University takes a big lead in hockey

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33858, 2 June 1975, Page 5

University takes a big lead in hockey

University completed the first round of the Trans fours preliminary senior men’s hockey championship on Saturday with eight wins from as many matches, and now has a six-point lead over Linwood Old Boys.

On Saturday Univer-i sity beat High School; Old Boys. 2-1, in a match that had fewhigh points for what! was expected to be one of the better club games of the season.

University made morel errors than usual, perhaps a result of heavy marking of the forwards and of the centre-half, Seiwyn Maister.

Old Boys showed a reluctance to attack as a unit and seemed prepared to hold out in the hope it ■ might score from the few penalty-corners! it was awarded. University’s points lead could be cut to four next week. Linwood has a game in hand, and it will be a surprise if it does not get maximum points from it.

Selwyn-Hlllmorton and Syden-ham-Cashmere were evenly matched, but the former was! able to score two goals to main-; tain its fourth position on the: points table. Redciiffs scraped ini by a single goal against Wools-j ton Working Men’s Club and is' fourth equal with Seiwyn. In the other match, Hagleyi scored its first win of the season. | against Harewood-Burnside. The; improvement shown by Harewood in the previous two weeks: was absent on Saturday. Results and scorers were: University 2 (B. J. Maister. C. G. Maister), High School Old Boys 1 (J. Smith). Selwyn-Hillmorton 2 (M. Burtt), Sydenham-Cashmere 0. Hagley Old Boys 1 (W. A. I Thompson), Harewood-Burnside 0. Redciiffs 1 (B. Beaumont), Woolston Working Men's Club 0.

DISPUTED GOAL It was perhaps fortunate for University that a goal scored by Allan Patterson 2U minutes into the second-half was disallowed because of “sticks.” At that stage there was no score and although their chances had been few. there was always the prospect of High School Old Boys scoring. After this let-off University swept down the field and scored within a minute. It forced a penalty - corner and Chris Maister’s shot was deflected into tiie left-hand corner of the net. Up to this stage University had been doing most of the attacking, but a packed defence made it. difficult for the forwards to move. John Christensen, the University inside-right, through whom most of the attacks were established, was heavily marked.

The Old Boys forwards were called back to help in the defence, and when they received the ball it was usually wasted by aimless hitting. There was some grand work done on defence by Old Boys. Gary Marshall and Steve Parry on tlie left

side worked efficiently under pressure. and at right-back Rob Smith missed few tackles. Momentary slackness in the Old Boys defence resulted in University’s second goal. From a free-hit outside the circle and on the left side, the ball was hit across the circle and Barrv Maister turned it into the goal after it passed several Old Bovs sticks.

Tile second goal put new life into Old Boys, and half a minute from full-time, Johnathan Smith scored after the goal-keeper, Rodger McHarg. miskicked.

This was not the only- blemish in tiie University defence. There were more mist-raps than usual, and the halves, particularly Seiwyn Maister at centre-half, tended to hold the ball too long. 11l the forwards Chris Maister again enhanced his reputation as a left-wing. He made several good breaks with little room to move. Apart from occasional runs the other forwards were stifled bv the marking. EVENLY MATCHED

Selwyn-Hillmorton's 2-0 margin against Sydenham-Cashmere flattered it. Both teams had an equal amount of opportunities, but Seiwyn squandered two less than Sydenham. At half-time it was 0-aU. although Seiwyn should have been a goal ahead. Patrick Hayde pushed a penalty’ stroke outside the goal after 27 minutes.

The second half was only two minutes old when Mark Burtt scored - after David Clements made a break on the right wing. The same two featured in tiie second Seiwyn goal. The Seiwyn attack was superior to Sydenham’s. It moved as a unit whenever possible, while Sydenham relied too much on; lone through passes that were; easily picked up by the Seiwyn lefence.

David Kirwan on the Sydenham right wing again dribbled well but had litle support. Tiie halves supplied ample ball, and with the hacks did well .to contain tne Seiwyn attack. While the tackling- and passing of the Seiwyn defence was

good, too often there was hesitancy in the circle which could easily have resulted in goals on three or four occasions. MEDIOCRE

A ground that was not con ducive to controlled hockey was! responsible for tiie RedcliffsWiwlston match being a scrappy affair. Redtliffs took control early, 1 but the attack could nor break * down the Woolston defence, in which Tom Brennan was promm ent with swift tackling and clearing. At one stage Redciiffs had the ball in the net but the goal was disallowed.

The Woolston attack was not functioning as smoothly as it had in past weeks, although it did summon enough control to spend a period on attack near the end of the first, half. Plav in the second half deteriorated with both sides making occasional attacks, but without success Fnally Redciiffs scored when the Woolston goal-keeper Graham Consey. kicked over the top of the ball and Redciiffs had two points. DEFENCES DOMINANT

Haglev had its first win of the season through a penaltv stroke by Bill Thomson. Apart from the one goal there was little to enthuse over in the game. The defences of both sides were strong, and It was the halves and backs who did the majority of Pie work. Neither forward line showed enough combination to be constantly dangerous on attack. Harewood was stung into life by TTagley’s goal, and although it attacked hard in the last few minutes could not break the defence. The two centre halves Allan Chesnex 4 Harewood) and Peter Cox (Hagley)-. both distributed the ball well, hut saw little use made of it. On deep defence t b ey were sound. In the Hagley forwards. Thomson made ground with intelligent dribblm®. while for Harewood, lan Rhodes on. the left wing, was the only forward tn display the drive needed to break through the Hagley defence.

The points table is: L F A Pts P W D Uni ver. 8 8 0 0 34 fS 16 Linwood 7 4 2 1 10 5 10 H.S.O.B. 7 3 3 1 13 5 » Selwyn •7 */ *} 2 7 7 7 Red cliffs ■ / £ .{ 2 12 18 7 WoolstOn 7 2 1 4 5 13 n Harewood 7 £ 2 4 4 6 4 Hagley 7 1 1 . 5 6 1.6 3 Sydenham 7 1 1 5 5 21 3