Hockey Fighting Canty goes close

Press, 8 September 1980, Page 21

Hockey Fighting Canty goes close

From

Kevin Tutty

in Auck-

land

A spirited fight-back in the final 20 minutes Drought Canterbury to the verge of winning the Challenge Shield final -at the Newsman’sAdidas national men’s hockey tournament at Auckland on Saturday. However, Auckland won the final, 3-2/

Until that point, Canterbud’s chance of taking the Shield off Auckland had looked forlorn. It was completely outplayed by the titleholder, and Auckland’s 3-0 lead, established after 19 minutes, was a fair reflection of the merits of both teams up to that point. However, Canterbury’s comeback brought it to 2-3, and -then ..with five minutes left it received a. penaltystroke. The Auckland defence argued vehemently against the decision by Mur-ray-Clarke. That was. futile, but the -Auckland and New Zealand goal-keeper, Maurice Marquet, had the final say. He made a brilliant diving save -to Selwyn Maister’s push.

The ball was flying hard and low to Marquet’s , left, but he threw himself, towards the. ground and stopped the push with his left hand. It was a moment of; utter disappointment for Maister, playing his last game for Canterbury.

It would have been, disappointing for Auckland had Canterbury forced the game z into extra time. Auckland

had outplayed its opponent throughout, and even when Canterbury was making its comeback Auckland was not playing badly. It was a strange game. It would be a long time since Canterbury failed to win a penalty-comer until the twentieth minute of the sec-ond-half. It was six minutes after the interval before Canterbury 7 had its first scoring chance. Auckland’s' three goals came from a penalty-corner and two penalty-strokes. Greg Dayman scored the first, direct from a comer, in the tenth minute, and then came penalties by - Ramesh Patel and Arthur Parkin, in the sixteenth and nineteenth minutes.- ' " .* •

From the start Auckland was quicker to the bill and it harrassed Canterbury into countless errors. Auckland marked the;key Canterbury, players closely, and was quick to capitalise on mistakes. ; ' ■ - •

Canterbury players often trapped the ball, but allowed it to rebound from their sticks, permitting Auckland players to gain possession and force Canterbury back. Canterbury’s forward line was unable to function in its normal fluent style. Balvant Bhana and George Carnoutsos, on the right flank, were suppressed, and Barry Maister, at centre-forward, had the Auckland centre-half, Keith- Gorringe, sticking to him like a limpitall afternoon. Mark Burtt, at inside-left, was the hardest-working Canterbury forward. He see-med determined to get his side moving forward, but time after. time ran out of support, being forced by a wall) of Auckland Jerseys to dribble: across field. .•> ! Chris Maister, on the left wing, I

did not progress with his customary control until the latter stages of the. game. When the resurgence came from Canterbury It was swift, and had Auckland scrambling where it had coasted for much! of the game. Suddenly the for-j wards were stringing passes to-* gether and had close support from the halves who were rob-| bing Auckland of bail, where! earlier they themselves had been; robbed.

A determined Canterbury build-up in the twentieth minute gave Canterbury its first penalty-; corner. Ross Ambier struck the! ball cleanly- to Marquet’s right, j The ball deflected over his pad, and babbled over the grasping; stick of Mark Smithells on the: goal-line.

Canterbury, sensing there was so-.ne chance of success, capitalised on what seemed an increasing insecurity in Auckland’s defensive ranks. In the next few minutes it made several sweeps downfield, and in the twenth-sev-enth minute was awarded its third penalty-corner. This time Ambler’s shot was hard and true into the comer-of the goal. The "Canterbury effort' increased again, and three minute’s later Canterbuy was awarded a- penalty-stroke. Selwyn Maister puts a large percentage of his strokes low! in. the bottom right or left-hand corner; On this occasion he went Tor the left, but Marquet anticipated well. For the first 55mins Canterbury found it almost impossible to break Auckland’s defence, which received tremendous support from its back-tackling forwards, even though some of the tackling was a little vigorous at times. •

Arthur Parkin, the Auckland centre-forward, robbed "Selwyn Maister,- the Canterbury centrehalf, of the ball several times in the first half, but in the latter stages it was Maister’s swift and accurate passing that-established many of the Canterbury attacks.

Jeff Archibald’s passing and dribbling at inside-right for Auckland was an invaluable asset, and Ramesh Patel’s dribbling was dynamic.. . ; Greg Dayman played one of his

I best defensive games for Auckland at left-back, and it was fititing that he should play such a I big part in Auckland’s success in ! his final game for the province. Dave Peterson, in his first seajson for Auckland, -was another : prominent defender. At left-half 'he had a difficult job to mark I Carnoutsos, but did his task admirably. : Jeff Gibson did not have his : best day at right-half for CanterI bury. His trapping was below his I normal standard, but in the final .quarter his forceful passing was jan asset. Behind him, at right- ■ back, Robin Wilson was the most [consistent defender, seldom com'mitting himself to tackles early. ' At left-half, Craig Burtt came ; out of his duel with the young New Zealand player, Peter Daji, 'with even honours. Ross Ambler I committed himself to tackles I early a few times, but that was ino disgrace against players of Parkin and Archibald’s skill. It was a bad day for Canterbury. In the India Plate final, Canterbury B lost, 1-2,. to Auckland B in extra time. Canterbury lacked the experience of its opponents, and had great difficulty moving the ball to its right, where its greatest chance of success lay. But reaching the final ensured Canterbury B of a place in the Newman’s Trophy (second section) next season. After trailing for much of the first half, Canterbury- equalised 10 minutes after the interval. Greg Barrett .scored with a clean, shot from a penalty-corner. Results:—

'Challenge Shield For third and fourth: Wellington 1, Wanganui 0 (extra time). For seventh and eighth Hawkes Bay 2, Manawatu I, For ninth and tenth: Nelson 2. Wairarapa 1 (Wairarapa relegated). Newmans Trophy Final: Hutt Valley. 2, Otago 1. For third.and fourth: Taranaki 3 Hamilton T. For fifth and sixth Horowhenua 1, Marlborough 0. For seventh and eighth Ashburton 3, Army 2. • " India Plate For third and fourth: Tauranga 2, Wellington B;l. "For seventh and eighth West Coast 2, Air Force 1. For ninth-and tenth: Poverty Bay 7, Piako 1.