Sparkling University Hockey

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32015, 16 June 1969, Page 9

Sparkling University Hockey

I The outstanding feature of the tenth round of the Canterbury men’s senior hockey competition on Saturday was the display by University on a most difficult ground. Long grass and a bumpy surface were quite unsympathetic to close control, but ; University triumphed over the conditions to a remarkable extent. With intensive backing-up, the team passed the ball at considerable speed, dribbled j with equal swiftness and achieved a pleasing balance between individual effort and combined movements. Scores or lack of them in the other matches were a silent but accurate commentary upon their proceedings. Results were:— Unlveriity U. Sydenham 8. High School Old Bays 2, Solwyn 1. ' Hatley Old Beys 0, Harewood t. Linwood Old Boys 1, Woolston t. Competition points, with goals for and against, are:— University 10 <64, 5), High School Old Boys 84 (21, 9), Hagley Old Boys 6 (14, S). Hare--1 wood 4 (15. 14). Linwood Old Boys 4 (10. 21), Sydenham 21 <l3. 42), Woolston 21 (11, 30), Seiwyn 21 (10, 29). Hagley Old Boys v. Harewood Neither team played with much combination and although each seemed bent upon snatching a winning goal there was little real sneed in the exchanges. Determined individual effort succumbed to populated defences, which were sufficiently lacking in authority to allow some penetration to the respective goal-lines, where several desperate saves were made ! by goalkeepers or other hastily j covering defenders. j In the first half. Harewood did manage some degree of co- , operation in its forward line, but Hagley was the more ag- | gressive thereafter. The reI spective attacks relied heavily I unon their inside-rights, of

whom W. Thomson proved the most penetrative with some useful dribbling which often took the ball too far into the defence, so that subsequent linking • was fairly thoroughly smothered. For Harewood, D. Stanton passed earlier, but his colleagues were not able to promote the attack much further, apart from some side-line sprints by C. Broadhurst, who was not allowed to cut infield and was therefore isolated from his other forwards. With several regular players absent, Harewood played a 4-4-2 formation, and this inhibited its attack. Peter and Paul Clarke were sound backs for Hagley, and KThomson, at centre-half, showed much greater mobility, especially in the second half when he often operated far from base, to which the speed of the game enabled him to return in good time and reasonable comfort. The trapping in the Hagley forwards was pitiful, being probably the major factor in denying them goals. S. Cranfield played coolly and well in Harewood’s goal, and in a match in which there were many frantic melees A. Chesney, at centre-half, although anonymous for varying periods, made a number of neat, accurate passes, which were almost unfashionable in the general environment. Umpires: Messrs T. E. Eggleton and R. H. Campbell. High School Old Boys v. Seiwyn Selwyn’s tactics doomed it to defeat and exploded the myth about attack being the best means of defence. Its backs were much too advanced, and when the Old Boys forwards gained the ball they were able to exploit a vast gap from the half-way line to the goalkeeper by dribbling at speed without challenge. Seiwyn certainly launched many attacks which were heavily subsidised by the appalling trapping in the Old Boys defence and by the unnecessary deliberation of A. Patterson, who held the ball often enough until successfully tackled. Some lack of dribbling ability and combination in the Seiwyn forwards and the accumulation of many bodies by Old Boys on defence deprived Seiwyn of reward from its territorial advantage which it seemed to wish to establish on the assumption that it would have possession of the ball for the whole match. The Old Boys forwards, T. Thomas and R. Bailey, by their swift raiding, shattered the assumption, and the most skilful dribbling for Seiwyn was contributed by R. Best. The regularity with which the teams fed each other suggested a charity game, but there was sanity in the passing of W. Burtt, at centre-half for Seiwyn. He was clearly the most constructive player on the field in this regard, and C. Doig, at right-back, for Old Boys gained more success than his colleagues in a similar objective. A Patterson and R. Bailey scored for High School Old Boys, J. Patterson for Seiwyn. Umpires: Messrs T. Gilliver and T. Horman. University v. Sydenham In response to University’s challenge Sydenham played with some liveliness and managed to force a penalty stroke and a few corners which were

successfully parried. For the rest of the time SyddhhAm was overwhelmed by splendid stickwork, close dribbling, swiff passing and a. very intelligent application of the use of space by running off the ball. University created the illusion of possessing far more players and of having at its disposal a wider field, which immediately shrank into severe congestion when Sydenham occasionally gained the ball. University’s exhibition Of hockey virtues began with; the unity of its backs, R. Campbell and C. Ineson, who covered each other with certainty, Theif understanding was equally, good with their halves, of whom E. Holstein, on the right, Wdß conspicuous for effective linking and support and for soiind trapping, good stickwork and accurate passing. In the centre, S. Maister intercepted and tackled with skill, and his close support of his forwards, including the manner in which he switched the attacks, was excellent. . Sydenham was non-piUssed by the stick work of J. Christensen and confused as to the whereabouts of B. Maister, Who so often turned up in its circle on the end of University’s probing passes. The wings, A.'Barren and I. Bishop, were datdr supernumeraries in the later stages, but the afternoon’ reMUy belonged to J. . Borrdn, .wHq dribbled magnificently, passed surely, and stole space with a covert felicity. J. Bradford, under fir* in Sydenham’s goal, made many saves, and B. Trethewby, at centre-half, battled bravely and persistently. A. Kirwan, at right-back, blocked some raids and managed some cdveritip, and there were several deeper-1

ate efforts to reverse (lie pressufe by means of determinefl dribbling by D. Petherbridge, C. Woods and D. Kirwan. The University seals were scored by J. Borren (4), B. Ifalsttfr (4). J. Christensen and R. Campbell., 1 Umpires: Messrs T. E. Eggle T ton And T. Thomas. Linwood Old Boys v. Woolston The better hookey was played by both teams in the first half, events becoming disjointed and thereafter. However, the exchanges were very even throughout, but Linwood owed its win to a higher level of stlcltwork and superior combination oil defence and in the midwin good goal-keeping for Linwood by E. Ganda, and the backs., K, Buflhia and I. Stanton, tickled resolutely, receiving valuable support from their halves, P. Bhana and B. Bhani. M. Lumsden and A. Best were prominent in the forwards at times, and also helped their -r|U fi# :.ndT. Brennan, the Woolston backs, were a major obstacle to Linwood’s forwirdsT and C. Coi used his stickWork well and passed sensibly. 8., Aldridge lea his forwards with his customary flair and vigour, Hlb, dribbling always worrying Linwood, which refuted to allow* any scope for the opportunism of H. Kerrigan, woolston launched many attacks but there was a tendency to over-dribble, and they died t«Td«&ei‘ n ‘ [ ’ 01 the clut ’ woWd , fe." MM ,W Un - L V Uoyd ß ' : M#lSr * D ' Ul ’ y<l * nd