Top six teams 1pt apart

Press, 11 May 1981, Page 24

Top six teams 1pt apart

If the present gouping of teams at the head of the points table is any indication, the senior men's hockey competition this season will be intensely interesting. Six team's were within a point of each other at the head of the table. Four of them, Selwyn-Hilllmorton, High School Old Boys, University and Harewood, share the lead. Harewood, with a win on Saturday. and Old Boys and University which drew, joined Selwyn, which had the bye. Harewood was most impressive in the first-half against Linwood United, scoring four goals. Although its play fell away a little in the second-half and it scored only one more goal, the signs were there, that more consistent performances as the season progresses could make Harewood the champion. University twice came from behind to level with SydenhamCashmere and salvage a point from its game. The final goal was a penalty-stroke two minutes from full-time. Old Boys and Redcliffs played a patchy game at Christchurch Boys’ High School. There were some fine inpassing movements, but there was much indecisive play in midfield. Woolston and Pegasus each gained their first point of the season when they drew 0-0 at Porritt Park. Pegasus, which was more constructive in its approach, had a grand chance to score midway through the second-half. It received a penalty-stroke but could not convert it. Results and scorers were: University 2 (W. Shillito. R. Fowler), Sydenham-Cashmere 2 (R. Ambler, W. Hadlee). High School Old Boys 1 (G. Armstrong), Redcliffs 1 (L. Munt). Harewood 5 (C. Leslie 3, I. Riach, P. Hayde), Linwood United 2 (M. Pettit; G. Davies). Woolston 0, Pegasus 0.

FEAST OF GOALS After a scoreless first-half the University-Sydenham clash produced a feast of goals. Sydenham had had a slight edge in the firsthalf with more possession in midfield, and there was urgency in its attacks. Steve Ambler and Ross Thomson on the right flank, kept the University defence occupied with some nippy passing movements. Several of these forced penalty-corners, but Sydenham could not convert them. University attacked from all points. There was a lack of sting in the attacks of Neil Edmundson and Warwick Shillito on University’s right-flank in the first half, but that improved after the interval and Shillito was rewarded with a goal after a crisp passing move. Sydenham scored first when Bill Hadlee flicked a Hoose ball past the University defence. Shillito equalised some minutes later and then Ross Ambler gave Sydenham the lead again from a 'penaltycorner. University threw all it-had into the dying minutes, and with just two minutes left Marty Fitzsimons, the Sydenham goal-keeper, had the misfortune to fall on the ball in the circle and Ross Fowler converted the penalty-stroke. Bryan Ayson and Dick Spiers were safe defenders for Sydenham and distributed’the ball quickly and accurately. The University defence was dominated by Ross Fowler and John Woods. Their trapping and tackling was excellent and their passing precise. PATCHY GAME Redcliffs and Old Boys played before a distinguished crowd of former New Zealand hockey representatives at Straven Road, but unfortunately neither team could supply the attractive hockey the spectators wanted. Close marking and a bumpy ground led to many errors although there were times when both teams were able to string a few passes together. Most attacks broke down on sound defensive work. Greg Armstrong, a hard-working inside-left for Old Boys, scored his side’s only goal in the first-half when he nudged in a pass from outside his circle. His tenacious work almost brought him a second goal later in the game, but his final shot was well covered by the Redcliff goalie. Keith Barr, after Armstrong had worked the ball close to the goal.

Lee Munt scored the Redcliffs goal from a penalty-corner and late in the game another, struck by Peter Christensen, was splendidlysaved by the Old Boys goal-keeper, Dave Stuthridge. . Rob Smith and Maurice Kidd played their usual cool games in defence, keeping errors to a mimimum and halting many Redcliffs attacks. In the Redcliffs forward line, Richard Munt was the most constructive, and in its defence Christensen carried a high workrate well, although he had time to catch his breath when given a temporary suspension in the second-half. An Old Boys player, Kerry Thomas, also received a suspension. LOST CHANCE Jeff McEwen will rue the poor penalty-stroke he took in the second half against Woolston. Pegasus had worked hard for the scoring opportunity, the forwads playing determinedly and coming close to scoring several times. Its best chance came from the penalty-stroke but McEwen's push, although strong, went straight to Gary Copsey’s left-hand, and he saved it comfortably. Some of the passing in the Pegasus forwards was not as accurate as it might have been, but they passed the ball and had the Woolston defence extended many times. Woolston did its share of attacking and again its outstanding forward was Don McKenzie. His dribbling was incisive and his. backtackling and linking a great help to the Woolston defence. ■ Graeme Stevenson, the Woolston left-wing, made a couple of strong runs that led to penalty-corners but faulty hand-stops prevented Woolston scoring

The Woolston right side defence of Ross Barry and Hamish Gillespie played soundly. Barry’s passing was thoughtful and more accurate than most. Peter Cox was a valuable defender at left-half for Pegasus and formed a useful partnership with McEwen at centre-half, to establish attacks. Dave Robbins made a couple of fine saves in the Pegasus goal late in the game. HAREWOOD SHINES The brilliance of the Harewood forward line was illustrated in its first-half performance against Linwood. The sharp inter-passing among the forwards, who relished the firm smooth surface at Porritt: Oval, had Linwood on defence most of the half. Linwood actually scored first when Graeme Davies converted a penalty-corner. But the goal was the signal for Harewood to show its true potential and it excited the tiny crowd with some exhilarating moves. Its first goal was from a corner scored by Pat Hayde, and then followed 'field goal by lan Riach and Chris Leslie, who scored two. Leslie was playing with more authority at inside-right than he had done in the last few weeks. After the interval Harewood neglected the pattern it had followed in the first-half and the forwards, and at times the halves, elected to dribble rather than pass. Consequently Linwood found it easier to tackle and intercept passes, and was able to fight its way back into the game. Linwood scored the first goal of the half when Mike Pettit completed a determined attack. Harewood could manage only one goal and it was Leslie again, who scored.

The points P table is: AP t s W D L F Selwvn 3 2 1 0 3 0 5 HSOB 3 2 1 0 6 2 5 Univers. 4 2 1 1 6 5 3 H’wood 4 2 1 1 9 7 5 Redcliffs 3 1 2 0 9 4 4 Syd. 3 I 2 0 :> 2 4 Linwood 4 1 0 3 6 15 2 ; Pegasus 4 0 1 3 2 8 1 I Woolston 4 0 1 3 1 8