HOCKEY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 149, 24 June 1908, Page 7

HOCKEY.

FIXTURES FOB SATCBDAX. The following are the fixtures, grounds,! and referees for the junior grades matches! of Saturday uext:— SECOND GKADE. United B (home team) v. St. George: No. 1 gronud; referee, Mr. Hay. 'Epsom (home team) >V BlleTsUe: 'At EUerslie; referee, Mr. Topple. Training College (home team) v. United A: No. 4 ground; referee, Mr. Dlnutson. Ponsouby B v. 'Varsity (homo team)- No 5 ground; referee, Mr. Melville. Y.JI.C.A. v. College Bines (home team)No. 6 ground; referee, Mr. Beckend North Shore v. Ponsonby A (home team)No. 7 ground; referee, Mr. Gold Water. Auckland, a bye. THIRD GRADE. Unitarian (home team) v. V.M.C.A ■ No S ground; referee, Mr. Osborne. LADIES' FIXTURES. The second round of ladles' matches will commence on Saturday, and the draw Is as follows:— No. 1 ground, Remuc-.i: ladles' College v. Rawhiti B; referee, Mr. Lnrking No. 2 ground, Remuera: Moana" V. Kawhiti A; referee, Mr. W. E. Robln3on. ■In view of the forthcoming interprovincial shield matches, all the senior cup fixtures will be suspended nest Saturday to enable a trial match to be played. The following Saturday, Taranaki meet our reps, at Remuera, being the first struggle for the shield. With the exception of the Auckland A-University game on the Domain, the other matches were not up to that high * standard of recent Saturdays. The position of the teams are as follows:— UEP. FIXTURES. •Inly 4: v. Taranaki, at Remuera. July 11: v. Canterbury. August 1: v. Manawatu. August 8: v. Nelson, at Remuera I

Ihe long-lookcd-for contest between 'Varsity and Auckland A eventuated on the Domain last Saturday, and provided another game of a highly interesting order. The students made every preparation to check the victorious career of their opponents, and from the start to almost the call of time the game was always in doubt. The game was brimful of excitement, and at times the combination was very fine. Mason, BrookeSmith, and Lepine had the burden of the work, and got through it in good style. Kavanagh gave a brilliant display, and repeatedly saved his side. Spears played a hard game, and put in |some fine work, but was inclined to crowd the centre. Hill was noticeable for some good hitting. The ground did not suit Whitley. Howell gay« a good display jn goal. For 'Varsity, Bunkall, in goal, had very little stopping to do. His clearing was good. Speight made an excellent full, and got through a great amount of work, and with the exception of a couple of misses his hitting on the fly was very accurate. In the half line Ziman and Pierce had the bulk of the work. The former stuck to Mason like a leech. The forwards were a very even lot, Alderton, Connolly, and Jacobsen being the most conspicuous. The latter's shooting was below form. Owing to the nature of the ground "sticTcs" were frequent, and' the referee showed good judgment in the manner in which he enforced the penalty, thus keeping the game open and fast, and not causing continual stoppages. The Ponsonby-Auckland B match resulted in a win for the former. The winners had much the best of the game; their play in the open was good, and almost every man played up to form. Although they notched five goals, their shooting could be improved. The play oi"

the" B'a -was disappointing after the feie display the previous Saturday. Bell was about the only rnJin who played iq» tir-form. were- greatly' handicapped by losing Howell, and playing one-ehort. . : ■•: ' , ,; : ' ,'*- ; St. George's met College Eifles at 'Rentuera, a -well-fought -game resulting in a draw of three goals-each; St. George's, who had the better of th« game, netted thY ball on four jotnei occasions, but they were ; ruled off-side twice, and on the other two occasions Tattley had ' the ': misfortune ,ito \ giv« "sticks" when shooting. Badham; foi St. George's, played a really- brilliani game at half, the remaining backs being 'rather off-colour. The forwards on bbtl sides worked hard individually, "but verj little combined play waa. indulged &L The North- Shore V. United * matcl was too one-sided to be • interesting, biit although United won by 5 goals, the Shore team gave them many anxious moments, their powerful forward "rushes often carrying them the length'of tht field. With a little more e3tperi'ence' and judgment in bitting the seasiders will take a lot of beating. Last year's champions were not greatly extended, as they held the upper hand throughout the game. Their forward line is working together much better, and play seems much stronger than at the beginning of the season. Training College are how leading for the junior championship by two points, Y.M.CA., Hlerslie, Epsom, and United are all very close-up. - The College had a ding-dong go with Ellerslie last Saturday, and eventually won by 3 goals to 1. In the third grade championship. V.M.C.A. have- a pretty substantial lead. Sir, —Kindly allow mc to point out a striking anomaly in connection with the .senior teams of the Auckland Hockey Club. As there aTe ,twp' senior teams (A and B) competing, I consider that they should be both on an equal footing, amd that the B's should not be drawn on •by the A's as if they were a junior team. I notice that in nearly every match the B's have played one or two men short owing to this cause, and so have had their -prospects of success materially affected. In their recent game against the A's they put up a splendid fight, and this may be* taken as a reliable indication of their true form when their team is not interfered with. Had they not been weakened in this way they would have been at present among the leading teams, as they are undoubtedly good exponents of hockey.—l am, etc., REGULAR SPECTATOR.

. 3 I § t* a *l i* *2 2 a H 5 f* iJ (S CS U |2 Aucklmid ,A 6 6 0 0 <>7 0 1' JJnjted , 0 4 1 1 27 '12 0 University 5 3 2 o 18 11 e St. George's e 2 1 3 15 13 7 ronsonby 0 o 3 1 17 22 5 Auckland B 6 14 1 7 16 3 CoIIprc Rifles 5 1 3 1' 9 20 3 N. Shore 6 0 5 1 6 28 1 The TTniversity-St. George's match Is still to be played. 1 £g H 3 ! i Monnn 3 3 O 0 12 0 6 ladles' Collnge .. 3 2 1 0 11 l 4 Rnwhitl A 3 12 0 3 e 2 Rawbltl B 8 o 3 0 0 19 0