HOCKEY Lack Of Fitness Affects Play In Opening Games

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30420, 20 April 1964, Page 14

HOCKEY Lack Of Fitness Affects Play In Opening Games

The first round of the Canterbury Hockey Association's senior competition was played on Saturday, two matches taking place on a reasonable surface at the Polo Grounds and two on a difficult, bumpy surface at Williamson Park. The obvious lack of fitness of many players was surprising in an Olympic year, and it affected the standard of pity to a considerable extent. The results were consistent with last year’s form, although High School Old Boys struggled desperately to snatch-a win from Sydenham. The scores were:— University 5, West Old Boys 3. High School Old Boys 2, Sydenham 1. Woolston 5, Technical Old Boys 1. Harewood 5, Selwyn 0. Best Of Round

The University-West Old Boys game was the only one in the first round which provided any semblance of technique and Conformity to the recognisable skills and methods of the game of hockey.. Both teams revealed initiative and enterprise, their attacks moving with pleasing fluency at times and exploiting defensive weaknesses which arose from faulty . inadequate covering and indifferent tackling. The liveliness of the University forwards was the dominant factor, and there were occasions when they advanced with both speed and cohesion. With better shooting their score would certainly have been greater. On the right-wing C. Dale demonstrated a degree of ball control which demanded greater use than his team conferred upon him, and the dribbling ability and thrust of K. Thomson at inside-right worried West sorely. T. Crossen was a swift opportunist in the centre, and I. Bishop on the left-wing .contributed some thoughtful and intelligent passes at times. The inside-left, R. Best, was active, energetic and erratic. His dribbling was good, but he tended at times to indulge in it overmuch. However, he always required careful marking. The inexperience of the team was patent in its defensive play,, but the halves and backs did well enough individually when cirmumstances permitted to suggest that improved should be easily acquired. M. Mikhelson at left-half showed some advance in his stickwork, and S. Maister in the centre, after an indifferent first half, made many effective interceptions, and fed the forwards accurately. • On the right K. Carpenter did not always keep in time with the pace of the game, but his

close stickwork indicated that he should be an asset to- his team with further experience. D. Wilshire at left-back trapped and tackled well, although finding W. Thomson, a difficult opponent to mark, and the coolness of R. G. O’Connor at rightback was as necessary as the stability which he provided. In goal L. Anderson made some very good saves. For West, the backs, R. Elliott and D. Hamilton, did well at times under considerable pressure, and the positioning of G. Smith qt left-half was usually frustrating to University. W. Thomson at inside-right led the attack skilfully, his dribbling being close and penetrative, and when he made the outside break he usually succeeded in bringing the ball deep into the University circle. R. Thomson combined well with him, and made some excursions into the University defence. P. Clark was the best of the forwards in back-tack-ling, his fetching and carrying role being of vital importance to West. Goals for University were scored by K. Thomson (2), R. Best (2), and T. Crossen, and K. Fletcher, P. Clark and R. Thomson scored for West Old Boys. Umpires: Dr. L. Berry and Mr B. Lloyd. Patternless The combination of a bumpy ground and incredibly poor trapping technique by the players of both High School Old Boys and Sydenham produced a harum scarum scamper of a game,, devoid of cohesion and pattern. Sydenham's blind clearances from defensive positions brought their own retribution as Old Boys swarmed into one abortive attack after another, yet the frantic nature of the play in the circle was such that, the latter scrambled to victory late In the game instead of achieving the comfortable margin which was t.here for the taking. For Old Boys, W. Browne was usually in command of his team’s defensive requirements, and D. Warren at left-half showed some promise, his positioning being good. G. C. Judge showed flashes of ability on the right-wing, - but was grossly neglected. There was njore promise than development in the probings of A. Patterson at inside-right. • The best of the Old Boys’ forwards was J. Kiddey, whose dribbling tore gaps in the Sydenham defence but was frustrated by unco-opera-tive colleagues. For Sydenham the backs, R. Rusbridge and L. Lloyd, hammered the ball away from their circle successfully at times, and R. Fergus at right-half was an energetic defender. Sydenham’s atta'ck was hampered by the loss through injury of C. Woods, although his replacement, K. Cumberpatch, dribbled effectively at times. Goals were scored for High School Old Boys by R. Rogers and A. Patterson, and M. Bennett scored for Sydenham from a penalty push. Umpires:—Dr. L. Berry and Mr B. Lloyd. Primitive Strategy Against a very weak Technical Old Boys’ defence, Woolston collected goals' with some ease whenever it resorted to some of the orthodox tenets of hockey, but for much of the time it pursued the method of hope: fully chasing long hits, a primitive strategy which produced pressure solely because of poor trapping and slow, inaccurate clearing by its opponents. In the Woolston ranks the backs, J. Abrams and B. Winks, had little to do, the former being the more convincing, and R. Gillespie in the centre was

the best of the halves, using his inside-right well enough to suggest that the long pass to his left-wing might have been made more sparingly. B, .Judge was inconsistent on the rightwing,. moving decisively at times and juggling unnecessarily with the ball on other occasions. N. Hobson was the most Impressive forward in the match, his dribbling and passing being well ahead of the general average. The robustness of K. Kiernan and B. Aldridge often bustled Technical. N. Millington in goal was Technicals most impressive player, and he made some very good saves. S. Crotty at righthalf defended well and achieved some success in feeding an unimpressive forward line. Woolston’s goals were scored by B. Aldridge (2), N. Hobson (2), and K. Kiernan, and S. Crotty scored for Technical Old Boys. Umpires: Messrs P. Beere aqd K. Mortimer. Little Opposition Selwyn’s poor passing and ill-organised defence presented little opposition to a Harewood team which moved with some cohesion; and in which the inside forward trio, led with authority by H. Kerrigan in the centre, pounced with ruthless opportunism upon opponents’ errors. It received close support from lively halves in G. Baldwin, D. Shepherd and G. Haste, and D. Lloyd moved well on the right-wing in addition to making some effective centre passes. The Harewood backs, J Bate and L. Innes, were too experienced for the Selwyn forwards, who made their task easy by obligingly tapping the ball on to their sticks..

M. Berkely at right-back was the pick of the Selwyn defenders, and A. Waters on the left was the only half of any consequence. Their difficulties were increased by the ease with which Harewood was able to pour through the centre, where K. Cherry was obviously out of position. The only forward to impress was W. Burtt at inside-right, whose passing was seldom up to the standard of his dribbling.

Harewood’s goals were scored by H. Kerringan (3), L. Haste and C. Broadhurst. Umpires: Messrs N. Dailey and A. Holland.

Lower-Grade Results Senior Reserve.—Woolston 8, H. 5.0.8. 3; Harewood 3, Sydenham 3; Wigram 4, New Brighton 4. Second A Grade.—West Old Boys 4, Lincoln College 1; Selwyn 4, Linwood H.S. 2; Varsity 4, Woolston 2. Second Grade 8.—H.5.0.8. 5, Harewood 3: Cashmere U.S. 4, Emulous 0; Sydenhaih 5, Christ’s College 4; Burnham 11, Technical 2; B.H.S*. 7, Papanui H.S. 0. . Third Grade. —Woolston 4. Varsity 2; Linwood H.S. 6, Lincoln College 2; B.R.A. 2, Rangiora 0.8. 2. Fourth Grade. —New Brighton 6, Ricparton H.S. 1; St. Andrew’s 3, Selwyn 1; Woolston 5, Hornby 0. Fifth Grade*.—New Brighton 7, Christ’s College 1. Under 16.—West 0.8. 4, Woolston 3; B.H.S. 4, Shirley H.S. 3. Under 14.—Woolston A 15, Harewood 1; Sydenham B 7, Selwyn 3; Sydenham A 5, New Brighton 1; Woolston B 11, H. 5.0.8. 3..