VARSITY V SOMERVILLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 159, 26 September 1927, Page 11

VARSITY V SOMERVILLE

EXCITING drawn battle OWE of the fastest and most evenly - contested hockey matches seen at Remuera this season was played off on Saturday, when Varsity met Somerville for the final in the Devonport Shield competition. The game was full of incident and excitement was intense throughout. Only one other senior match was staged—that between Wesley and Training College. Varsity Colts defeated Areta bv default. The positions of the teams in the* Devonport Shield competition are vs fellow:

A GREAT DRAWN GAME After a ding-dong struggle fought out in splendid sporting spirit, the Somerville-Varsity struggle ended in a i raw—four all. Right up to the final whistle the issue was in doubt. Taken as a whole, Somerville got the better of play, and it will be conceded that the students were lucky in drawing level at the eleventh hour, when a victory for the whites seemed certain. Miller’s close, hard high into the net was the result of an opportunity gained through a misunderstanding between Somerville’s backs. His goal was; a splendid effort, as was the other h# scored from a smart follow-in. | Somerville’s forward line showed itself as dangerous as it ever was. Clive and Eric Watts, with Alf Seccorabe, comprised a deadly trio when in possession of the ball. Their understanding was complete, and their passing of the cleverness which comes only of long association, in this match their goals were not spectacular, but were the result °f dewing Varsity’s custodian and skilfully wdr king the leather out. of his reach. ie students, on the other hand., relied on hard slogging to get past the* mar with the pads and such were three of their four nettings. Somerville’s wing-forwards were not jip to their best form, particularly the lelt men, who was unreliable when centring. He tried to bring off too maty back-stick strokes, and was not convincing i n passing movements. The wives, though not a brilliant tK vt°* e to the occasion, and gave Jr®.®*® 4 *’ v an a lot of trouble by keen iteming and getting rid of the ball to their forwards. fi.ni , ' ror * c °f Gardiner and Munro, ilav ac ,* s worth y special commennT./ 1 ' vvas expected by some Lo the last line of defence woud n° t stand up to Varsity's tricky hA»; C ♦ lfi: par *y» and the students will vn,, r , n P rais2 of the tactics of these Joung defenders. niiTrL. r ° U f h their cool stickwork and lnterce I , tion. many blue onf„}' got no further than the inwsV* *J ages - Some costly blunders P ar ticularly when the stu'oled tire game out of the fire :he closing stages. somehow did not impress on whin *! y * Hb liad a thankless job, for hln. 6 stude "ts got within range of hjcyi. th *y certainly let him have it, •Tin. hot - Varsity’s half line, usurreat * stron §‘ division, was rather whr m ° n i this occasion. Radcliffo, on off ‘ ® a wrge share of the defence and be Mr\ti h ad out bed to sick t-T , e teiLni » Rnd was really too Was consequence his stick hi., °r *» ear and tiro combination of « assocrates. Dr. Leonard and Bart, was disrupted. most o^ 11 ' r **kt fullback, who has shown eleven lm P rov *ment of the Varsity inirr , Vaa L ®°und in defence, despite an °Ti hIS arm * Both he and his Weii in ume ’ ac< iuitted themselves est f ni -. ia . ce of three of the cleverLiSZr* 3 ln ew Zealand hockey. Pine i-/ 1 ’ ln was reliable in stopS!t him Sh ° tS * but lhe ,ricky ones a sain * blue’s forwards. Philpotts Hi« j?oai 10W k ei, .' ais style us a left-winger, lean -v/’ u ’" le b Put "-he students in the after the Sl,ell ' was a Ir oikPd\ Burton and Grsenbank but hid hard up and down the field, ti * n the circle. Their the alin^i° n Was not l ‘P to its best, but dtr-tlv ~v5 ry surfaces of the turf evi- _*? upset ‘heir short passing. aining college defeats WESLEY ° £ the Training Colli geiiilhi,.a° nt<?st was outstanding hockey ni f °. r most part, play • And uninteresting. and heady, wellatick'vork were not much in wence, and play was mostly conI* tt elfort^ raill> * bunching and fruitex hibition of hockey was IgA *. We sley bucks, where Fra ter iklte »#* rton were seen to advantage . *l er time in warding off oppon*>!ayed d aCl f a - Both these Pliers disBiirtkL Of tricky stickwork. ln *-be front line was a battler;

but seemed to lack finish, though certainly he did not receive the desired support on many an occasion. In the Training College pack combination was lacking and the front line, especially, failed at any time to exhibit brilliance. Watherspoon backed up by Thompson made a few feeble efforts at times, while one or two others were battlers, following rather their inclinations than any concerted line of action. Summed up, the game was either side’s, and the goal which went to Training College from Watherspoon's stick was little more than an accident. Both sides were often in each other’s circles forcing what appeared to be dangerous moves, but failed through lack of finish.

Goals. p. W. L. D. F. A. Pts. University .. 7 1 44 9 13 Somerville .. 7 6 0 1 33 12 13 Are:a .. .. 9 4 0 IS 11 1(J St. Lake’s .. 7 1 16 17 7 Sorairvllie C’lts 6 6 1 9 17 7 Wen ley .. .. 9 0 13 28 6 University C'lts 7 4 0 fi 15 6 Training Coll. 5 3 0 1 \ Epi;>hany .. 7 1 6 0 S 26 llotint .Jden 4 0 4 0 3 IS 0