HOCKEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 121, 24 May 1932, Page 15

HOCKEY.

SOMERVILLE IN LEAD. i ST. LUKE'S WEAKNESS IN CIRCLE. I s EXCELLENT GAME AT STADIUM. \ _ j The last series of matches but one of the I senior competition eventuated last Satur- t day when the most important attraction > was the meeting of Somerville and bt. J Luke's. The contest furnished the best game of the season, and after a strenuous j but interesting encounter, Somerville won i by one goal to nil. \Vesley,_ in drawing < with University, obtained their first point < of the season. It was no small achieve- i ment to equalise the scores after being < two 'down in the first spell. As was expected, North Shore gained a victory over < Mount Eden, winning by tour goals to one, after a scrappy game. ' OLD RIVALS. True to tradition the meeting of those old rivals, Somerville and St. Luke s, pro- : I vided another great struggle, in which the fortunes of the teams wavered and swayed until the second spell was well advanced. Both clubs were fully represented and Somerville fielded the strongest eleven of the season, thanks to the cburtesy ot i St. Luke's, who allowed Gardner to play, although he was not registered in accordance with the rules of the competition. St: Luke's again had the services of McLeod, who was not available on the previous Saturday. From start to finish the game was fast and interesting, the scene of action changing rapidly and frequently. The stickwork for the most part was surprisingly good, and at times extremely clever, but the main feature of the contest was the tussle between the Somerville forwards and the St. Lukes backs. I her was very little to choose between the two teams in the first spell; perhaps St Luke s had a slight advantage territorially, but their attacks fizzled out. Somerville, on the other hand, served up some onslaughts of a more formidable nature, yet bot goals remained intact during that period. It was in the second half that Somerville managed to assert their superiority. Somerville- required all the resources and experience of their seasoned forwards to break down the strong barrier opposed to them. The line was worked from all directions, but most progress was made on the left, especially in the second spell. The outstanding forward on the ground ■ was Eric Watts, and in the first halt he ! was at the head of the majority ot attacks. , \Vellbourne showed to most advantage in the second spell, when he received plenty of work. C. Watts, as a link 111 the W formation, was able to feed and support the player on either side admirably. The halves appeared to be playing too much of a defensive game and gave the St Luke's forwards more freedom, especially in the first spell. Gurr got through a lot of work, but on the day Hedges played the soundest game. Gardner s : services were invaluable and he seemed ; to revel in stemming the St. Lukes un- „ convincing attacks. C. Smith dul his full : share in stopping and hitting. The play of the St. Luke's forwards ' was in striking contrast to the snappy } and skilful work of the Somerville van, i but their great weakness was in the circle. - The best chance of scoring was lost when • Grace failed to connect with a rebound ' from a corner shot by McLeod. Ihc ! halves were better than the Somerville trio McLeod gave a splendid display at centre-half and toward the end not only urged, bnt led his tired forwards in hopes of equalising the scores. Both 1. Clark C and Robertson felt, the recurring pres- ' sure of the Somerville attack. At full- £ back F. Clark was more prominent 111 the first spell, while his partner showed up

more favourably toward the end. Wattam accounted for some not snots iroin Watts and Co.

WESLEY'S FIRST POINT. No one gave Wesley much hope against University, but once again the calculations o£ the prophets were upset, for the game ended in a draw, after University had succeeded in scoring a couple of goals in the first spell. 'Ihe students rearranged their forward line and at the commencement of the game appeared to work better but later all play seemed to drift touaid the left and the right was subject to starvation. Wesley deserve some credit for making such a good recovery, despite the fact that they enjoyed a spice of goo< fortune with one of their goals. it is hard to account for the lapse on the part of University. The backs were strengthened by the return of Katchffe and he had some support from Broun. Ihe burden of the full-back play fell upon Brown I Crawley was completely surprised with ol The f Lesley 1 "' forwards showed little cohesion, their play being of abusing nature. Slaney and Kilf were the most nrominent. Fleet was the mainstay of the middle division. At full-back Burton played a splendid game, being as steady as a rock and hitting to advantage. STRENUOUS AND EVEN. In the clash between North Shore and Mount Eden scientific hoc-key gave way to seventy minutes' of hard, strenuous play of a standard considerably below that exnected in the senior grade. Ihe moie ivnerienced Shoreites held the balance of the aggressive work,-but met in the youthfu? Mount Edenites a " t,,bb 9™ "'"? r e'irilf r °pu t l up a creditable performbest 3° the" full-backs, although Allum Pl 'o y £ ed the S Moit a Eden vanguard, Clark claims first mention Hm goal effo/fand hfwas unlucky in not findin, effort, and Min F]etcher WM verj dangerous, but still too , jusl Jenkins 'were °vwy in the half line while the full-backs, H°rsp<> ol Adi S ed net ; iSv^^ on v«I tainly had a win in securing him, i AUCKLAND ASSOCIATION. ( [ WHO WILL GO TO AUSTRALIA? | At last nigilt's meeflug of the ArVfvl, the New Zealand mannge- ! inent®committee that the , tor Australia — the ■ New Zealand side are. half . bac k, T. C. Full-back, ;.' w F Welborue, 1 Clark; forwards, l->. J- i' elu > c terbury by Auckland last season) ' ,c g| chancred from June 11 to June 18. -■ • * E. Watts was nominated as one of t e referees for the game, which will be J played at Auckland.