HOCKEY Woolston Wins Championship

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29893, 6 August 1962, Page 7

HOCKEY Woolston Wins Championship

By defeating Harewood ont Satu.day in the first of the £ three matches in the premier , sub-division of the senior i hockey competition. Wool- < ston placed Kself in an an- 1 assailable position and there- ; by assured itself of the 1962 ; club championship. In i emerging from a group of i three teams. a-H of whom J were in the running for some 1 considerable time, Woolston ; has fully merited Its success. f Without being entirely can- i srstenf it has produced its 1 best form against its most ! formidable challengers. Its j four national representatives. ; J Abram’s. R. Gillespie. N. i Hobsen and B. Judge, have ' all played notable parts tn the success of rtrair team. , proving a solid nucleus and a , useful example to the less i experienced members of the 1 side. , In the minor sub-division < for tbe Taylor Trophy, West i CM Boys held a command- i ing lead of .2 points with two J matches to play. Results Were: — ’ Woolston 1. Harewood 0. ' High School Old Boys 2, ‘ Univ*rstty 1. i West Old Boys 2, Selwyi» 6. Sydenham 1, Technical Old Boys 1. Competition points are:— Senfor- ctsam<»i>»shept Wool; g.on 13j. High School Ok Boys 11. Harewood 10. Um ven&itv 7J. Taylor Trophy West Old ■ Boys 7, Sydenhar 5, Technical OM Boys 4 Selwyn 2.

HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOVS v UNIVERSITY Although showing improved form University made too many errors on both defence and attack to snatch a win in a match which hung in the balance for a long time Old Boys also were guilty of much erratic passing but their trapping and positional play were better, and they showed the greater opportunism in taking advantage of mistakes by the opposing defence. A number of effective crossfield passes which spilt the Univers-, ity defence were nullified because of the failure of the forwards receiving the ball to bring it under immediate control. For Old Boys, W. Browne made many interceptions of badlv- placed square passes on University’s right, but much of his hitting was too vigorous and not w’ell placed. E. Barnes at centre-half was adequate when time and space permitted, but unimpressive when opponents were within close proximity A. Patterson collected many University passes, but his hard hitting is not assisting the development of his undoubted ability iri stickwork, and his positional play permitted G. Rothwell, the University rightwing, to break past him frequently in the second spell. The warm sunshine did more to prevent R. Rogers on the right-wing from feeling cold than his colleagues' efforts, but P. Blyth made several good openings from the inside-right position. J. Kiddey Was an effective spoiler at inside-left, but was too hurried in method to achieve much in advancing the attack.

P. Gravitt played well at right-back in University’s defence. showing neat control, and E Jackson lent authenticity to the scene by the quality of his trapping and passing. In the latter skill he was the most accurate plaver on the field. At centre-half K. Thomson was the backbone of his team on both attack and defence, showing great skill in carrying a considerable burden. A. Read at inside-right dribbled skilfully and showed improvement in his trapning but his passing was erratic. Goals were scored for High School Old Boys by I. Armstrong’ and J. Kiddey. and A. Read scored for University. Impires;—Messrs D. ’ Holland and M Good.

WOOLSTON V. HAREWOOD This was a very scraopy game in which there was little good hockey. The Harewood defence played with. great determination to block Wdolston's right flank, and was greatly assisted by hard hitting from Woolston centre and left flank forwards far in advance of their right flank pair Poor trapping by Harewood forwards allowed the Woolston halves and backs to recover and return the ball to their own vanguard. This was not one of Woplston's best displays but it did well enough to clinch the championship For Woolston. J. Abrams nlaved reliably without producing his best form, and R. Gillespie exerted the influence of considerable skill in the centre of the field. B. Judge on the right-wing made much less progress than usual against a ■nost tenacious left-half in G. Haste, promoted for the day and making an impressive debut. N. Hobson carried the attack for his team, and his achievement was decisive in relation to the povertv of his support. For Harewood, R. Fuller made some excellent saves, and Q. Taylor intercepted repeatedly and restored the initiative to his team G. Baldwin was a tower of strength on defence, his covering Droving invaluable. The back-tackling of C. Broadhurst was almost epic, but the live'iness of the forward line could not comnensate for its indifferent trapping. B. Monk scored for Woolston from a penalty corner. Umoires;—Messrs K. Wright h and E. Thomas

WEST OLD BOYS V. SELWYN West won because the general standard of its stickwork, trapping and passing was superior. Selwyn started well, trying to play in the same consructive manner as that of last week.

i but fell away badly because of faulty trapping in. tbe defence. There was improvement’- in. the second half, but, nbt sufficient to overcome the greater solidity of West. The trapping arid general control of the ball would improve if the majority of the Selwyn players were to play with a less upright stance. Selwyn was handicapped by the absence of K. Cherry, who has been the leader of the attack throughout the aeason. For West. D. Hamilton and R. Ell lot ,were dependable backs and D. Robertson and G. Smith played well in the halves, the latter feeding his forwards most capably. R. Thomson was an ever-present source of worry to Selwyn bn the right-wing, and A. Scott produced some neat stick-work at times, being well supported in this respect by P. Oakes. W. Thomson, at inside-left, was the best forward on the field, showing a considerable flair for gaining an unmarked position, and proving most dangerous in the circle. For Selwyh R. Harris experienced a busy day and made some skilful saves, and M Clements. cleared repeated!’tinder heavy pressure. M. Berkeley showed useful stickwork at centre-half, but tended ‘o stray but of position on defence. A. Waters was a very reliable left-half, though he over-dribbled at times. The best of the Selwyn forwards were M. Howell and W. Bromlev in the inside lanes. W. Thomson scored twice for West Old B-’-s. Umpires: Messrs A. D. Hol'and and I. Painter. BYDENHAM V. TECHNICAL OLD BOYS This match was played on a ■ leavy, sticky ground at Ensors oad. and the conditions apeared to affeet adversely the '•apping by both teams. This vas the main cause of the arly collapse of many movements which were well con■eived and which might have ■reduced higher scoring In beter circumstances. As it was the nost effective method of advance proved to be solo Ir’bbling, ' but the defences were capable of resisting such ittacks. Plav was even as far is territorial exchanges were concerned, and neither team made the mrst of opportunities in the circl.

K. Cumberpatch scored for Sydenham, and S. Crotty scored for Technical Old Boys, 'he final score being a fair reflection of the trend of events. Umpires; Messrs P. Chant and A. Holland.