HOCKEY TOURNEY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 163, 12 July 1945, Page 9

HOCKEY TOURNEY

WOMEN'S TEAMS IN AUCKLAND

The first trames of the country week tourney conducted by the Auckland Ladies' Hockey Association were played yesterday afternoon at Melville Park. Eight teams are competing and the tourney is being: run in two sections, the winners of each to play off, for the Provincial Cup. The team which is runner-up will receive the Twlname Cup. The. second teams in each section will play ■ off for the Country Cup. The grounds were In (rood condition and the hockey was fast and interesting. The biggest win of the day was scored by Auckland, 6 goals to nil. In a game Iti which It had the advantage throughout. Rodney beat Whangarel B, 2—o. On the run of play the score might easily have been higher. Both Rodney's goals were scored by E. Lawry. one In the first, spell and one in the second. The Rodney wingers, Ashton and Andrews, played outstanding games. For whangarel, Davidson, full-back, and the goalie, Ross, played solidly. , . Willing play characterised the game between Waikato B and Waipa, won by Walkato, I—o. The teams were evenly matched, but cleaner stopping and their ability to take advantage of faulty#posltional play by Waipa gave Walkato a slight advantage. The game began slowly and both teams took time to settle down. The defence of the waipa backs was good and G. Hodson, the goalie, played a fine game. The first spell ended without score. Waikato's goal in the second spell was scored by N. Tlsch. The youthful Northern Walroa side provided surprisingly strong opposition against the more experienced players of the Whangarel A team. A very hard fought game was won by Whangarel, 3 —l. Whangarel's stick work was superior and they had a territorial advantage most of the time. Often, however, they were hard pressed by Northern Walroa, who attacked with great determination. Whangarel's goals were scored by the centre-forward, Praser. Northern Wairoa's goal was scored by the centre-forward, V. Wickham. B. Byrd, Northern Wairoa's right-wing, played consistently well. Auckland gained the ascendancy early in their game against Walkato A. They attacked persistently In the firs? spell and their stick work and positional play was much superior. J. Miller scored five successive goals with shots which the Waikato goalie had little chance Of stopping. Walkato appeared unable to settle down. in the second spell, with the score 6—o against it Waikato's play improved considerably and it defended strongly. At times It had Auckland on the defensive, but was not able to drive home the attack. The second spell ended without further score.