Hockey team has struck form at the right time

Press, 30 August 1980, Page 24

Hockey team has struck form at the right time

By

KEVIN TUTTY

Canterbury will have its least experienced team for several years at the Newm a n ’ s-Adidas national men’s hockey tournament that starts in Auckland tomorrow. But it also has its best chance for several years of winning the tour-? nament. Canterbury had a dreadful start to the season. It lost the quadrangular tournament to Wellington at Queen’s Birthday

week-end and after that game it could not be seriously considered a threat in the Challenge Shield section.

But. three weeks later when Canterbury played Wellington again the side had undergone a remarkable transformation and it

thoroughly deserved its win. Since then the team has improved further and last week-end a brilliant second-half display against

Canterbury B indicated that it is ready for the national tournament. The forwards are playing with speed and urgency and the defence is becoming more stable with each game. The No. 1 lineup will not appear until the final pool game against Wellington on Thursday and much will depend on how quickly it can establish its combinations. To give all 15 team members their quota of three games, the coach, Cyril Walter, will have to keep his top team under wraps for the last three games. The pool game against Wellington will be decisive. The winner will have the easier semi-final, probably against Northland, because it is almost certain to win pool A. Balvant Bhana has been impressive as a replacement for John Christensen at inside-right. His play has been transformed this season. His passing has improved dramatically, but he can still produce the devastating dribbles which are the hallmark of his game. Outside him on the right-wing is perhaps the sharpest forward, George Carnoutsos. He has quick acceleration and his stickwork has matured. In the congested areas inside the 25m area he has to be watched as closely as in the mid-field where he has more room to move. Mark Burtt and Chris Maister, on the left-flank, have been just as formidable on attack as the right-flank and could play a greater role in the harder games when the rightflank is sure to be heavily marked.

The reserve forwards, Steve Ambler and Warwick • Shillito, will prob-

ably play in the first three games. Shillito has been below form this club season. His trapping has been suspect, but if this improves it could give him the confidence he needs to realise his true ability. Selwyn Maister is still a highly competent centrehalf, but he will have to rid himself of the ball more quickly than he did against Canterbury B last Sunday. If he is caught in possession against teams like Wellington and Auckland it will be fatal for Canterbury. Jeff Gibson has made the transition from rightback to left-half with no problems. He has been probably the most consistent defender this season. His trapping and reading of play have been exemplary and his passing swift and accurate. Craig Burtt will probably be the reserve defender for the main games. He is essentially a left-side player and would not be out of his depth should there be an injury and is called on for one of the important games. Greg Pierce, the right* half, will need to polish his passing- but he ■ has good stickwork and is very quick to recover if beaten. The full-backs, Robin Wilson and Ross Ambler, have had a lot of responsibility thrust on them but they came through their severest tests this year — against Wellington and Auckland — with credit. Ambler’s penalty-corner hitting could also be a key factor in the games later in the week. Graeme Sligo’s form seemed to falter after the disappointment of the Moscow Games withdrawal. but both he and Marty Fitzsimons, the other goalkeeper, are the type of players who improve on a big occasion. After the disappointments of the last few years a Canterbury win would be the ultimate farewell to the three Maister brothers, who will be playing for Canterbury for .the last time.