SATURDAY’S HOCKEY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 431, 13 August 1928, Page 6

SATURDAY’S HOCKEY

SHIELD SERIES BEGINS FAST GAMES ON HARD TURF

For the first time this season hockey teams had to play on grounds that ■were dried almost to dust-raising conditions. The turf was in excellent order.

Four out of the five games panned out as anticipated. Somerville beat Epiphany 3 —l, but before the senior B men had given the champions a fright. Mount Eden was fully extended in defeating Training College by 4—2. Varsity made mincemeat of Somerville Colts to the tune of s—o.5 —0. St. Luke’s was victorious over Varsity Whippets by the figure of s—l.5 —1. The only surprise was the 3 —2 decision gained by Otaliuhu over North Shore. The losers, however, took the field with three men short. In the girls* matches Whangarei High School lowered Varsity’s colours in a 4— o game. Training College gained the victory over Mount Eden, the final score being 6—2. Somerville got there in a great tussel with Wesley. The score was 2 —l. MOUNT EDEN V. TRAINING COLLEGE Mount Eden owed its victory over Training College chiefly to superiority in the forward line. Although for twothirds of the game the teachers were able to hold their own the defence was worn down in the later stages by the insistent hammering of the brown attacking party. There was a noticeable weakness in the College halt line, which was not pulling its weight. Consequently the fullbacks were called upon to do more than their due measure of work. The most spectacular goal was Mount Eden’s first, scored by left-winger, Penman. He received the ball in the circle edge, and slogged a terrific shot past Warrington, who had com© out to meet the attack. Penman also secured another. Ash got the remaining two. For College the scorers were Meeklejohn and Jessop. Warrington, who was responsible for several notable scores, seems to be a goalie with a future. With more experience in senior hockey he should later catch the eye of the selector. Of the teacher’s fulbacks, Lumsden, on the right, appeared to be more in the picture than his associate. There is no doubt that the crowding and bustling tactics employed by College in their circle when hard pressed kept the score from mounting. Time and again Eden was unable to score owing to a forest of legs and sticks in front of the goal mouth. It was good policy when not much reliance could be placed in the halves to break up Eden’s passing rushes. SOMERVILLE V. EPIPHANY

What the Somerville-Epiphany encounter lacked in science was made up in both sides’ willingness to mix matters. The game was thrashed out at a dashing pace and under a hot sun was a trying contest. By hard hitting and interception Epiphany succeeded in getting more than an equal share of the ball for most of the game. The yellow and blacks, however, could not keep up the pace throughout, and in the ♦ nd the short passing of Somerville’s forwards brought a belated victory. Epiphany by no means played team hockey, and reliance was placed much more on individual bursts of brilliance than combined effort. Winks got the first goal of the match not long after half time. Somerville was giving a ragged exhibition. Gardiner, left fullback, was not up to form. Part of the time he had to play with a strange stick. This may have contributed to his frequent clumsiness. Chaplin in goal, has shown great improvement and is getting more sure of himself. The halves were not up to standard. Haggett was slow, Rogers so-so, and Cole like the curate’s egg—good in parts. Eric Watts, centre-forward, did most of the work. He was badly supported by Seceombe who still fails to strike his old form although he goaled. Harold Watts rose to the occasion by netting when his side needed help. Clive Watts accounted for the third goal. “Mick” Peace, always a hard worker on the wing, found the pace a bit too merry. Epiphany’s front line was about as scratchy as it could have been. Mills outside right, was pretty much of a passenger. Taw on the other wing, mad© the mistake of playing too close in to the centre when the shape of the ground favoured line play. NORTH SHORE v. OTAHUHU Playing against Otahuliu on Saturday, North Shore was three men short. The Devonport side was far the better and would probably have beaten Otahuhu easily with a full team. North Shore played a good defensive game in the first half, but in the second opened up and attacked with flashes of brilliant individual play. Otahuhu fielded a good team, but it was inclined to be slow, and its combination was anything but brilliant. For North Shore Anthony played an excellent game and he, and two or three others, frequently took the ball right up the field, only to be stopped by the Otahuhu goalkeeper. Otahuhu was lucky to win in the end and North Shore, though three men short, played fine hockey. UNIVERSITY v. SOMERVILLE COLTS

The first half of this game was very slow. University seemed to be half asleep and fumbled badly. The colts failed to do any passing at all and relied almost entirely on individual effort. In the second half the game quickened, and University brought off some good passing rushes, the forwards, in particular keeping their places well and shooting cleverly. Somerville’s shooting throughout the game was bad and they were inclined to speculate too much. Don, for University, played a good game, scoring three goals, and for Somerville, Gardner was probably the best man, doing some good work on the wing.. AUCKLAND REPS. Mr. W. Xewsham, sole selector, announces the following team to represent Auckland against Wellington in the challenge shield match, to be played at Remuera on Saturday next: Goal, Rankin (North Shore). Fullbacks: Williams (St. Luke’s), Gardiner (Somerville). Halves: Cole (Somerville), Turnbull (Whakatane), Steele (St. Luke’s). Forwards: Reid (North Shore). Anthony (North Shore), E. Watts (Somerville), C. Watts (Somerville), Philpotts (University). Reserves: Fletcher (Mount Eden), R. Frater (North Shore). ZANOL CUP TEAM The Junior selectors. Messrs. F. Nicholson, A. Burton and H. Watts, have selected the following Auckland junior team to defend the Zanol Cup against the Canterbury junior representatives at Kemuera next Saturday:— Goal, N. Ireland (Wesley); fullbacks, C. Hirst (Mount Eden), F. Clark (St. Luke’s); half-backs, L. Jenkins (Mount Eden), G. Wells (Areta), E. Blair (Epiphany); forwards, J. Horspool, M. Jones (Mount Eden), H. Brown (St. Luke’s), k S. Hay (University), E. Cutforth (Papam toetoe). Reserves: Backs, D. JUjy (Areta) m and E. Taylor (Mount Eden), forward. L. H Schneideman (Epiphany),