Hockey Canterbury women too strong for Auckland

Press, 5 September 1983, Page 18

Hockey Canterbury women too strong for Auckland

From <

Jane Davidson,

in Whangarei

Canterbury outplayed Auckland in every facet to win the Prudential Cup, 3-1, at the national women’s hockey tournament at Whangarei on Saturday.

Its success was matched by the Canterbury B team, which won the second section’s Floyd Shield when it beat Northland by the same score.

The dual success was a repeat of the province’s efforts at Blenheim in 1980, and means both teams will compete in the premier grade at next year’s tournament in Christchurch.

Canterbury had total control against Auckland, the province it shared honours with last year. It was surprising that the final margin was only two goals. Where Auckland lacked the ability to back up its players, Canterbury was outstanding. When one was being tackled, Canterbury soon had another up in support, and invariably came out best. Its calling was first class and passes seldom failed to find their mark.

Robyn Blackman, the Canterbury captain, was an inspiration to her players. Her tackling was superb, and she bustled about the field challenging the defence and supporting her team for the full 70 minutes. Auckland contributed to its own downfall to some extent. Instead of trying to contain Canterbury’s speedy and talented forwards by close marking, as Hawke’s Bay had done so effectively in the semi-finals, it let them run riot and dictate terms.

So complete was Canterbury’s domination, especially in the first half, that it looked as though there were

12 players wearing the red-and-black colours, instead of 11.

Not that luck was always with the victor. Maree Flannery, the left-wing, was struck above the right eye by a ball early in the match. She left the field, but Pat Barwick, the Canterbury coach, had no intention of making an immediate substitute if there was a chance of her resuming after first-aid treatment. Such a bold decision paid off handsomely, for not only was Flannery able to take her place later, but her fellow Cantbarians lifted their game and took the initiative with only 10 players. Mary Clinton, later named the Canterbury player of the match, gave her team the sort of start most coaches only dream about. She trapped the ball at the edge of the circle

from Canterbury’s first penalty corner, when the game was barely two minutes old, found the Auckland defence lacking completely, and scored.

Auckland, not unexpectedly was demoralised. The team’s confidence waned, and 17 minutes elapsed before it pressed Canterbury enough to win a penalty corner.

Further gloom was to descend when the vice-cap-tain, Sheryl Law, the centre forward, who looked by far the most dangerous of the Aucklanders, was forced to retire with a strained muscle.

As if to rub salt into the wound, Canterbury extended its lead to two goals three minutes before half-time. Clinton and Judy Phillips, who was given so much room to move in it was almost laughable, combined at a penalty corner. Phillips powered home the ball which had been trapped by Clinton in exactly the same way the Burnside pair had scored three times against Wellington earlier in the week.

Jan Martin brought a faint glimmer of hope to Auckland when she displayed excellent techniques to make a solo break towards Canterbury’s goalmouth after play resumed, but her efforts went for nothing. Canterbury regained possession, made the most of two pathetic tackles, and the ball was once again in the Auckland half.

When Cathy Thompson

eventually came on as a substitute for Flannery, it was as though she had a Midas touch. Thompson ran on to a perfectly timed pass from Leeane McFadden on the right wing, which left the goalie wrong-footed, and steered the ball into the net for Canterbury to go three-

up. Auckland’s only consolation came in a spectacular late goal from the left wing, Lesley Elliott, after the ball had been passed half a dozen times to and fro down the right flank. Martin, Law, and Denise Golding, the right back, looked the pick of the Aucklanders who could do little to hold a magnificent Canterbury team effort. The C section Mills Cup was won by Wairarapa with a 2-1 win over North Shore B. North Shore B scored first in the fifth minute but Wairarapa fought back hard for its win. The final match at the tournament was between the visiting Fiji team and a New Zealand Presidents junior team. The juniors proved too strong and came out the winners, 4-0.

Results: Prudential Cup: Canterbury A 3 (M. Clinton, C. Thomson, J. Phillips), Auckland A 1 (L. Elliott). Floyd Shield: Canterbury B 3 (L. Sutherland, J. Pettet, J. Earnshaw), Northland 1 (L. Mclntyre). Mills Cup: Wairarapa 2 (J. Cornford, C. White,) North Shore B 1 (R. Neal). New Zealand Presidents Junior Women 4 (T. Bell, J. Cameron, L. McFadden, C. Arthur), Fiji 0.