Leading Hockey Clubs All Have Narrow Wins

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30764, 31 May 1965, Page 16

Leading Hockey Clubs All Have Narrow Wins

: The sixth round of the Canterbury senior hockey coni- ' petition was played on SatI urday in warm, sunny weathI er, and on firm grounds on | which the ball often seamed disconcertingly, making trapping a process of intense concentration. The three leading teams gained narrow wins. Results were:— H. 5.0.8. 4, Selwyn 3. Woolston 3, West 0.8. 1. Harewood 2, University 1. Sydenham 2, Tech. 0.8. 1. Points: H. 5.0.8. 5. Harewood 5, Woolston 4J, West 0.8. 21, University 2, Sydenham 2, Selwyn U, Technical 0.8. U. Improving Team I The youthful Selwyn con* itingent maintained that degree of improvement which it has shown this season in most of its matches in such matters as defensive organisation and the construction of counter-attack, and it took advantage of some very tremulous resistance in the Old Boys ranks to double its goal aggregate. Old Boys were most unconvincing and owed their win in small measure to the bustling to which they subjected Selwyn, and in large measure to the nersonal contribution of their centre-half, A. Patterson. Patterson made innumerable interceptions and successful tackles, eluded ooponents, who usually challenged him in most unbalanced positions, with smooth stickwork, and fed his forwards bounteously. Their rejection of his gifts promoted him to undertake some of their assignments himself, and it was well for his team that his probings uncovered an area of weakness in the right flank of the Selwyn defence. His labours were augmented by some sound positioning and covering by T. Iggo, right-back, whose trapping, tackling and feeding were of vital importance, and by some studious linking by T. Burrowes, insideleft, who fed Patterson usefully at times. The positioning, covering and trapping of B. Turner, left-back for Selwyn, made him outstanding, and he showed close control of the ball in extricating himself from encirclement. R. Allen worked industriously at left-half, and A. Waters appeared from time to time with neat interceptions and carefully directed passes. C. Hill made a sturdy contribution at righthalf, and the Selwyn attack moved with greater authority as the result of a quietly constructive game by R. Cherry, insideright. W. Burtt, inside-left,, produced his best effort of the season, back-tackling as conscientiously as ever, and dribbling much more effectively. His acts of surgery upon the Old Boys defence were often enhanced by some delicate passing. Goals were scored for High School Old Boys by A. Patterson (2) and R. Bailey (2), and T. Bellamy, J. Patterson and W. Burtt scored for Selwyn. Umpires: Messrs W. Perry and R. Ferguson. Confused Defence This match resolved itself into a duel for right-flank dominance, and for the first 20 minutes West was so eminently successful that it controlled matters with complete authority. However, Woolston gradually bustled it out of its dedication, and for most of the second half the Woolston right flank dictated the terms.

In this period, B. Judge, on I Woolston’s right-wing, although too much addicted to sidestepping infield, forced West into many difficult defensive dramas, from which escape was usually confused and brief. He WgS the finest forward on the field, and his influence finally prevailed. . In the Woolston defence, J. Abrams, right-back, although a little ponderous, concentrated upon the ball with success, and received useful support from his partner, B. Winks. The wing-halves, P. Sutherland and K. Millard, achieved little on attack, but their covering was helpful. In the centre R. Gillespie was not in form, and his stickwork showed some deteri. oration, being more tentative than of yore. Apart from Judge, the Woolston attack was very pedestrian. N. Hobson toiled as if to the tolling of the curfew, yet showed a flush of swift reaction in registering ah opportunist goal, and K. Kiernan backtackled resolutely. There was some liveliness from B. Aldridge on the left wing, who often made progress by means of sudden accelerations, although at times the goal-line arrived rather abruptly as a foil to further ambition. West passed the ball Indiffer, eptly, and N. Little in goal was out of touch. The backs, K. Abrams and D. Hamilton, were quick in recovery, but usually the agents of its need. G. Smith, lefLhalf, did well enough to avoid obliteration by Judge, and K. Thomson in the centre demonstrated enough of his skill to deny passage through the middle to Woolston. In their period of plenty R. Thomson and W. Thomson on the right flank both dribbled well, and they combined skilfully enough to trouble Woolston sorely while the pattern of West’s play remained intact. At centre-forward A. Scott maintained a harassing policy, and P. Clark’s weekly ratio of backtackling was not reduced. He dribbled well enough to permit himself to attempt too much at times. On the left-wing. K. Fletcher often reinforced the efforts of his left-half. The Woolston goals were scored by T. Brennan (2) and N. Hobson,, and K. Thomson scored for West Old Boys. Umpires: Messrs E. Ambler and E. Jackson; This was another match in which the winning team owed success to a greater ability to tread the right flank measure Apart from this strategical factor the play was fairly even, for the University right flank partnership, in which I. Bishop was always prominent, prospered, but when the ball left this area the light became dim. In Harewood’s defence J. Bate, right-back Was cool and steady, ahd covered his partner well, and G. Baldwin trapped and passed adequately at right-half. D. Shepherd in the centre coped with his immediate opponents with ease, and kept his forwards in mo-

tion with accuracy and regularity. At inside-right D. Stanton dribbled cleverly, but his distribution was below his normal standard. L. Smith, insideleft, fetched and carried as required, and the main thrust in the attack was supplied by H. Kerrigan in the centre, whose straight running and quick, dribbling darts were not easily exorcised by the University defenders. L. Anderson made some excellent saves in the University goalmouth, and the backs, D. Wilshere and C. meson, were always cool under pressure, feeding their halves and forwards intelligently. The mainspring of the University defence was S. Maister, at centrehalf. He was always in position, his trapping was infallible, and his stickwork close, swift and elusive. His passing initiated many counter-attacks, and deserved a more responsive vanguard. At left-half M. Mikhelson defended strongly, but was often inaccurate in switching play with long passes, and should have used his centrehalf much more frequently. Both the Harewood goals were scored by L. Smith and L. Hutchison scored for University. Umpires: Messrs P. F. Clark and M. Good.

Because it was evenly contested and the result remained in doubt until the end, this match provided some partisan interest, but there was more confusion than control in the exchanges, and less plan than pragmatism in the methods. Both sets of forwards were lively enough, but they failed to time their passes correctlv, and carelessness about the destination of the ball allowed the respective defences ample opportunities for interception. Moreover, long hits in the direction of the far goalline yielded possession so readily as to suggest voluntary capitulation, and there were many of these. Sydenham owed its

win to the fact that its forwards made better use of the errors committed by their opponents. in the respective defences R. Fergus and M. Bennett were the most prominent for Sydenham. and G. Clarkson for Technical. D. Petheridge and M. McKinnon, by speed and stealth, lent the Sydenham attack an air of authenticity at times. M. McKinnon and B. Monk scored for Sydenham, and I. Parker scored for Technical Old Boys. Umpires: Messrs B. Lloyd and D. Warren.