HOCKEY.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 203, 26 August 1909, Page 2

HOCKEY.

i ■ Auckland" defeats southland. I AN EXCITING GAME. (By Telegraph-—Special to "Star.") INVERCARGILL, Wednesday. ' The first rep. hockey match between Auck- : Una nnii Southland was played at Queen's Park this afternoon, and the event will be a red-letter day In Southland Hockey. Far Several weeks past great preparations have been made Co:.- meeting the New Zealand champions, and the team are loud in their praises of the treatment meted out to them. On Tuesday the team, as the guests of tae Southland Association, attended Fuller's Pictures entertainment, and then adjourned to supper. On Wednesday morning, Mr Pram, rlce-presldent of the Southland Association entertained the team at his residence, arid in the evening the Southland Association gave a dinner and smoke concert, and tne Union Ladles' Hockey Club gave a dance. Heavy rain fell last night, and spoiled the playing ground, which had been well rolled and prepared, but the weather moderated during the morning, remaining cloudy, without raiu. for the afternoon. As a result, the playing area wise henvy and slippery, nevertheless an Interesting gains.- resulted, the display of the Northerners' stick work being a. revelation to the Southland players and enthusiasts, and the visit of the Aucklandors should do a lot of good toe the game In Southland. The afternoon was observed as a close holiday, and from miles around Invercargill the spectators came, and at 3 o'clock fully 1500 specFrior to the match the barriers" club ran a Bye mile race, which aroused considerable interestWhen the teams lined on to the field it was seen a slight change had been made in the Auckland eleven. Prime and Alison replacing Barry and Badham. Sojthland wore represented by the strongest eleven possible, ■ which was as follows:—'Goal, 8.-ai-nerniaa; full backs, Webber and GalbraltL; halves, Dingwall, Smith, Porter; forwards. Wall, Urn, Goldsmith, Dingwall, and Calendar. Mr W. Robertson bad charge of the gsma. and his efforts resulted In the most Interesting game yet witnessed lv i Southland. Smith won the bully, and Aucklnsd swept into Southland's territory, and, within the first three minutes of play, the' Auckland centre forward took a shot but miesed the post. Through the efforts of Cren and Callender play was carried to the Auckland twenty-five, and a hot attack made. Into the circle swept the Southland forwards, and Baker tried to save by j hitting behind, but Callendar, rushing in. passed back to Uren, who took a shot, aud found the net. the score being registered In the first five minutes of play. The red and whites supporters were aroused to a high pitch of excitement at their team's success, aud urged on their representatives who tried hard to pierce the Auckiand defence, and repeatedly the blue and whites, when trying to speculate ou the rough around missed the bali, and it was only Bloomaeld's brilliant clearing that saved a score. The Southland players could not go wrong, and their play surprised their most ardent supporters. It was clearly evident tn.it the recent tour of the north had benefited the red and whites, lor the Aucklandhits were conceded. Kavanagh intercepted one, but only travelled to the 115. when Gal- , braith stopped, and again set his forwards in motion. Southland's passing was a treat ■ to witness, but their weakness lay in their , efforts In the circle. At last came the blues' chance. Shirrlffs cleared well, aud with a big hit to Smyth, the ball travelled rapidly, and passing bet.veeu Young and I i'rime resulted in the flrst-uanied equalling th,2 score by netting Auckland's first goat, and half time was very shortly called. On resuming in the second half, Smyth went right through the Southland team to the goalkeeper, and Bannermau, who hat attained a reputation with Ills feet, brought j them into effect, to the discomfort of Auc-k- , land, a,nd kicked down to the 20. A beau- , tiful passing run by Southland's forwards ! was stopped by Kavauagh and Baker, but ' Dingwall dashed in, aud transferred to J Aucklaud's circle. Bloomfleld had saved |" well on many occasions, but this was his ; * most brilliant effort, for with the opposing >' forwards only two yards away, he sent the I: ball to the 25. Young followed up smartly. but Baanerman again stopped. Auckland ' now assumed command, and Mather and i ' Smith made fine attempts to score, the j first-named taktag a shot, but had hard i luck in missing. Kavanagh, Porter, Mather. iJ and Murdoek now did some fine work ou ! * the left, but the weakness of the previous : " matches was again felt, the want of a good ! shot. Up and down the field the ball travel- ' led rapidly, the hitting of the backs and the passing of tlie forwards greatly pleasing ' the spectators. Fast and furious was the s game, and the excitement was at a high pitch, when Smyth excelled himself, and found the net, the score now reading Auckland a Southland 1 The Southland forwards tried hard to equalise the score, but principally through Kavanagh and Bloouioeld's defence, the scene of play was stilted, and with play of the hard and fast order, the whistle sounded time, acd the beet exhibition of ' hockey yet seen In Southland, and the ! hardest game the Aucklandere have yd played on tour, was over. . ' For Auckland, Bloomfleld played his best ' game, and Auckland's victory is greatly due ' to his efforts. The backs indulged In too ■ much speculation, and repeatedly let their 1 teajn down, but forward Mather stood alone, ' md with Smyth and Young, after fine runs ' of half the length of the field, it was hard : luck to meet with such a goalkeeper as ■' Bannermnn. It was clearly evident that. ] although the game has only been played for two years in Southland, the players ! bave wasted no opportunities, and the most ' bopefu] of their supporters never predicted fuch a brilliant fight. Bannerman, in goal. Galbraith. Uren, and Callendar deserve special mention of a hard working team. The executive of the Auckland Hockey Association met on Tuesday evening, when It \cas decided to declare the second find third grade competitions closed. Training I ' College are declared the winners of the i 1 second grade and Unitarian the third grade , ' championships. A protest by St. Mary's j 1 against the University B third grnde team j i for playing three members of their third • A team was upheld, and the match x awarded to St. Mnry's. The Cambridge representatives notified the association that they will arrive here on 'Saturday next at 2.80 p.m. Mr. Hay will act as referee. A "curxain-raiser" between Itawhiti and Moana ladles' teams will be played on No. 1 ground. Remuera. Mr. Beckend will act as referee. St. George's Club was granted permission to play Hamilton at Hamilton on Saturday next. WEDNESDAY HOCKEY. The Wednesday hockey competitions were \ resumed yesterday. The following are the t results:— Permanent Force B, 6 goals, beat Albion A. 3 goals. Thompson, Gideon, and Burton i scored for the losers. Albion B. 2 goals, drew with Permanent i Force A. 2 goals. t Beehive B won by default. 1 LADIES' MATCH. \ An interesting game wae played yesterday j Lfternoon on the Domain between teams from J. A. Bradstreet's (Tuis) and Geo. i Court's (All Beds), resulting in a win for i rule, who scored two goals to AU Rede' >ne. ! i CAMBRIDGE V. HAMILTON. .' (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) CAMBRIDGE, this day. Cambridge and Hamilton Hockey Unions i tried conclusions here yesterday, the game i resulting in a win for the visitors by 4 goals to 2. The home team played muci " belo-w form, and 'tfce whdstle was continually going for sticks. 1 The same team play Auckland at- Remuera on Saturday next. The scorers for ' Hamilton were Hughes and Rice (2 each), ' and ior Cambridge McPherson and Crickett } (one each). 5 LADIES' TOURNAMENT. [j (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) f NAPIER, Wednesday. s The position of the teams at the end of ( to-day's play arc as follows:—Hawke's Bay E A, five wins; Nelson, four wins and one loss; Auckland, four wins and one loss; Hawke's Bay B, three wins, one loss, and one draw; Taranakl, three wins and two losses; Wairarapa A, two wine, two losses, and one draw; Wellington, two wine and ' throe losses; Horowhenua, one win end four losses; Wairarapa B, five losste; , WangancU, five losses. To-morrow'e pV>.r J will be *t Hastings, c