HOCKEY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10685, 12 July 1912, Page 3

HOCKEY

NORDON CUP MATCH.

WAIRARAPA (0) v. POVERTY BAY '(C).

Wairarapa was yesterday called upon- to defend itg 'title to' the Nordon Oup, when a match was played wit'h the Poverty Bay representatives, and resulted in- a decisive victory for the holders -by 5 goa.!s to nil. T'he match was played at Lansdowno, and notwithstanding it'lle unfavourable wea- j ther a largo crowd tof witnessed the gam.?. The ground was ' wet and sloppy, 'but this did not prevent ft'he game from being fact and interesting. From the bu% off Wairarapa at once pressed, but tlio visi-toi-g saved -well, and th:ir forwards carried the g::me- to tb? oth:r end, ■where Dixon and Williams cleared well. The visitors' forwards, cirpecia.'l'Ty Redgravcs, Dudscn and Rcdric'k, play:d well together, and with pretty combination looked dangorcte. The Wairarapa backs, however, were equal 1 , to every occasion, and had 1:0 difficulty In clearing their lire. Kay J gradually worked into Poverty Pay j quarters, where iJouglae'. Tui::ii- | eliff'e and Fisher were prominr-r/: in a runh which Glided, by Wi'Miaras peeing well to Tunn,:cliffe, who drew first blood for the 'home team. Wairarapa again (became dangerous, but offeido play destroyed a good chance of a score. T'he. viewing hacks were- r.ot playing so well as the forwards, v.(ho several timw looked like scoring- Another typical forward rf.-sh, with eom: * excellent passing, J'aw Fisher score from a neat pass from Relet The visiting forwards then took a hand, ai:d raced down the fievd, only to he stopped iby Parr, who was playing a j great game. A good deal cf giva j and take play folliowed, but before \ ' the spell ended, Wairarapa were soy- j era! times in Hie (tangcr ko:i'.?, nut nc further score resulted. The spoil ended : Wairarapa 2, Poverty Bay n:M. ■On crossing over, the visitors, althoughl showing some good cicSabina-t-ion at times, were completely outclassed, while every man in the heme team was playing at tcp form, the outstanding fdnvaru being Fisher, > who initiated many cipl'endid passing rivsh';s. The visitors at times got the hall near their opponents' line, but lacked finishing powers Their backs improved in tihe second .■spell, but with' such an excellent pack cf forwards 'swocpi.r.ig down upon them, it was hot to be wondered at that t'hey went under. The third goal for Wai- | rarapa came from a nice rush initiated by Douglas, who passed to Wili liams, who centred, and F'fther scored ah easy goal. From another hot attack shortly after, the Poverty Bay goalkeeper, Smaile, was hit by a. fast ball, which injured his s'houlder, necessitating his -leaving the held. The visitors were now showing seme form, and their forwards got in some pretty passing, and lost a certain score Uy faulty hitting. It may also ho sai>l that offside play lost the" homo team a score or t-wb. About loilf way through the spell, Fisher again scor ed a real good goal, although Pbve-rty Bay were handicapped 'by losing +];•> \ services of iheir goalkeeper. The Wairarapa men were p'laying with sp&ndid dash, and the passing rushes of the forwards were good to witness. Shortly before time tho 'ubiquitous' Fisher scored again, making it his |. fourth goal in the match. From this } out Wairarapa easily hold their ow J and loft the ii':-ld victors by 5 goals I to nil. It- would be invidious to spe- * cialSse amongstf tihe home team, fior it j miiy safely he said that there was not j a "passenger" amongst them. A l ' p/layed a gr?at game, and if this form" is maintained, the Nordon Cup iv'li remain in the Wairarapa for eoiiiicconfflderab'le time. For the losers, Sims anel McLejro were tsound at hack, j while Dudson, Rodrick anel Red-' graves played well in -the forwards.. Messrs Riosson and Gray re-foreed. •