Women’s Hockey NATIONAL TOURNEY

Press, Volume C, Issue 29609, 4 September 1961, Page 8

Women’s Hockey NATIONAL TOURNEY

Drawn Final On Wet Ground (From Our Own Reporter) PALM. NORTH, Sept. 3. After heavy overnight rain ground conditions were appalling for the final’s of the New Zealand women’s national hockey tournament yesterday. On a ground that quickly became a sheet of water, a scoreless draw was the only nossible outcome for the final between Auckland and Maniototo. It was impossible to hit the ball any distance as 'it stopped dead in the .water. Auckland’s players adapted themselves to the conditions better than did Maniototo. scooping and pushing the ball with some success. They were unlucky not to score early in the game, when a ball travelling into an open goal stopped inches from the line. Maniototo’s defence stood up well to the superior weight of the Auckland attack. After half-time Maniototo took the initiative with all but the goal-keeper in Auckland’s twenty-five, but Auckland managed to scoop back up field and for the rest of the game play was concentrated in Maniototo’s twerttyfive.

Had the Auckland backs adopted similar tactics, success might have come their way. J. Doull. of Auckland. deserves special mention for her quick summing up of the ground conditions and her subsequent play. F. Moore, at centre-half, was also scooping and flicking intelligently. Maniototo’s best player was P. Clouston. whose clever stick work and concentration gave Auckland little leewav.

In the earlier game, with a drier ground. Manawafo had a popular win over Central Otago. Manawatu’s combination was superior to that of its onnonents. and some good passing movements were seen. Prominent for Manawatu were B. Evans and J Anderson, and M. Donnelly for Central Otago. The North v. South games were abandoned because of the bad weather and ground conditions.