HOCKEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 194, 18 August 1930, Page 16

HOCKEY.

UNEXPECTED HAPPENINGS. STUDENTS' LEAD REDUCED. There were several features of interest in last Saturday's game, and the most' important .was the defeat of University at the' hands of St. Luke's. Although it was not actually a big surprise, yet University were more sanguine about their ability to do the trick than their opponents, and on recent performance they certainly had sufficient, grounds for optimism. St. Luke's entered the arena full of determination, and, if enjoying the smallest measure of. good fortune, had their full .share of the play, and gained an excellent victory in a.keen and exceedingly interesting struggle, by the odd. goal in three. •The success of St. Luke's is of iio material benefit to them in connection with the championship, but it may give Mount Eden a chance to dispute the title with the students. If North Shore had hot'been extended by-Wesley, .they too- would have been gratified by the downfall of University. So it happened that' instead of obtaining an easy victory over Wesley, North' Shore had to -be content, with. a. draw. Without detracting' from the. meritorious performance of Wesley in making such a gallant 'fight with their more doughty opponents and playing short-handed, too; North Shore were unlucky in having a goal by Reid disallowed. Still, had- the trans-harbour' team .displayed any sort of combination, the result may easily have been different. In the other game matters turned out as; anticipated, Mount Eden winning from Whippets by seven goals to one. STUDENTS' LOSS. The struggle between St. Luke's and University (leaders in the competition) will "o down as one of the best games of the reason. So even was the contest between the two elevens that the result was in doubt until the end; a last-minute goal to University would probably have given them Davis Cup honours. v* The game was fast from start to finish without"a dull moment. Both sides hit the ball about freely, with the result that the scene of operations changed with surnrising rapidity. No matter how often the"more dkshSg left and central attacks were launched they met with determined opposition. Throughout the game there were glimpses-of brilliancy and excellent movements in conception but they were seldom allowed much freedom. St. Luke s made most progress along the flanks and it was-seldom that they were able to, -carve a passage through the centre. Although the University, backs were not so consistent as the St. Luke's defenders they nearly always recovered sufficiently 'to meet the varying pressure of. the opposing The bt. Luke's forwards had a tendency to dally or falter at-the critical moment, with the result that the. students' goal-keeper had less calls than his vis-a-vis. . ■■ In goal for St.-Luke's, Hanna gave his best display of the season and bis saves were an important factor in the defeat of the. season's champions. V. Clark played a splendid game at full-back and made a sensational save towards the end of the came. Mills was extremely steady and reliable, making only one serious mistake. I-n the middle division Williams was at his best and towards the end smashed the vigorous-attacks of the students' van, Robertson worked hard and figured prominently in catering for the forwards. T. Clark played a capital game and his judicious hitting was valuable. The bt Luke's forwards all grafted well to a certain degree, but it was seldom that their effortb were convincing. For University Crawley had little to do in. goal. He took Grace's shot full on his right pad but it went into the net, while the second goal was scored off a rebound Brown accomplished the bulk of the work at full-back effectively. Radcliffe was the best-of the' halves. The winger found it difficult to. hold up the flank movements of iSt Luke's. Hay and Bestic were the liick of-the forwards, the former making some fine openings, while in the second spell Bestic converted good hits into excellent centres, but for some reason or other something went wrong with the Varsity attack in the vicinity of the circle. Taylor; linked up occasionally and was responsible for a fine goal.

: TIGHT AGAINST ODDS. , Wesley commenced with nine players, and being the weakest team but one in the competition, North Shore had every reason to-count upon a ..big goal crop. Instead they received: the shock of their lives and not only had they to\ be content with a draw,- but the result practically wipes them out- of any claim . upon championship honours. They were unfortunate regarding a goal which would have given them a lead. Nevertheless; to Wesley must be given the credit of playing a, splendid uphill game against big odds, and their success, if ■ a draw may be called so, can be attributed to the excellent. defence of their backs and. the open -play, among the forwards. Although it' was of an elementary nature, it broke through the usually sound defence of North Shore. North Shore' took mat-ters-too easily at the start of the game. Combination was conspicuous by Its absence and most of .the attacks were of a solo nature, and they failed against a couple of'clever-full-backs. On the North Shore side,• Allah'-was the.better of-the two fullbacks; while Haggitt endeavoured to cater bountifully to a;. set of individualists. Frater was -steady. 1 Anthony was the pick of ithe forwards." Reid: worked energetically to 'save the situation.

In Fleet and Michel Wesley had a couple of,splendid full-backs, who dealt summarily with' the .solo attacks of the opposition. Chappell and White were the best of the halves.' Roberts, on the left wing, played splendidly: and should develop into a topnotcher. . The two Burtons were untiring, covered a lot'of ground and worked the wings' judiciously.

-; A STIFF TASK;. ' V The ' University Whippets, with, the team replenished from the junior ranks, was faded with-a stiff task in meeting Mount Eden. Inithe first spell the students offered a''splendid defence, and ends were changed with two. goals .against them. The. incessant attacks in the concluding 'stages proved too great a .strain and the browns piled ;on five more goals, figures that could easily have been improved upon if the Mount Eden players had set about their task properly. In view of. the team's position for. the . season's championship honours, the browns' work, was of a very slipshod nature. Systematic methods and combination gave place' to selfish- individualism.' The students, under such a severe handicap,' performed well and some fine defensive work was witnessed. Lea, in goal,-performed better than the score indicates. Guerney- was very sound, stopping andclearing well. Brown had a very busy time af centre-half. Bullock and Dunn were best of the forwards.. M. Jones replaced. Anderson at full-back for Mount Eden. : Anderson's display was by no means in keeping ..with, hockey ; he would have been better on the side-line. Mainland played his usual game. The rest, of the team,.for reasons previously mentioned, do not call for comment.

INTER-ISLAND MATCH,

NORTH AND SOUTJH DRAW.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

NELSON, Saturday. The annual match' between the hockey representatives of the North and South Islands was played at Nelson to-day in dull but fine weather. It was a fast and open exhibition of the game, and surprisingly good combination, particularly by the • North Island team, was .shown. The. game, which ended in a draw, one goal each, just about indicated the respective merits of the teams.

In the first spell, North had a good deal more of the play, and Rushbridge scored the only goal. In the second half, however, South, showed to much better advantage, and if their forwards had possessed a little, mote finish, they must have scored aewmLisnea, mtliwood £t last equalised.

AUCKLAND TEAM.

TO PLAY WAIKATO NEXT WEEK.

The following team has been chosen by Mr. W. Newsham (sole selector) to play Waikato at Auckland next Saturday. The team will practice at Remuera next Wednesday at 3!30 p.m.:-—

Crawley ('Varsity), Radcliffe ('Varsity), Gardiner (Somerville), Williams (St. Luke's), Haggett (Shore), Clark (St. Luke's), Hay ('Varsity), Anthony (Shore), Chaplin. (Eden), Watts (Somerville), Wellbourne (Eden). Reserves: Backs, Allen (Shore); forwards, Reid (Shore). GRADE GAMES. SECOND GRADE. Otakuhu 1; beat Mount Eden 0. University Colts 4, beat Birkenhead 0. University "5, beat Somerville I. Wesley 2, beat Training College 1. THIRD GRADE. Somerville 3, drew with University 3. Auckland Grammer 0, beat Training Col. 1 FOURTH GRADE. Mount Eden 4, beat. Wesley 1.. •St. Luke's 2, drew with University 2. Mt. Albert Grammar 3, beat Somerville 1. FIFTH GRADE. , . Auckland Grammar .- A 9, beat • Mount Albert B 1. . ■ ' t ■ •'■ Auckland Grammar B 3, beat Mount Albert A 1. ■ ' ■ ' LADIES' GAMES. ■ ____' ■ > • < SENIOR GRADE. '. Mount Eden 6, beat Kiwi 2. Wesley 5, beat Clevedon 1. Somerville 4, beat Papatoetoe 1. JUNIOR GRADE. Ngaro G, beat Clevedon 4. Manurewa 2, drew with Technical A 2. . Papakura 2, drew with Wesley.A 2. Mount Eden 1, beat Ngataringa 0. Somerville 1, drew with Technical 8,1. Y.W.C.A. 1, beat Wesley B 0. GAMES IN SOUTH. NELSON. Final: North 1, South 1. WELLINGTON. Senior A.—Hutt 3, drew with Wellington ' Karorl 1, beat University 0. Y M.C.A. 1, drew with Wesley 1. Senior B.—Hutt B S, beat Y.M.C.A. 1. Wesley 3, beat Karori 2. - _ . Training College 2, beat University. B 0. University A won by default from Wellington.