Hockey win unconvincing

Press, 17 July 1978, Page 24

Hockey win unconvincing

By

KEVIN TUTTY

Canterbury was untroubled to beat South Canterbury, 7-0, in a representative hockey match at Porritt Park Oval yesterday, but much of its play was unconvincing. There was never much doubt about the result after the first five minutes .when Canterbury exerted its experience and skill, never allowing South Canterbury the slightest chance of scoring. But in the second half Canterbury’s play slipped as several of the key players suddenly lost their touch. Selwyn Maister, at centrehalf, was a little slow in getting his passes away and many were intercepted. Tony Ineson’s tackling and eluding remained consistent, but his passes in the second half were directed mainly to South Canterbury players. Barry Maister had some trapping problems, although his running off the ball was superb until he was substituted with lOmin remaining. One of the most pleasing features of Canterbury’s play was the imagination and skill of George Car-

■noutsos, Mark Burtt and Balvant Bhana in the forward line.

Carnoutsos, who played the first half on ’ the right wing, ran forcefully and elusively, and when he changed to the left wing in the second half he was as effective, finding space at will. Canterbury’s dominance can be gauged from its pen-alty-corner count of 19 and corner count of nine, while South Canterbury could manage a solitary corner in the second-half.

Its first goal came after 7min when Selwyn Maister converted a penalty-stroke. It was awarded after Andy Donahue appeared to legitimately hand-stop a shot on the goal-line. Minutes before Barry Maister had hit a shot chesthigh into the net but this was ruled dangerous, to the disgust of the Canterbury □layers. It appeared a legitimate shot and further showed the'inconsistency that is creeping into the rulings on dangerous shots at goal. Before the interval Canterbury scored three more goals. The second came from Mark Burtt, who flicked the ball off a South Canterbury

defender’s stick in front of the goal. Ineson scored from a penalty-corner, and Barry Maister collected a clearing hit and scored the fourth goal with a neat shot. Ineson scored his second goal 9min into the second half and Carnoutsos’s sterling efforts were rewarded with a goal after 52 min. The final goal came again from Ineson, after 63min. Canterbury’- score could easily have reached double figures but for some superbly athletic goal-keeping by Dave Stuthridge. Unfortunately, Ross Gillespie, the Christchurch member of the New Zealand selection panel was neft at Porritt Park to see Stuthridge’s performance. . _ Hockey followers in South Canterbury last week were at a loss to understand Stuthridge’s exclusion from the New Zealand squad and after yesterday’s effort they are even more confused. He is the equal of at least three of the six goal-keepers named in the New Zealand squad. At the other end of the field, Rodger McHarg, in the Canterbury goal, had no chance to show he is still a

candidate for the New Zealand team — he did not have to stop a shot all afternoon.

Geoff Gibson played steadily at right-back and the two left-halves used, Bhikhu Bhana and Paul Ackerley, allowed the South Canterbury right-wing for most of thegame, Chris Leslie, little latitude.

The South Canterbury full-backs, Neville Rawstorn and Paul Ritani, coped well with an overdose of work. Rawstorn made three particularly good goal-line saves from Ineson penaltycorners.

The halves showed intelligence in their passing, but tod often they delayed a second, allowing Canterbury forwards, who back-tackle swiftly, to rob them of the ball.

The South Canterbury forwards had to be commended for the industrious way they sought gaps, but too Often the halves sent passes into half-gaps that Canterbury plavers readily picked up. Scorers for Canterbury were: Ineson (3), Selwyn Maister, Barry’ Maister, George Carnoutsos, Mark Burtt,