Aust. rattles Canterbury

Press, 16 August 1976, Page 28

Aust. rattles Canterbury

After 58 minutes of attack and counter-attack, the hockey match between Australian Universities and Canterbury at Porritt -Park suddenly burst into life yesterday with four goals in 12 minutes. With their speed on attack and their bustling tactics on defence, the University side kept Canterbury on tl.e. defensive for most of tl.e game. The speed of the Australian side to the ball and its spoiling tactics kept Canterbury under control, and it was not until the last 20 minutes that the home side took control and kept the Australians at a safe distance to win, 3-1. The game started at a tremendously fast pace and it was obvious that the Australians, who were putting a great effort into their game, could not last the full distance. However, they lasted longer perhaps than Canter-

bury expected and it v.s only in the last 15 minutes, when the Australian inside forwards had been reduced to ■ a walk- through the amount of work they had to do, that Canterbury started to dominate. Play in the first half was very even. The Australians broke quickly down either flank with booming hits, and Canterbury at times, was methodical in putting itself back on attack. Selwyn Maister, the Canterbury and New Zealand centre-half, was the outstanding player on the field. His wor'- ’’id was tremendous and his general play was superb. Numerous times he beat one or two men with close stickwork to put Canterbury back on the offensive. But at times he held possession too long and the Australians recovered the ball. Canterbury was always the superior team wit.i Barry Maister, John Christensen, and Thur Jorren — all gold-medal winners at Montreal — moving the ball forward quietly but confidently, and it appeared only a matter of time before the home team scored. The first half was unfortunate for Roydon Agent on the right wing. He found possession difficult and had an off-form day with his trapping. As well, he recieved a knock on the thigh which limited his mobility for the rest of the 1 'lf before he was replaced by Balvant Bhana. The Canterbury selectorcoach, Mr Cyril Walter, made four substitutions at halftime — this was agreed on by both teams before the match — and Canterbury appeared to play better after the interval. The wings in the second half — Balvant Bhana on the right, and Mark Burtt on the left — moved with much more freedom and consequently there were many more attacks through these areas. The first goal came after 23 minutes when Thur Borren followed a shot into the goal, picked up the rebound

and pushed the ball into the net. Twice in the next five minutes Canterbury was close to scoring. Finally a shot from Gary Marshall, who replaced Tony Ineson at full-back, beat the defence. Australian Universities, although apparently quickly running out of v/ind, organised a counter-attack with long hard passes that had Canterbury struggling. From one of these attacks it was awarded a penalty corner. The original shot was off-target, but Rowan Dick following in, dived and pushed the ball into the goal. In the last two minutes Canterbury was again on the attack and from a corner the ball was cleared to Selwyn Maister on the circle

edge. His quick shot caught the defence off balance and with the aid of an Australian Stick the ball was put into the goal. ' The goal-keepers in both teams, Kim Read (Australia) and Dave Stuthridge and Rodger McHarg (Canterbury), all played solid games. Read made four superb saves from lusty shots. Don Williams and Brian Lazakoff were steady in a group of good Australian defenders, and Canterbury kept the ball under close control in the Australian circle. The strength of Australia’s challenge can be gauged by the fact that it gained four penalty comers in the first half to Canterbury’s three, and two in the second half to Canterbury's five.