HOCKEY

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26813, 19 August 1952, Page 4

HOCKEY

AUSTRALIAN TEAM WINS ONE-GOAL MARGIN OVER N.Z. UNIVERSITIES Playing with more vim and sparkle than on Saturday, the Australian hockey team beat New Zealand Universities by 1 goal to 0 at Williamson Park yesterday. The overhead conditions were ideal, but the rain last week had made the ground wet and slippery. Australia adopted a quick, hard-hitting game, as against the short-passing of the students' eleven. Australia had more of the attack, and only brilliant defence by J. Hastings, in goal, kept the tally down to a single goal, scored about three minutes before time. The teams were:— Australia.—J, Dane, D. Siggs (captain), K. Wark. B. Acton, D. Wise. H. Smith, L. Stepnenson, T. Dick, C. Reynolds, C. Pearce, and R. Wright. New Zealand Universities.—J. Hastings, G. Haase, L. Oatfield, N. J. Compton, J. Mann (captain), M. Loudon, D. Adcock. P. Cassin, R. Moore, R. O’Connor, and J. Porter. The Australian team jumped into the ajtack right from the opening bully, Reynolds and Pearce leading a combined effort th,t gave Hastings a hot time for the first 10 minutes, but the Massey College player was equal to the occasion, and cleared the New Zealand goal three times in the first quarter of an hour. The Australian centre-half, D. Wise, kept his forwards on the move by keen intercepting and quick passing, and Gatfield and Haase had a busy time. Finally Adcock and Cassin got possession and went well down to gain a penalty corner which was cleared by determined defence. Hastings earned round after round of applause for brilliant clearing when Wright and Pearce led the attack and transferred across field to Porter, whose centre was blocked by Gatfield. O’Connor and Porter went down on the New Zealand left to the Australian circle, but Wark cleared with a hefty hit. Long Clearing Shots Two penalty corners to New Zealand were cleared. Adcock, Moore, and Cassin pressed the visitors back on defence, but penalty corners brought no result. Siggs amazed the crowd with his clearing hits which frequently went three-quarters the length of the field. Wise was playing brilliant hockey, and Pearce and Dick were often in the limelight, but great work by Hastings kept the New Zealand goal clear and naif-time came with no score. New Zealand opened the second spell with Adcock and Cassin in the lead, and the Australian goal was in danger until Wark relieved. Wise sent Pearce away, and several raids kept the New Zealand defence hard pressed. Solid play by Hastings and Gatfield cleared the danger, and Adcock went away to pass infield to Casein and on to O’Connor, but Wark rushed back and cleared to the line. Stephenson and Dick, on the visitors’ right, went down to the New Zealand circle, but again the visitors failed to score from a penalty corner. Australia pressed hard, and a penalty bully against Gatfield ended with Dick missing a goal. Pearce and Reynolds led the Australians back, and a scramble in the New Zealand goal mouth ended in Pearce netting the only goal of the match throe minutes before time. New Zealand made strenuous efforts to score the equalising goal, but Australia’s defence held, and the game ended with the score Australia 1, New Zealand Universities 0. Umpires: Messrs T. Eggleton and C. Gutry.

CANTERBURY TEAM TO PLAY UNIVERSITY

The Canterbury team to play the New Zealand University team on Thursday is: H. Rhind; 3. Down, A. Mitchell; Les Lloyd, R. W. Peacock, A. McOscar: I. Cummins, C. Currie, E. Thomas, M. Wallan, M. McKinnon. Reserves: K. Cumberpatch, M. Heyward, P. Cotton.