Hockey Another championship final to University

Press, 28 May 1979, Page 23

Hockey Another championship final to University

University added to its im- : pressive string of championships . when it won the inter-district hockey league rinal 1-0 against ; High School Old Boys at Porrit Park on Saturday. The match was as close as the score indicated. Old Boys had a slight advantage in the second half, but in spite of a number of penalty-corners and other chances could not score. The No. 1 ground at the park had been groomed but still had bumps that made controlled dribbling extremely difficult, in I the second half stick hacking! and barging became prevalent) and there was little play of spectator value University's goal after 25 minutes of the first half was i'qrtunate. Barry Master's shot from the top of the circle was not struck cleanly and Graeme Sligo, the Old Boys goal-keeper, was tn two minds whether to block or kick. At the last moment he decided to block and the ball slipped off his foot behind him Roger Wesney,) covering in goal just failed to control the ball and it rolled behind his stick over the goal line <Fhe Old Boys coach. Ernie P«irnes, made the unusual decision to play Jeff Gibson, the t New Zealand defender, at inside left. Initially he marked John Christensen. the University inside-right closely, hut. as the match proceeded Christensen found space to move and Gibson’s value was lost. Had he been in the half-line Old Boys chances of a draw could only h|ve improved. Christensen was University’s rrftst effective forward, especially in the second half when his passing set up many attacking opportunities. The forwards Mere well supplied with passes by Selwyn

Maister at centre-half, and Greg Pierce at right-half, although Maister was robbed of the ball several times by the alert Old Boys forwards, Mike Tillman and Geoff Deakins. It was Tillman and Deakins who several times in the second half set up penalty-corners tor Old Boys, but Tillman got only one clean shot, and that was ruled dangerous. On another occasion a field shot was deflected just wide of the goal. In the play-off for third and I fourth places at Burwood Park j Selwyn-Hillmorton and Redcliffs’ [drew l-ail in a match that varied i from good to very bad. Other play-offs in the competition were: — Sydenham-Cashmere 2, Harewood 2. Linwood United 1, Pegasus 0. Timaru United 5, West Coast 1. Woolston W.M.C. 1. Timaru Country 0 Chances wasted Selwyn - Hillmorton looked ominous when it swept on to the attack from the start and after three minutes was awarded a penalty-corner which Jeff Pepper converted. Then Redcliffs siowlj moved into the attacking role and in the last 10 minutes before half-time it was j ia matter of desperate defence j for Selwyn. The second-half started in similar circumstances, Redcliffs forcing several quick penaltycorners. but none were of value. But after five minutes an attack down the right flank ended in the Selwyn circle. The ball was partly cleared and the Redcliffs right-wing. Murray Spinks, ran on to it and hit. it through a mass of defenders to equalise. Both sides wasted many scoring opportunities through poor I massing inside the 255. Selwyn I’wice put the ball in the net ’but the goals were disallowed.

The second by Mark Burtt was a clean low shot from a penalty corner, but the umpire, Alan Scott, ruled that he deflected the ball from the hit-out and did not stop it. That was at a vital stage, noth 15 minutes remaining. The game was marred by an excessive amount of barging and stick slapping and a firmer hand could nave been used by the umpires. The Selwyn left-halt' Craig Burtt had his head split in an incident in the Selwyn circle but no action was taken. Few individuals played well. Murray Johnston, the Redcliffs centre-forward, made some good runs but often lacked support, and at left-half. Steve Smith made fewer mistakes than his fellow defenders. Tony Ineson had a mediocre i day for Redcliffs. His penaltycorner hitting was off target and he missed some vital traps. | one of which almost led to a| Selwyn goal. George Carnoutsos and Mark Burtt did well to find space against tight marking but one of the greatest assets, the ability to dribble, was nullified by the uneven surface. Sydenham fights back Harewood twice took the lead I in a tight match against SydenI ham-Cashmere but each time the latter equalised and the teams shared fifth place in the interdistrict league. Bruce McLean scored the first Harewood goal after five minutes when Marty Fitzsimons failed to clear a shot from in front of his goal. : Harewood continued to have i an advantage for the rest of the I half but could not increase its Head. Its attack was not func--1 tioning fluently and there was [some sound defence from Ross, j Ambler and Murray Peacock fori Sydenham. Svdenham made occasional raids and near the interval wasi awarded a penalty-stroke which: Steven Ambler converted. fn the second-half Harewood quickly went on to attack, was ' awarded a penalty-stroke, and 'the New Zealand representative.

Balvant Bhana, scored. But Sydenham was not finished and did 1 its share of attacking. With 151 minutes remaining it received a| penalty-corner and Ross Ambler! scored. Even clash For three-quarters of the match; Pegasus defended solidly against Linwood but when 15 minutes remained Linwood was awarded a penalty-corner and Parsot Bhana’s shot was. only partly stopped, before it rolled into the goal. Blrikhu Bhana, the Linwood centre-half, supplied his forwards! with plenty of ball but they lacked the cohesion to split thei Pegasus defence. In contrast the Pegasus .for-i wards showed greater inclination to combine and were; awarded a number of penalty-. I corners which unfortunately they | could not convert. Goal spree ! Timaru United Scored a cons vincing 5-1 win over the West Coast in their play-off but both teams must have wished they had stayed at home. They were put on the worst ground at Porritt Park and any hope of playing constructive hockey disappeared from the moment they took the field which was ankledeep in mud. Timaru led 2-0 at half-time through goals by Mervyn Dunne and Trevor Stanbury, and in rhe' second-half. Graham Stanbury scored a third successive win to give Timaru a 5-0 lead. The Coast received some consolation when the skilful insideright. Bryan Aynsley, scored late in the game. i Woolston had its first win of I the season at the expense of< 'Timaru Country. Its goal came ! from a penalty-corner scored by jTonv Neilson. Ross Smith played intelligently for Timaru, setting up attacks I well, but the Woolston defence t was well organised. The Influience of the former New Zealand coach, Ross Gillespie, who I made a rare appearance was I strong. Gary Copsey in goal had 'another fine game.