exhibitions and were, responsible for a lot of scrambling and roving out of position. Epiphany displayed its old weakness—lack of combination in the forward line and a. poor defence in the halves. Individually Taw. Merryweather and Hewitt were capable of good work, but the van seemed unable to combine effect:velv and consistently. The Colts* forwards were seen in many promising rushes, but faulty stickwork in the circle deprived them of more goals. Spencer on the left wing, showed an improved form after several games of indifferent play. Boswell proved himself the hardest worker of the van. Hav was all right up and down the field and his shooting has Improved. Hunter and Wilson, who each netted a goal, showed themselves keen bustlers and able to help their side. SECOND GRADE Varsity 1 (Franklin) v. Varsity Colts 0 Areta 4 (Dunn 4) v. Wesley 2 (Aiclten, Fitzpatrick). Otahuhu 8 (Jenkins 5, McKenzie 1, Mingin 1, Gardiner 1) v. Mount Eden 2 (Cochrane 1, Jenkins 1). THiRD GRADE Auckland Grammar 7 (Bullock 2, Chappell 2, Munro 2, Gober 1) v. Training College 0. FOURTH GRADE Technical 6 (Jones 2, Toodle 1, Wells 2, Pidgeon 1) v. Auckland Grammar 0. Somerville A 5 (Craig 3, Douglas 1, Cohen 1, Gladen 2) v. Papatoetoe 1 (—) Mount Eden 2 (Chaplin 2) v. St. Luke’s 1 (King 1).