THE STICK GAME

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 969, 12 May 1930, Page 7

THE STICK GAME

ST LUKE’S AND SOMERVILLE ON EVEN TERMS WATCHES AT WALKER PARK Although the hockey season has yet ween onlj' two playing Saturdays, the of the same promises to be higher than that of last season. All threo senior matches, which were fought out at Walker Park, Point Chevalier, hockey s new headquarters on Saturday were very close, the largest margin in any one fixture being two goals clear. It is noteworthy that this was the first occasion since hockey was started in Auckland that no senior games were contended at Remuera. Conditions made for brisk play, the air being keen and the grounds hard. No. 1 held was smooth and true, though No. 2 was rather bumpy. Chief interest lay in the clash of the historic rivals, Somerville and St. Luke’s, which last season finished on level terms. The match was noted for the dogged up-hill fight staged by St. Puke s, which, after being one down at half way and then two down, pulled yp to make a draw, two all. The surprise of the day was the excellent showing University Whippets put up against the senior University eleven. After struggling in a defensive game for half the match, University Seniors only succeeded in taking victory by a lone goal. As was to be expected, the tough and seasoned Mount Eden combination took honours. two—nil, against Wesley, which had been promoted to senior play for the first time this year. OLD RIVALS MATCHED When red and whit© mixed matters as the chief attraction, both teams set out to make the pace hot. Brisk exchanges with honours even marked the match practically throughout. Comparing the forwards, Somerville’s appeared to be the more enterprising during the first half and gave St. Luke’s defenders, Williams and Clark, a lot of quick thinking. The van. however, obviously missed Eric Watts from the centre. The captain was still suffering from the injury to his face suffered the previous week. Alt Seccombe, who is usually occupied at inside right, acted as pivot. In association with Clive Watts he made a number of dangerous short passing moves which sorely tried the opposition. Schneideman as left wing was in the thick of it and gave material assistance. Taylor’s weight and bustling abilities were all to the good and the first goal came from his stick when an open opportunity presented itself. Somerville’s second registration was the work of Seccombe and Schneideman. The centre put the leather across the goal mouth for the winger to nip in and connect. Work now began to get merry and as excitement grew’ the quality of play degenerated. A good deal of hard stickwork and some rough stuff was exhibited by both forward detachments. Gardner and Smith were severely tested from then on in their fullback divisions, the red vanguard swooping down in an effort to pull the game out of the fire. Opportunity came -when Robertson shot in cleanly from a corner. Glowing with the success, the A>ds continued to hammer at the white fortress and Burnett brought honours even by edging one in from a goalmouth scramble. It was not at all bad hockey for this stage of the season and one cannot yet form an estimate of which team is likely to emerge the champion. MIXING OF THE BLUES On paper University seniors should have had little worry when they took the field against the Whippets, particularly in view of what happened to the juniors on the previous Saturday. But it was a very startled senior eleven that found stern opposition from the first bully until two parts of the game had finished. The Whippets number among their forwards some players who are keen hunters, as Brown and Ellison, senior fullbacks soon discovered. Lamb and Adams particularly, and Ross, were on the job, and were hard to keep out of the circle. Both fullbacks, Leonard and Gurney, were on their game, the former being very safe. Erratic and inclined to wander at first, the halves improved as the game went on, until the last 10 minutes, when they began to tire perceptibly. Lee, in goal, will be a force when he has had further experience, but, nevertheless, brought off some good work. Crawley, wearing the pads for the seniors, again demonstrated the abilities which marked him cut last season as a goalie with' a future. Of the senior forwards Hay, right wing, impressed as a leader when goals were needed. He started many bright moves, but has the tendency to close in too early on a downfield rush. Seelen and Taylor were '■usy when they got the ball, but, like the rest of the van, were denied a share by their opponents. WESLEY FIGHTS WELL Although it is yet too early to forecast how Wesley will end up in the fust round, there is no doubt, from the team’s showing against Mount Eden cn Saturday and against Somerville ti e previous, week, that the green >rseys merit their advance to senior hockey. There is a lot of pleasing material which should develop well when set against experienced players. The Burton brothers led the attack and met with good support from the rest. The forwards tended to bunch and rob one another on occasion. Chaplin was the strength of the Eden attackers and showed himself as formidable and elusive as ever. The defence undertaken by Anderson and Mainland was staunch. The team as a whole, howev ®r. had not yet struck the high form ’" hich characterised its hockey last; reason.