THE HOCKEY SHIELD.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 195, 16 August 1920, Page 7

THE HOCKEY SHIELD.

MANAWATU DEFEATED. HOLDERS' THIRD EASY WIN. MATCH ENDS 5 GOALS TO NIL. The third challenge match of the present season for -the New Zealand Ho.-key Shield resulted In Auckland again experiencing no difficulty in defending the trophy against the challengers, Manawatu being beaten by 3 goals to nil. The weather was perfect, hut the ground, though fnst. was rrea.-herous. many of the players finding it difficult to maintain their foothold when it was most needed. Auckland set the pa o * for the greater part of the game. Manawatu doing most of their acgressive work In rhe hitter portion of the second spell, when the odds were already hopelessly set against them. The scorers for Auckland were Grice (8), Sparkes and Alexander. A curtain-raiser was played between the two old rivals. Soru-erville and S*t. Luke's, the former team winning by 3 goals to 1. It was a meeting of champions past and present, for on the shield is a silver plate iniioribed to the honour of the victory of Manawatu over Wellington In the middle of last season. Truly the shield was not allowed to stay in Palmerston North, nevertheless it was there hy right of conquest. and- it Is a pity .that it did not remain a little longer on account of the increased I invpetiis it would have given to .hockey In that part of the North Island. It is exactly twelve months ago since Canterbury robbed Manawatn of the fruits of their victory over Wellington. Auckland, as most hockey enthusiasts are well aware, are not "new chums" in holding the shield, for It has been in Anckland on two previous occasions, yet it is only the second visit of Manawatu to Auckland in connection with the trophy. The game on Saturday was a complete triumph for Auckland, especially in the first spell, when both hacks and forwards were witnessed at their best. The manner in which the nail was knocked about completely astonished and Milled their opponents. Their defence was overwhelmed, while their forwards had a very small measure of freedom to dl-splav their attacking abilities. In tbe second hair Auckland did not put the same amount ot vim into their play: in fact, it can he safely stated that the work lacked determination, and that the team were content to take matters easily, therefore the game was not so lopsided as was the case in the first spell, Manawatu being seen hi better advantage. The Southerners then gave sufficient indication that they knev something nhoiit the gune. and were In many ways a superior combination to the two previous chnllenslng teams. When on the attack the backs showed more judgment than the Wangamil rear oivision. hot when pressed the main obiect was to "lose" the ball under any circumstances. The forwards Indulged in some bouts of combined work, and It was car rled out in a methodical *nanner. but in almost every case it lacked finish. No doubt they were a "tilt at sea" in the opening staees on aceonnt of the ground. lxit it would hare required a set of backs lof more than ordinary ability to have coped with the brilliant attack of the Auckland, ers. Although the shield holders played so brilliantly, jit times there were faults in their work which require to be remedied. The team had undergone several changes, owlne to the absence of D. Alexander. I. Mad-en. and R. G. .lonian, but it was chiefly In the forward division that flaws wore notieeal.ie. Perhaps when -Mr. Slur- ' doelt is able to put his original line Into aoti.-in once more there should be a eombltiatlon to cause the strongest defence j much anxiety. The work of the Aucfci landers ntrnin impressed upon their opnoi nents what ran be accomplished by the | art of science, pace, and skill —a combination that Is essential and is wantin_; In all the teams- that have visited Auckland so far this season. For Auckland. Cooner. In-zoal. had three shots to which he armliptl the "boot" with romnletc success. 'England was not overburdened with work, but he maintained his reputation without taklns any risks. The halves nlare.l splendidly, with Johns nerhn»vs the- most consnicuous. Individually. Grice stood ont in the forward line. although A. Alexander nlayed cleverly, but was inellned to be reckless at times. Cousins. the Manawatn goal-tender, came un with some reputation. hot he bad little chance of savins tho goals. Perrln is the ihest full-back that has come north this year, and. althonch inclined to take risks' (be was compelled to do sol. saved the side repeatedly. Whitehead appeared to be the piefc of tbe halves. Wallace set himself n stiff proposition in trying to "bottle"' tin Grice In the second snell. Anderson, on the ri(_it-wlng. nnd Fitt. ar Inner-left, were the most conspicuous of the visltinc forwards. enimp. the enptain of the team, has been plnvin-z representative hockey for exactly twenty years, nnd cen still fender a good account of jiimself.

INTER-ISLAND MATCH. AUOKLANn VOMIXATIOXS FOR REP. TEAM. Tl"> Auckland Players norrlnnted b-r Mr. Murdoch for the North Island w> team In Hie North Is'and v. -South Island matr-li „ro-s-:oal r_wr: r_ll-nael-*. richt. RFinland: ' centre-Half. C, Johns: rlcMhalf P Wheeler: forwards, t,. n. Grice (centre). A. Alexander (inside-right), INTER-VARSITY MATCn. AUCKLAND BRATS WELLINGTON. (Br Telegraph.— Press ..-Delation.) PEILDING, SaturdarThe inter-nniversity match played here to-a. resulted: Auckland 3. Victoria 1. It was a fii. t, open fame. The ground ifw soft Somers (1) and Oarr {2) scored for Auckland. For' Victoria College. Burton scored The scores are a good indication of the" relative merits of the teams Fourth Grade.—"SomervlHe i (Taylor .._, Cohen 2. Fleti-ter 2). beat Norm Snore ■< (Cooper 1. Held 2, Anthony 1, Parker 1). Fifth Grade.— Wesley College i (Anderson .I, Tom 3, Tewaeirac 1), bent Mount Eden B 0. CANTERBURY TOURING TEAM. OHRISTOHUJROH, Sunday. Tha following hockey team has been selected io represent Canterbury tn the forthcoming tour:—Goal. 11. Snooks; threequarters, P. Martin, UV Berry; halves. J. Pasco. S. Man-der. B. -lorris, _. Seple: forwards, It. Sheriffs. S. u__ll. H. Bell. W. 'Bell II T-hro-p (captain. The team will leave Ch__tchurch on September 1, a_d will play Auckland for the challenge shield on Sept ember 4, at Auckland. LADIES" MATCHES. T - nal for the Belmore Cup was won by Mount Eden A, who beat Training College by 4 goals to 2. The scorers were : Misses Hamblyn 2. Buttend 2, for Mount Eden: and Misses Tanner and Trotter for Training College. Mr. L. .1. Mndden was referee. CANTERBURY V. OTAGO. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUNE-IN, Saturday. The ladies' hockey inter-provincial match resulted: Canterbury 3. Otago 0. Miss Barr scored all the goals.