HOCKEY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9526, 25 June 1909, Page 5

HOCKEY.

WELLINGTON v. WAIRARAPA. A DRAWN GAME. (Special Reporter). Some three or four people assembled on the Showgrounds, Carterton, yesterday afternoon, to witness the match between the Wairarapa representative teams, and they were rewarded with an exposition of hockey seldom seen in the Wairarapa. The teams were as'follow : WELLINGTON. (Yellow and Black). Goal: Dwyer. Full backs: Hickson (captain), and Ralph. Halves: Christie, King and Dawson. Forwards: Willis, Davies, Elliott, Organ, and Birch. WAIRARAPA, (Black. and t White). Goal: Hall. Full backss.J. Fisher (captain): and Tunnicliffd." Halves: Boyd, Sievers, and Morgan. Forwards: Reid, Minett, W. Fisher, Gray, and A. J. Fisher. Play opened with a rush by the Wairarapa forwards, but they were soon sent to the right-about by King, play hovered midway until th 6 Wellington forwards began to gfifc into their stride, and they made a determined rush into the Wairarapa territory. Good play by the home backs, and aJfine rush by tie forwards, gave Wellington an anxious time defending, Dwyer eventually clearing in good style. Wairarapa attacked again, only to be driven back by a frje hit, which gave the Wellington forwards a chance to show their combinaf ion, which was almost disastrous to Wairarapa, as the work of Elliot and his fellow forwards was very quick and clean. Hall, however, came to the rescue of his side, snd set Wairarapa on the attack. Their forwards, combining nicely, took the ball right into their opponents' circle, and W. Fisher missed the net by a very small margin. From the ensuing .bully the Wellington forwards swept down the field with a fine passing rush, and after drawing the Wairarapa backs from their positions, Elliot shot and'found the net, thus drawing first blood for the visitors. Wellington 1 goal Wairarapa nil. Play now became very fast. As quick as one side took it to one end, tneir opponents took it to the other. These rushes and counter rushes continued for quite ten minutes, and roused the spectators to a pitch of enthusiasm, especially the fine work of Morgan and Boyd for Wairarapa, and Hickson for Wellington. Tha second half was opened with an attack by Wellington, but it was repelled by Tunnicliffe and Fisher, who eet the Wairarapa forwards going with a good combined rush. Hickson once again proved a stumbling block to the home team. They were only sent bactc temporarily, for they came again, but were met by t'ie solid defence of the Ye low's backs. Another rush was started by Reid, and after some passing ttie ball came to W. F,sher, who smartly hie the ball between the posts and thus equalised the score. Wairarapa 1 goal Wellington . 1 goal The score was deserved, as the fine rusnes, in which Reid and Minett played a conspicuous part, were too good to go unrewarded. With this reverse Wellington began to "shake things up," but the exceptionally fine play that had taken place began to tell upon one or two of the vistiors' forwards, and although their,'combination was good, their attack lacked stin«. The play for the remainder of the game was very even, each side taking its turn at . attacking, but no further score resulted, and a very fine game ended :n a draw. The Wellington forward line were good, their passing rushes being always dangerous. It would be unfair to individualise them, as they all did what was required of them. Of the backs, Hickson at full back'was the backbone of the team, his stopping and hitting being excellent. Of the others, none stood out prominently, as they all did well, and made few mistakes. Of the Wairarapa forwards, Reid, Minett, and W. Fisher were the pick, but the latter was hardly up to his usual form. The forward line as a whole would have done much better had they kept their places better. The home backs gave a good account of themselves, but Morgan deserves special mention This player fairly excelled himself,his play being second to none on the ground. On one occasion after the Wellington forwards had broken through the defence of the home team, Morgan came around and effected a brilliant save right on tha goal line. Boyd also played well, but got a httle patchy in the second spell. Hall had occasion to hit the ball about half a dozen times, but what he did was done in his usual capable style. The other backs were never found wanting, and got through a lot of work with credit. Mr J. O'Meara controlled the game admirably, and while acting strictly he did not allow the whistle to interfere with a fine game.