HOCKEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 137, 13 June 1938, Page 16

HOCKEY.

j GRAMMAR LEADS. i SOMERVILLE SURPRISES. j ! . \— i | CRITICISM OF PXxAY. With the first round of the Davis Cup j now completed, the hockey championship table is at an interesting stage. Grammar I Old Boys, with eight points, are leading by j one point from United. A similar margin separates the next three teams, St. Luke's, University and Somerville. With only four points difference between the first five teams, competition in the second round will be keen. 9 _ Failure by the players to appreciate the heavy ground conditions . in Saturday s matches made tliera scrappy. Too much ; short passing lost chances ■which might have brought results had the ball been hit with more force and better direction. Mount Eden, who play a hard-hitting game, found the conditions to their liking and held Grammar into the second spell, when the Old Boys x*attled on two goals in quick time. 2Co team on Saturday possessed a leader capable of either liis team in planned movements or inspiring his men to give an extra effort: Auckland captains -should remember the play of Masud, the centre-half with the All-India team of 1035. He was the master brain of the combination; lie initiated and directed practically all the Indian attacks, and he held the confidence of all the players. Masud's success came, no doubt, after close study of positional play. He had a perfect understanding of the play of the other members of the team. »It is in this respect that local players are found wanting. More time should be spent in team talks 011 tactics and the science of positional play. Local players achieve little success from penalty corners. The method of taking them has become far too it behoves team captains and coaches to vary their methods. Variation keeps the defenders guessing, and brings results'. MOUNT EDEN IMPROVES. Even allowing for the fact that Grammar j Old Boys had three of their usual members away, Mount Eden must be given credit for I a much improved showing. By lightening ! some of their hitting and paying more ; attention to positional play they will improve their game even further. The Grammar forwards indulged In too many individual excursions and the halves again played too deep, bunching with the full-backs on defence. . The reappearance of Twigden and I. lioss in the forwards was expected to improve the line, but neither player was outstanding. Koughtou and Armstrong were the best of the eleven. W. Ross, centre, was frequently caught out of position. The full-backs Hay and Robinson were solid without being brilliant. Robinson was inclined to be bustled. Rowe and Herriott were always in the picture when Mount Eden were on attack, and both proved tireless. J. Horspool made some clever runs down the right, but was' inclined to carry the ball too far before centring. Hughes, at centre-half, allowed his eagerness to get hiiii into trouble positionally; his wanderings gave tlio opposition too much latitude in opening attacks. J. Horspool could improve by eliminating one-handed play and initialing attacks with crlsper and better directed passes. UNITED'S LAST-MINTJTE DRAW. University were unlucky to. share points with United after having the advantage to the last minutes of play. Neither side showed combination on attack, and .there was a '.ack of understanding among the forwards. The students gave spasmodic flashes in combination, but their circle work could be improved. Their defence was sound, Hogben and Moir performing well. Watson and Herriott were the pick or teh players. In the forwards A. Broun played forcefully, but could have combined better with H. Cooper and Fulton. Individualism marked the plav of United's vanguard, with Torbett, J. Cooper and McCormick most in the limelight. Dowling, at centre-half, played a well-varied game. Jones and Bowden were safe fullbacks. Butler, the custodian, made some clever saves. A'feature of this match was the.excessive use of the whistle. YOUTH SURPRISES. Speed and combination added to the ability to seize tbe least opportunity offering were the contributing factors in Somerville's victory—the surprise of the day— over St Luke's, the then leaders of the competition The rearrangement of Soinerville"s front line was the key to success. Wyatt, inside left, was tlie outstanding player on the lield. All his work in tbe field was for a definite purpose, while his thrust in the circle was a menace to St. Luk<*s defence. Elliott shone to advantage as right-wing, and tbe goal lie added was a masterpiece of stickwork. The half line was sound rather than brilliant. Brown, full-back, by his determined , tackling, harassed the opposing forwards and frustrated their movements. • Vipond was the most tlirustful of St. Luke's vanguard, his two goals being snappy efforts. Coriu was always conspicuous, but could not pierce the defence. The pace and combination of the opposing forwards repeatedly caught Clark and King, full-backs, unawares. This pair had a strenuous time in meeting the onslaughts.