PROGRESS OF HOCKEY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 691, 17 June 1929, Page 7

PROGRESS OF HOCKEY

SOMERVILLE AND ST. LUKE’S HEAD COMPETITION high standard of play Th« second round of the senior competition of the Men’s Hockey Association was begun bn the Remuera ground on Saturday afternoon. St. Luke's, by beating North Shore by a goal, is now two points in the lead of that team and stands at the head of the competition with Somerville. The grounds were in excellent condition and the play was good. The match between St. Luke’s and North Shore was a splendid game, full of excitement and keenness, and showing ac times some excellent hockey. It was a close finish, the score being three to two. and it was only in the last few minutes that the winning goal was scored. The first half of the Somerville-Mt. Kden game promised well, the score being two goals to one in Somerville's favour at half time, but in the second half the Eden men began to weaken and Somerville ran away with them to win by five to three. University easily defeated Epiphany by five goat* to one. the game not being particularly strenuous on either side. Epiphany, however. showed greatly improved form and should do better later in the season.

The following table shows the posl tions of the teams in the senior com petition:

SOMERVILLE BEAT MT. EDEN By defeating Mount Eden by live goals to three, Somerville has secured Mount Eden’s place at the head ot the competition, and now leads that t<»am by one point. Saturday’s game was worthy to be called top-notch hockey until three-quarters of the time had elapsed, when Eden went to pieces. Somerville was first to open accounts, and until the last quarter hour the score see-sawed in a way that made the game intensely exciting for onlookers. The standard of hockey exhibited by five of the senior teams this season has been encouragingly good, and not the least impressive exhibition was that given by Somerville and Mount Eden. Few departmental weaknesses were shown by either side, and Eden’s collapse toward the finish was due to the demoralising effect of Somerville’s ceaseless hammering upon its opponents’ backs. Clive Watts and liis brother Eric carried the burden of Somerville’s attack, and good support was rendered by Harold Watts, who had wisely been moved back to his historic place at right wing. Seccombc does not seem to be doing much good in the circle, although he contributes something to up and down-field play. Schneideman, making his first appearance as left wing. cannot yet he judged, not having had time to prove himself. All three halves. Rogers, Cole and Munro. worked well. The fullback division has been greatly strengthened by the reappearance of Gardiner. Without this man the game might have ended very differently. Chiplin, in goal, was obviously more confident than usual, and pulled off cool clearing. It is pleasing to see that Somerville has been able to stage a come-back when it looked as though the team was going to have a bad year.

Mount Eden can console itself that the fight put up against so powerful a side was a very creditable performance. To the fullbacks. Anderson and Mainland, both young players, must be given due praise for the manner in which they stood up against so clever a combination as the Watts brothers. Mainland, particularly, earned the applause of the gallery. Vail, in goal, had a most unenviable task, and in the circumstances, deserves more thanks than the final score would suggest. No fault can be found with the halves. Hedges, Hughes and Kelly, all of whom were nearly played to a standstill. Of the forwards, perhaps the best hockey of the day was played by Horspool and H. Jones, though the latter should watch his offside. Chaplin, who is invariably dangerous in the circle, was effectively marked, so could not demonstrato his goal-getting abilities, although he was able to secure one. Surman seemed to be starved on the left wing. M. Jones, inside right, was less in the limelight. Mount Eden can take heart, and is still \erv much in the running. SHORE SUCCUMBS TO ST. LUKE’S That North Shore lost to St. Luke’s by three goals to two may possibly be due to the fact that the second half was played ten minutes short. Blame for this lies not with the referee, but with the teams themsc’ves in startinglate. Everybody remarked on the shortness of the spell, and there was every possibility of a draw. So keenly was the match fought out that at halftime neither side had been able to score. The match was full of incident, and well up to the standard of firstclass hockey. Shore had as many chances as its opponent, but did not show the same finish in the circle. Several splendid opportunities were thrown away through hesitancy or off-side play. Some of the. prettiest stick work of the day was demonstrated by Monteith. Shore right winger. All his shot? were banged in with a stinging forco and crispness which is only too rarely accomplished by forwards. His strokes "ere those of a good cricketer. Rykers was not up to form, nor was Reid. Anthony and Lucas were good as individuals. but combination among the five was not of the standard of the previous Saturday. Thornton. A. Prater and Haggett. in the half line, were all in good fettle. Sterling work was again f-arried out by that consistent pair. R. Prater and T. Parker, fullbacks. Rankin. between the posts, was as bril-

liant in clearing as he has ever beer., i St. Luke’s, as a whole, could hardly | have played more soundly. There were occasional flashes of dazzling forward short passing movements that makes hockey to look at. Bay, Tom Giles and Wotherspoon were in the limelight. The halves lent valuable support, but Robertson, being well marked, had his style cramped somewhat. Harding, a newcomer, earned a continuation of the selector’s confidence. Williams and Burnett proved a couple of thorns in the side of the Shore forwards. Considerable interest will now be taken in the next meeting of Somerville and St. Luke’s. In the first round the latter defeated their historic rivals. UNIVERSITY’S EASY WIN University had a very easy win over Epiphany. Taking the match all round however, Epiphany played a greatly improved game. At times the work of the backs was extremely sound, and Baxter in goal made many good saves. The game consisted mainly of a steady attack by the University forwards, who pressed fiercely at the goal. The passing was fair and the forwards got in several good rushes down the field, the wings working especially well. The five goals were divided up among three players, Don and Seelan getting two each, and Meiklejohn the fifth. They were probably doing more work than anyone else on the field, and deserved to score. At the beginning of the game, before the Varsity team had settled down properly, the Epiphany forwards got neatly away and took the ball into the Varsity circle, where Nicholson scored. Tt was a neat movement and showed that Epiphany was alert. But the forwards were not sufficiently skilful to repeat the manoeuvre, and the superior weight, speed and combination of tha Varsity men kept them steadily on the defensive for most of the rest of the game.

On the other hand, the Epiphany backs worked very well indeed. The Varsity men kept pecking away steadily at them, and at times made some very good pecks. Often they looked like scoring, only to be successfully repulsed, and it speaks well for the backs that the score against them was not twice as large.

Thanks to the efforts of the Varsity forwards, their backs had little to do except on the rare occasions when Epiphany managed an attack. Then they worked well enough, though possibly Epiphany should never have got that first goal. WOMEN’S MATCHES MT. EDEN’S GOOD WIN WESLEY AND ARAWA DRAW The women’s hockey games at Rcmucra on Saturday afternoon resulted in the convincing defeat of Somervillo by Mount Eden by four goals to one. The Arawa-Wesley match was drawn with the scores twoall. Tho absence of two players and the consequent alteration of playing positions and lack of combination did not help Somerville, and Mount Eden dominated the game practically all through, although a stubborn defence met tho attacks and saved Somerville repeatedly. In the first minute a Mount Eden attack drew the Somerville goalie from her charge and Miss Dawson sent the ball between the posts. Momentarily play went to the Mount Eden quarter. but before long the attack returned to Somerville and Mrs. Hamlin made the total two to nil. Somerville forwards made great efforts to wipe off some of the deficit, and after a deal of close play in the Mount Eden area Miss Francis found the net. Somerville fought hard to make the tally even, but half-time found no alteration.

In the second half Somerville’s attack faded badly, and it was not long before it was on the defence, only to see Mrs. Hamlin follow through and find the net. Mt Eden attacked again and again, but Somerville’s defence was good and the ball was returned to midfield. It was not until a few minutes before the close of the game that the final score was obtained, Miss Ushaw goaling. and giving Mount Eden a convincing win. Mr. R. Avery controlled the game.

There was little to choose between the Arawa and Wesley teams during the first quarter of an hour, the play ranging between the goal-lines without any score resulting, and repeated corners being fruitless. Later in the spell Wesley twice went within an ace of scoring, the ball just missing the Arawa goal. When play again returned to the Arawa circle Miss Clark opened the score, and a few minutes later Miss Brodie increased Wesley's lead. This unexpected turn of events spurred the Arawa forwards, and play was confined to the Wesley twentyfive until Miss Cochran netted and reduced the lead by one. Wesley pressed hard after the interval. but the Arawa defenders cooperated splendidly, and cleared the danger. After a spell' of defence the Arawa halts secured and sent the forwards away into the Wesley circle, where Miss Simpson made the score even. When the final whistle went Arawa was attacking, without success, the game ending in a two-goal draw. The referee was Mr. A. Rivers. ELIMINATION TRIALS A senior grade elimination trial i match will he held at Remuera on | Saturday by the Auckland Ladies’ Hockey Association. The following teams have been chosen for the trial: Possibles: Misses A. Ward. F. Cooper. U. Hall, C. Bestic. H. Saunders. E. Simpson, P. H. Dawson, M. Hamlin. J. Hill, M. Mc-Lachlan. E. Sawbridge. Probables: Misses A. Twiname. M. White. Parsons, K. McGill. M. Raisher. M. Lamond, D. Nash. E. Murray, G. j Lowe. M. Waters. L. Cochrane. ! Reserves: Misses Bullians, Z. Twining. M. Russell. S. Needham. X. Hall. | J. White. TE AWAMUTU TRIAL MATCH (Front. Our Own. Correspondent) TE AWAMUTU, Sunday, j The selectors (Messrs. C. J. Spiers. ! C. Davis, and C. A. Finch) have chosen I the following teams to play at Albert rark. Te Awamutu, on Wednesday next, in view of the White Horse Cup competitions in Auckland early next month: j Possibles: Goal, G. Jack: fullbacks, Len. Spiers. Yeo Ivarl: halves, K. J. | Macky, O. Finch, R. Speirs, E. Bur- [ rows; forwards, R. Bell, R. Head, E. Spiers. G. Watson, A. Bowler. Probables: Goal, C. Blomfield; fullbacks, J. Lineham, R. Hinton; halves, Alf. Bell, F. Battson, G. Finch, B. Gibsen: forwards, T. Finch, B. Spiers, O. Civil, G. Wood, E. Bell. There is also a probability of the Waipa representatives being pitted against the Waikato representatives within the next two or three weeks.

r. w I.. I>. F. A. Pts Somerville « — 1ft 11 S St. Luke’ ft 4 1ft 8 Mount Eflen . ft 1 14 1ft Fnivereity ft 1 17 IS North Shore . ft — 11 12 ft Kp.phany ft 6 — — * 20 —