IMPROVED PLAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 113, 16 May 1938, Page 14

IMPROVED PLAY.

HOCKEY COMPETITION.

GRAMMAR'S CLOSE CALL

ST. LUKE'S ANl> TTNIVEKSITY WIN EASILY.

■Saturday'* jraiin>. sluraed a general uplift in t!ie ft.ni.lan] of pl.iy, altlioiich. there it. plenty of 100111 ior improvement (■specially in constructive team work, and the executing 01 prctonccivod movement* Jn all frame* the opening proved evenly contcs-t.tl. hut in the two later cames t!io winners held the upper hand in the closing stages u> finish with a com. fortable margin. This could, no dojiljt" he attributed to the better team work and the physical condition of the playere to M.in.l the strain of a kI 1 ennouß "watch. <.cnoial!y the failingK were the la<k of directional ftittinby dcfendeiv. and in cai-r*, the lack of coheeion and understanding in Ui e forward lines. It k evident that few of the teams if any, have had team talks or blackboard demonstration* r»n tactics, aud until thpy realiee the importance of concentrated study of t!i<? fiucr point-s of t'n c game the\cannot hope in <rroat!y improve their plav The results were: — ** St. Luke's 4. v. United 1. (Jrammar Old Boyc 4. v. Somervillc 3 Univei*.ity 7, v. Mount Eden 2. Competition table:—(Jrammar 0.8. .-J 2 - - ;, 6 ' V - St. -Luke's .... - 2 — - ]•• - J Inited 2 1 1 - ", ' 6 7, I'niversity ....21 1 — jo 7 « Somervjlle .... 1! — L' — 7, g ~ Mount Bden ...- — "- 4 15 Z.

UNITED FADE AWAY. In a match bristling with iwsibilitie* yet disappoint ids >" many respecte, gt! Luke's thoroughly deserved their win oX rr the newly-formed club Tnited. The T'nitcd team to a certain exten* spoilt its display through somi- of its mcnibtrs allowing thrir tempers to become frayed when play wan and, considering that the team Is ■omposed of fully flodjred players, sneh incidents should be conspicuous bv their absence. The St. Lake's forwards played well a* a line, and again Vipond was outstanding. He catered well for his forwards and received able support from both Carrol and Corin. Doel and Cameron on the wings found the opposition too strong, and although seen in occasional flashes, wen usually smothered by the defence' s Robertson was brilliant at centre-half. Hii anticipation was pood and allowed him en numerous occasions to sustain the attack. Brodie and Itirv had a hard day's work marking the opposing wings, and stock to their task well. <'lark and King played with great understanding, the former displaying his old form and extricating hi* side repeatedly with spectacular clearances. Wattam in goal played with sound judgment. Butler, the United goalie, had little chance of sarin? the shots which found the net. Jones was the better of the two full-backs. The halves were the weak link in the United side. and. although occasional clever interceptions must be credited to them, their positional play could be gi*atly improved. Howling and Bushell both shaded Hedges. Making use of the wings, Kenton and Wellbourne. to good purpose the insides just lacked that finish to their circle work which means the difference between success and failure. Cooper, Torbett and Monteith all proved great bustlers, and at times great individualists but lack of co-operation spoilt many menu.

GRAMMAS LUCKY. • > To snatch victory right on time, and then through a palpable mistake on the P*rt of the goalie, was the luck ol the Grammar team. Somerville. with a letd of 3 goals to 1 at half-time, looked to tare the game veil in hand, but such U the uncertainty of the game. A match is new* lost until it i.-» won. For the winners, Sale In goal was fair, and Hay and Robinson, the full-backs, were solid without being brilliant. The halves proved a mediocre trio, with Lawry shining in spasms of brilliance. Koughton was again outstanding in the forwards, but he should remeeber he has other players on either side *f him quite capable of carrying on the attack, and his individual efforts enable the opposition to concentrate the defence on the centre. Floyd and Tearce both mpported well, and once again it was surprising that Armstrong on the wing had another starvation day. On the Pomerville side. Marshall wal rather daring in coming out so far M meet the attack. His kicking was strong, but his "speculator" hits risky, and eventually disastrous. Both Uevoll and Martin fhould study positional play, and Bevell was inclined to dally with his clearances. All the halves worked well. Stewart being the pick of the trio. Long proved that bis long reach can be turned to account with the lunge stroke, and Hurt had a good Understanding with his wing man. Wyatt was the best of the forwards. Elliott also putting in some nice work on the left win?. Xicolson. on the right wing, gave flashes of brilliant play, but at times lacked codtidencc. A littl" more experience should remedy this failing.

COMBINATION TELrS. Montit Eden'«= combined play in the first spoil against University gave indies turns of :i crrar game, but in "the second half the students outplayed them to run out winners by 7 goals to 2. Three forward?. Cooper (1) Fniton mi Broun (i> eachi, and Warson half-back, from two penalty corners, scored the Tnivcrsity goals. Herrioit. Brouii. Watson were n safe trio as the students' half-line, nnd maintained strong support on the attack. The work of Fulton and Walton on 'lie loft of the vanguard was outstanding, nn<l preatly contributed to th<- win. Moore a n<l A. Horspool. Mount Ed»n"s full-back?, though sound at s-ioppinp. lacted direction in hittinp. Rowc." centre-half, azain played too deep and allowed the ofll»o>ine forwards too much liberty. J. Hor?poofs stick control was a bis improvement, and the attacks he led took a lot of •stoppme. Herriott kept good position «nd was dangerous in the circle.

OTHER CONTESTS. SECOND (JUAPE. "Varsity K .",. heat St. George's 1. Alberljans 4. beat Sonierville '_•. Varsity fi. beat Grammar o. St. Luke's 4. heat T.M.C.A. 0. Wesley 7. n( . at M ollnt v.don 1. VAaitemata S. beat Air Base 0. THIRD GRADE, Papntoetoe S. beat Training College 1St. Luke's 1. beat Tamafci <>. Somerville won by default TraiPJn; College. Grammar 11. beat "Varsitr 3. Albert ia us 1. |,oat Graniin'nr <>.P. 0. Mount Albert l>, l>e:it Papntoeloc -■ FOIRTH GRAPE. Grammar A 12. beat Grammar B 1. '\'arsity 4. bent Sc-nierville B '•*■ >>ount Kilcn 11. he,-?t Mount Ml>ert °- Somerville A 4. beat St l.uk<-"> »- Papatoctoe 3, beat Wesley -J. LADIES' GAMES. SKXIOKS. Mount i:.1.-ii :;. ,i rO w wiili Ki«i ".. lechnical 2. beat "Var.-itv 1. rievcdnn 1. drew with We>l-y 1. INTKKMEOIATES. Ti-clinic-al l> won by default from Train : Ing Collose R. Kiwi won by default from Tr.iininc: College A. Mount lM.n 1. drew villi "YarMiy 1. JUNIORS. Technical 1. ilr.w -niili "\:ir-i!v 1Wesley won bv default i.-ii. I'mioinS B. GAMES IN THE PROVINCE. Ti: AWAMITI". I.adi.s".-rjjter.<n_-i ".. bent 1: Otnj-ohanza A '_'. \>™i Hairini " Men's.—Te Awannuu A ". ilr"W with Te Awamutii .". : i •t«r«h.m;a -. elrrw with '^ M'TRRINSX n.lj; l..idie>'. Thnine;. -j \>r:,i r, .u . •' games in the ri:"\i\< r: HAMILTON Senior.— Aotoa l>. tvnat T--k«maru .": Colts 1. beat Kaipaki 0.