Canterbury’s Exciting Win In Water Polo

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31307, 1 March 1967, Page 19

Canterbury’s Exciting Win In Water Polo

Previously unfancied to threaten the supremacy of the North Island teams, Canterbury yesterday made a bold bid for the New Zealand water polo championship.

In an exciting final match of a rain-ruined day at the Centennial pool, Canterbury beat Auckland, 7-6, after two sessions of extra time.

Half-way through the third quarter, Canterbury held a 5-2 lead, but the veteran Auckland team stormed back to score another two goals, in the spell, and then equalised with only two seconds to play. Each team scored a goal in

the first extra period of three minutes, and in the sixth and final spell, tragedy, it seemed, struck for Canterbury. MISSED PENALTY

The home team was awarded a penalty, but the normally reliable L. D. Mclntosh fired it straight at the brilliant ; Auckland goalie, C. Bird. But Mclntosh’s moment of gloiy was still to come. When the Canterbury captain, I. L. Gunthorp, crossed perfectly with 28 sec to play, Mclntosh made no mistake with the shot and Canterbury won. The match was distinguished by Bird’s magnificent goal-keeping and play of nearly as high a standard by the Canterbury player, I. Farquhar. There was also some fine shooting by Gunthorp, McIntosh and Auckland’s A. Griffiths, and a touch of savagery by the veteran Aucklander, T. H. Logan. After scoring a fine individual goal, he turned on Mclntosh and from the resultant flurry was sent off. SECOND DEFEAT Auckland had a tough day and also went down to Wellington, the defending champion, which staged a storming recovery. Wellington overcame a 0-2 deficit to draw up to 2-3 at half-time and to lead 5-4 before the final quarter. There was no score in the last session. The only result of any consequence in the junior grade was the 5-4 win by Auckland over Wellington. Wellington, the title-holder for the last three years, shot into an early 3-0 lead, but as the effects of a night-long trip in the inter-island ferry took their toll, the game slipped away from the champions.

Results:— Senior A.— Canterbury 8 (I. L. Gunthorp 3, L. D. Mclntosh 2, W. R. Williamson, G. Knight, M. Scott), Otago 3 (P. Smith. D. Kil-

Patrick, J. Willis); Wellington 5 (M. Harvey 2. W. Howes” W Martlew, G. Martlew). Auckland 4 (A. Griffiths 2, B. Hazlett, I. Patchett); Canterbury 7 (Mclntosh 3, Gunthorp 2, Williamson, Scott), Auckland 6 (Griffiths 4, A. Kocsis, T. Logan). Senior B.— Waikato 7 (C O’Brien 2, C. Taylor 2, B. McCallum, D. Paviour-Smlth, E. Baker), Canterbury 3 (P. K. Hatchwell 2, R. W. Henry), Wellington 3 (D. Cleverly, P. Burrows. R. Gough), Auckland 1 (P. Tainul) 1.

Junior.— Auckland 5 (R. Harding 4, W. McDonald), Wellington 4 (M. Bowker 2, W. Moyle, J. Starke); Canterbury A 14 (B Mustchin 6, A. B. Kindred 5, O. Noonan 2, I. Simson), Manawatu (B. Thompson, J. Cookson): Otago 13 <P. Smith 9, R. McLean, B. Fraher, W. Robertson 2), Canterbury B 2 in. Jury, P. Cooper).