HOCKEY

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27665, 23 May 1955, Page 2

HOCKEY

SENIOR COMPETITION MATCHES university and old boys IN LEAD With the end of the fifth round of the Canterbury Hockey Associations competition games Old Boys and Umversity are equal on points for the championship. University has an unbeaten record, having won three games and drawn two, and Old Boys have won four games and lost one. Woolston is half a point behind, and Sydenham is fourth with two points. Following are the points gained by the senior teams:— First Division.—Old Boys 4, University 4, Woolston 3|, Sydenham 2, Selwyn 1, Trinity J. Second Division.— -Sydenham 4. Harewood 3J, New Brighton 3, Technical 2J, Woolston IJ, West Old Boys iUNIVERSITY V. SELWYN University proved too gqod lor the less experienced Selwyn team, and won by the substantial margin of five goals. The ground at Barrington Park was well coated with grass, but players had difficulty in dribling the ball on the rough surface. University displayed more science, stick work, and combination against the younger side, and generally gave a first-class exhibition of trapping, short passing, and dribbling. The front line was inclined to play to the right wing, where E. D. Bennett gave a splendid display of passing and centreing. At inside right C. W. Walter excelled in trapping and dribbling, getting his passes away quicker than usual. He made many of Bennett’s opportunities. O’Connor played headily, especially in the circle, but was inclined to neglect the left in the early stages of the game. All three halves gave brilliant exhibitions. J. Mann, on the right, has never played better, and the combination between him and his wing-forwards was first-class. Davies, at centre, stopped the Selwyn midfield play, which seldom got going, and E. Archer, on the left, was very sound. E. Jackson, at left-back, played very safely, and he and D. Irving let little get through to Goldsmith. . , . , Selwyn tried and tried again, but lacked finesse. Time and again a more experienced team would have gained an advantage by following in, but the Selwyn players had no counter for many of the University moves. D. Reid showed a tendency for sticks, and was penalised for this fault until he was moved to the halves. Most of the players showed a need of hard practice in ball control and trapping as well as coaching in passing, for they frequently passed to an opponent. M. Clements did not show up as much as in previous matches simply because he was not given time. The front-rankers and halves played as well as usual, but were beaten by a better team. Lack of short passing was a bad feature, and Reece is still the only one of the front-rankers to show real control of the ball. Goals were scored for University by O’Connor (4), Walter and Mann, and Reece scored for Selwyn. Umpires: Messrs N. Hocking and L. Teague. OLD BOYS v. SYDENHAM Old Boys were a little fortunate to beat Sydenham in a hard game in which Sydenham had rather the better territorially, and it was only a last-minute goal by J. Kiddey that gave Old Boys their 2-1 margin. Sydenham moved the ball around well and its tackling and attempts at goal showed plenty of determination. On two or three occasions in the middle stages it made some really formidable attacks, and Old Boys were at full stretch to hold them. Some of the younger players in the team showed that they are settling down, and one of these, P. Snelling, played very constructively at inside right. A. McAlister, at left half, is another fakely youngster. R. Rushbridge, a mobile back with a good eye and fine interception, bas shown himself to be more than useful. Of the older hands, M. McKinnon, M. Wall, and K. Cumberpatch always played well. B. Hall, substituting in goal, did so well that he can claim to have played in every position on the field and played well. Old Boys failed to make their passes crisp enough, and in the attempt to play constructively failed because at times they did not move the ball smartly enough. R. Eves made some good saves, and R. Armstrong was again solid. R. Cummins was possibly the best of a good half line, and I. Armstrong played well at inside left. Old Boys started well and was close to scoring several times. Then, with the pace on, Sydenham broke away, and there was some hot work on defence. N. Thomas took Old Boys on to attack, and I. Armstrong scored cleanly from a corner. Sydenham pressed hard in the second half with long swings, but It was not till near the end that McKinnon came in fast to shoot and follow up to score with the rebound. Old Boys swept ■ the field, and after a corner Kiddey came in to flick in a narrowangle goal. Umpires: Messrs K. Mortimer and B. W. Rogers. WOOLSTON v. TRINITY Woolston had the edge on Trinity throughout the game, and with more precision in its shots would have scored more frequently. Trinity was hard pressed throughout the early stages and Woolston took advantage of Trinity’s lapses to drive every attack home. Without the services of K. Mortimer in goal, Woolston would have suffered severely. Mortimer played his best game this season, and showed a return to his form of some three years ago. L. Hobson played splendidly at back. Gillespie was conspicuous in the halves. Lepworth. N. Hobson, and James showed fine dash and ball control In the forwards, and never relaxed throughout the game. Both teams played first-grade hockey after the interval, and for 10 or 15 minutes spectators saw a standard of hockey not often seen on the ground. From that stage Woolston dominated the play two quick goals clinched the game For Trinity Barnhill occasionally showed phases of poor goalkeeping. Mitche!l was sound at left back and saved his side repeatedly. Boyd worked hard at centre-half. Allen and Speedy were the pick of the forwards, and Allen’s goai in the first spell was brilliant. Goals for Woolston were scored by James. Lepworth, and Hobson, and for Trinity by Allen. Umpires: Messrs C. A. Rogers and W Morris. LOWER GRADES Senior Grade.—Second Division: Harewood 3, Woolston 2; Technical 3, New Brighton 0; Sydenham 3, West Old Boys Senior Reserve.—Selwyn 6, Teachers’ College 5; Technical 5, University 3Sumner 6, Harewood 3. Second Grade.—Technical 2. High School Old Boys 2: Kiwi 4, Redcliffs 2; West Old Boys B 4. West Old Boys A 1; Selwyn 3, Trinity 2; Sydenham 4, B.R.A, 2New Brighton 2, Mairehau 0. Third Grade.—High School Old Boys 3. Matchless 0: Technical 4, Rangiora 4; Sydenham 2, Linwood 1; West Old Boys 1, Harewood 0; Boys’ High School 4, Burnham 1; Woolston beat University by default. Fourth Grade.—Emulous 3. B.R.A. 2Woolston 2. High School Old Boys 1; West Old Boys 4, Papanuf High School 1: Beckenham 4. Christ’s College 2; Sumner 7, Technical 1. Fifth Grade.—New Brighton 10, Kaiapoi 1: Bumham 2. B.R.A. 2; High School Old Boys 2, Boys’ High School 1; Redcliffs 6, Sumner 3; Technical -beat University by default. Sixth Grade.—Technical 5, West Old Boys 1; Rangiora 2, B.R.A. 2; Boys’ High School A 7, Harewood 6; Woolston beat Boys’ High School B by default. Under 15.—Woolston 4, Selwyn 1; Trinity 6, Technical 2; Kiwi 5, West Old Boys 2; Boys’ High School 13. Redcliffs 2; Sydenham 9, High School Old Boys 1. Under 14.—Selwyn A 6, New Brighton 1: Boys’ High School 6, Sydenham B 0; Sydenham A 7, High School Old Boys B 2; Woolston 5, Selwyn B 0.