Leading hockey side holds off challenge

Press, 26 July 1976, Page 19

Leading hockey side holds off challenge

Any chance teams had of challenging University for first place in the Trans Tours preliminary hockey championship while five of its team are in Montreal with the New Zealand side, seem to haye disappeared. University won on Saturday, 1-0, against Sydenham-Cashmere to maintain its three point lead in the championship, with onlyfour matches to play before the competition is split into the top six for the Trans Tours championship. High School Old Boys retained its second position on the points table with a one goal win over Selwyn-Hillmorton in a keenly fought match. Selwyn retains fifth place on the points table and looks assured of a place in the top six. Linwood United, runners-up in the grand final for the last two years, but badly out of form this year, recorded its second win of the season when it beat Hagley Old Boys, 3-2, in the dying minutes. Linwood’s fast and incisive centre forward, Balvant Bhana, scored all three goals and it was his enthusiastic attacking which did most to secure Linwood's win. Harewood-Burnside and Redcliffs, who led the competition for much of the first round, met in a match full of action. Harewood eventually won 3-2, but Redcliffs missed several good chances to score, including a shot that hit a goal-post. Results and scorers were:— Linwood United 3 (Balvant Bhana), Hagley Old Boys 2 (W. Griffin). University 1 (N. Edmundson), Sydenham-Cashmere 0. High School Old Boys 1 (G. Gibson), Selwyn-Hillmorton 0. Harewood-Burnside 3 (I. Hill. S. Cox, H. Taylor), Redcliffs 2 (R. Hardie. P. Christensen). The points table is:—

Both University and Syden-ham-Cashmere were hampered by a bumpy ground and there were few flowing movements.

I University showed slightly l (more control and combination on I attack and this made the diffei - i ence in the final result. Neil (Edmundson scored the only goal (late in the first half when he (picked up a mis-trapped bah in the circle and pushed it into the net. ; University played a defensive (game and marie it difficult for the Sydenham forwards to get ; inside the circle. Steve Ambler i at inside-left was the best Sydjenham forward, but he tended (to over-dribble and left his (passes too late. ! ( Edmundson and Frank-Borren caused the Sydenham defence many anxious moments with fast controlled breaks through the centre. But for most of the 1 match the Sydenham defence was well organised and Marty i Fitzsimmons in goal played particularly well with good blocking and strong clearing kicks. Chris Maister and Keith Johnstone playing as linkmen for University were strong on defence and passed accurately to the eager forwards. Match of incidents Hagley succumbed to Linwood in the final minutes after a series of incidents which led to the permanent suspension of Robert Wilson, the Hagley right back. The winning goal was from a penalty corner awarded before Wilson was sent off. Wilson made an apparently legitimate tackle of the Linwood left wing just inside the Hagley 25 yard line. However a penalty (corner was awarded against him, iby one umpire, Mr R. Beardsley.! [Wilson uttered an oath for which' (he was sent from the field by. Mr D. Pengelly—a rather harsh i (decision. 1 j Ten minutes earlier another (Hagley player. Ivan Thomson, (was given a temporary suspen-; jsion after another harmless in-1 I cident. The match was interesting! (throughout. Blavant Bhana (scored all Linwood's goals, thei (first coming mid-way through the’ • first half when he scooped the’ (ball into the net after a corner,! t Hagley fought back however,! with Thomson, Bob Best and! Willie Griffin working hard on! ■attack. Before half-time it was ■ rewarded with two goals, both from Griffin and the result of! quick thinking. Linwood equalised early in the, second half when Blavant Bhana pushed the ball through a mass of defenders. The score remained at 2-aIl for much of the

'(second half, until Bhana netted i (from the final corner. Exciting match High School Old Boys and J Selwyn-Hillmorton produced one’ - of the best displays of hockey 1 seen in Christchurch this year ‘ in a closely fought match on the Porritt Oval. ‘ The game began at a furiousi pace with botii teams flinging the ■ ball around. Old Boys had the better of the first half and • scored its goal half-way' through 1 the spell when Geoff Gibson » slammed the ball home from a corner. 1 Selwyn did not let the matter 5 rest there and with George Cart noustous leading the way it made - several attacks on the Old Boys’ s goal. ? It took sound defence from ' Rob Smith. Steve Parry and Dave • Stuthridge to keep the livelv - Selwyn attack out. In the second half Old Boys ■ continued to dominate the play, • but Selwyn occasionally broke 1 free and was unlucky not to i score on several occasions. When the game finished Old Boys had beaten Selwyn 1-0 and while the score was an accurate [indication of play, the oppor- ; tunities missed by Selwyn must; i leave it a little disappointed . that it was unable to earn a! . chaw. Scrappy game Harewood-Burnside beat Redcliffs 3-2 in a scrappy match in the Porritt Park mud. ! There was little constructive passing in the game with the exception of one or two good . attacking moves late in the first (half. lan Hill put Harewood into the ; lead when he scored from a i(goal-mouth scramble. The game ’ developed into a mid-field struggle with some good work . by both half lines keeping the .(oppositions scoring chances' -Idown to a minimum. Rob Hardiei (levelled the score near the end! Jof the first half. i The second half saw a flurry >:of activity and Harewood put ini ■ two goals to give it a command-! i-ing lead and it seemed assured; ' of a win. J Redcliffs did not give up. how-1 I [ever, and Peter Christenson! brought the team back with al . penalty stroke towards the end! of the game. Both teams played (hard in the last 10 minutes with' Redcliffs trying to snatch a draw and Harewood determined to hold on to its one-goal lead It was a satisfying win fori iHarewood which consolidated its position on the points table. j

P W D L F A pts Univ. . 12 9 2 1 24 4 20 USOB 12 6 5 1 14 5 17 H’wood . 13 6 4 3 17 13 16 R’cliffs . 13 5 4 4 14 15 14 Selwyn . 13 5 3 5 11 13 13 Hg. OB . 13 3 6 4 14 15 12 Syd. 12 2 3 7 3 16 7 Linw. 12 2 3 7 16 25 7 WWMC . 12 2 2 8 9 18 6 Ground hampered game