HOCKEY

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27642, 26 April 1955, Page 8

HOCKEY

COMPETITIONS BEGIN WINS FOR OLD BOYS AND ' WOOLSTON The Canterbury Hockey Association’s competition games opened on Saturday under ideal conditions. The weather was fine and cool and the grounds last and even. High School Old Boys had an easy win over 'Sei* wyn by 8 goals to 1, Woolston gave a good display of speedy short-passing to beat Sydenham, 4-1, and University just managed to gain a victory over Trinity, 3-2. Following are the points gained by the senior teams:— First division: H. 5.0.8. 1, University 1, Woolston 1, Selwyn 0, Sydenham 0, Trinity 0. Second division: Sydenham I. Harewood J, New Brighton West Old Boys i, Woolston J, Technical 0. WOOLSTON v. SYDENHAM The first half of the game between Woolston tmd Sydenham was fairly even. Woolston had a slight advantage in speed and ball control, and the score at halftime was 1-0 in Woolston’s favour. In the second spell Woolston combined better in the front line and, although the younger side, showed better trapping, short passing and nippier stick play to add three more goals. Sydenham’s only score came when M. McKinnon jumped in to trap a pass from the centre and score with a shot that gave Mortimer no chance. With R. Lapworth in the centre, Woolston’s front line worked in perfect unison, and the ball frequently travelled along the whole line and back before the circle was reached. Lapworth showed himself a useful goal scorer. On the left D. James and G. Howard played well together, James back tackling well and centring cleverly. On the right. Hobson proved a tireless worker; and with Crossen made a strong right wing attack. In the halves, J. Abrams, at centre, got through a busy day, as in addition to breaking up the Sydenham attacking he kept his forwards well supplied with the ball. L. Hobson was the sheet anchor of the defence, stopping the opposing forwards repeatedly, and Mortimer had little to do in goal. Sydenham lacked cohesion in the front line,' and rarely was an attacking movement carried out with that combination necessary to success. P. Cotton, who played for Woolston last year, was never allowed to manoeuvre into position, and the front-line work was very ragged. The halves were outpaced by the more youthful Woolston forwards, as were the two backs, W. Morris and Rusbridge, although the latter worked hard and covered a lot of ground. J. Pauling was goalkeeper, but was evidently out of form, and had no chance of stopping the lightning shots of Lapworth ahd Crossen. Pauling is a former Wellington player, who played goalkeeper for Karori for the last two seasons. UNIVERSITY v. TRINITY University showed greater understand - ing and displayed better teamwork to defeat Trinity by three goals to two. The winners had the advantage in the first spell, and held a draw until late in thr. second, and won the match with a superb goal before time. Trinity’s weakness lay in two youngsters filling the left wing and left inside positions. With further experience in senior matches the side should fare better. University’s short passing bouts in the forwards unsettled the Trinity defence for some time, but when Mitchell and Harkess settled down. University’s changed tactics met with little reward. For University, Jackson was the better of the backs. Davies did some good work at centre-half, with the veteran J. Mann and E. Archer in good support. R. O’Connor, at inside right, who played some three years ago, fullyrealised expectations, and Haskell at centre and Long on the left wing were also prominent.

Trinity played well, both backs showing good form. F. Boyd, at centre-half, worked well, and H. Couch, at left-half, came through the day creditably. W. Speedy was the mainstay of the attack, and with Beecroft and Allen comprised a solid forward trio. On occasions the youthful Niels and Burgess surprised by instituting combined passing rushes, from one of which Speedy netted. Goals for Trinity were scored by Speedy (2), and for University by Harkess (2) and O’Connor.

The umpires were Messrs N. Hocking and W. Grammer.

OLD BOYS V. SELWYN Against the more experienced Old Boys side Selwyn found it difficult to settle down and on first-match form it seems that the club face a task in team-build-ing which may take a little time, but which will eventually bring results. With several new players in the side Selwyn, in spite of Saturday’s big loss, with be a much better team than the score indicated. A falling away in the later stages of the game was due to two causes—the improvement in the Old Boys' scoring line and Selwyn’s lack of a strong leader in the defence.

Old Boys started sluggishly, and many of the passes were being well intercepted, but later they moved into top gear and with P. Hanna and I. Armstrong snapping up their passes, found many gaps. C. Dawson, in his first senior game, did all that was required of him, and looks a likely colt. The half line failed to settle down properly, and there are some faults in position that need ironing out. Of the b .!:s, R. Armstrong seemed the more solid.

For a large part of the game, M. Clements and J. Down played solidly in the Selwyn backs, and B. Blakeley did a tremendous amount of work. J. Reece stood out for his field play. His control and deception in his passing were of the best class, but there did seem a tendency for him to bury play on the left. His goal w?- a classic close-range effort. Old Boys had rather the better of the play in the first half. P. Blyth, R. Cummins, and I. Armstrong scoring. When Selwyn got the first goal in the second spell, it looked as if the side might press Old Boys, but with the Old Boys’ attack playing cleverly, goals came steadily. Armstrong (2), Blyth, W. Browne, and N. Thomas scoring. The umpires were Messrs B. W. Rogers and A. Ostler. LOWER GRADES Senior Second Grade. —Sydenham 4, Technical 2; Hare wood 1, New Brighton 1; West Old Boys 1, Woolston 1. Senior Reserve.—Teachers’ College 3, Technical 2; Selwyn 6, Harewood 4; Sumner 4, University 3. Second Grade.—Mairehay 7, West Old Boys 5; B.R.A. 7, Trinity 0; Selwyn 4, Technical 3; High School Old Boys 6, Sydenham 5; West Old Boys 9, Redcliffs 2; New Brighton 2, Kiwi 2. Third Grade.—West Old Boys 5, University 2; High School Old Boys 7, Linwood 2; Rangiora 2; Burnham 2; Woolston 3, Harewood 3; Boys’ High School 5, Technical 1; Sydenham 5, Matchless 2. Fourth Grade.—Christ’s College 8, B.R.A. 0; High School Old Boys 11, University 0; West Old Boys 5, Technical 2; Beckenham 3, Emulous 3; Sumer 1, Papanui Technical 0. Fifth Grade.—University 5, High School Old Boys 1; Burnham 5, Redcliffs 4; Technical 3, B.R.A. 0;, New Brighton 5, Boys’ High School A 4. Sixth Grade.-—Harewood 7, West Old Boys 0; Woolston 4, Boys’ High School A 1; Technical 6, B.R.A. 1; Boys’ High School B 1, Rangiora 0. Under 15 Grade.—Woolston 9, High School Old Boys 1; Redcliffs 10, West Old Boys 0: Sydenham 7, Selwyn 3; Boys’ High School 7, Technical 0. Under 14 Grade.—Selwyn A 6, Selwyn B 4;» S denham A 12, Sydenham B 0; High’ School Old Boys 3, B.R.A. 2; New Brighton 3. Woolston 0.

RESULTS IN OTHER CENTRES

Wellington.—University 4, Rongotai Old Boys 4; Karori 6, Technical Old Boys 2; Wellington College Old Boys 3, Hutt 2. Auckland.—Somerville 4, Ramblers 1; Albertians 2, Grammar 1; St. Luke’s 4, University 1.