HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 526, 5 June 1909, Page 12

HOCKEY.

(Bt Dmver.)

It was quite! a relief to got going again 'on Saturday last after the recent postponements. The teams were out in full strength, and eoine goodi hookey was.■ witnessed. Of course, tlje match of predominant'interest was that between United and Karori on No. 1 ground, Day's, Bay. Year after year, this, duel is fought between the rivals of ten years; and it is long since one has inflicted so decisive a defeat on the forces of the other. - There can bo-no mistaking the decisiveness of Saturday's battle. Almost air the time, the Reds were attacking, and, for a considerable portion of the'game,, play, was in the Blaok circle. Individual brilliance, however.s -was not lacking .on the part of. some of the Karori team. 1 Several times they broke, away, and, headed by G. Davios, eluded the halves, and: occasionally even the backs, but they: always found the goalkeeper, Dwyer, a very hard nut to v orack. On the only occasion that they, did score, the lattor "saved" beautifully . throe times in quick succession, and was in no way responsible for the score. The Karori forwards wore in ijood form, 1 but there was not sufficient cohesion in their ranks. The halves wore distinctly off colour. T.; Spiers shonoas left fullrback, but he: received insufficient support, from his companion or his goalkeeper, so that he was praotically responsible for the ontire defence/. Considering the disadvantages montloncd, his display was very creditable indoed. ■' The United eleven have completely wiped out the stain; nut' on them' by their inglorious defeat, by T.M.C.A, on the, opening day of the season. Thoy were caught , napping, but, einoe then, they liavc.-undercone an awakening process, and have offectuaUy disposed of the idea that thoy were not' serious competitors in this year's-cha'ninionsliip. -It/will be interesting to noto how Y.M.C.A. faro against Karori, ' : Von-/ Sturmer, the...United left full-back, was. unablo to;' play on Saturday, and the .'club was fortunate: enough to secure thoservjo* of IV, Ashbolt,' '-who. only retired' this eeasonj Tho display of ■- Ashbolt and . Hickson (right full-back) 'was 1 - quite in keeping' with ■ thojr performances last, year.'They repelled attack after a'.taok by',.long -shots fromV their .own goal-posh ; to ' the: distant- corner, and,,"',.'; by finding the'-lino,'entirely reversed'tho positioii. Ashbp,t.Bho.wed that,, when.pressed, he had not forgotten,his.quick, short strokes that, aro so effective; in ■ defence. . .- '•, ■ !.r.'; I'he-display' of-the..-halves was. probably the best ever mado in.the team. ...King, at centre, was at his best, and Day, the left, evoked, .pimeral applalim. -'by '■: his"; resourcefulness. Ronaldson,, oh the' , right, did hot appear'to be. in the best of'.''form. No praise is too. high for'the forwards. They-.simply 'excelled themselves,- and.^played:'with.'fine dash;and.combination. '•;."/:, ■■-=''".'. : ,;.■■:. ■, Now, that, a; de'finito. stago has Keen- reached in th'e .oha'Tiipiohship', it will bo. interesting to weigh the f chance' of 'the. leading •> toams of the list. The following table shows the present position , of-.the-teams :-r : ..- ; .. ■ .■/'■■. ; -:';V- ; r ;-/" r . \i ■ -: v -^4: 'i ■'-■■■ ■;.'-". v: .;■'■"""■.&■ /g -s. - § : .a - ■■■ I ".'V-/>',.' : ■'Y:.■■'>:.s>:'-p 3 ■■■:&:■'■&■ Wesley '•,'■ .... ' „.•.- ... ,'B'" 2.- -- 1:5 Karori: " . ...\ ... ..-...'. 3 1 1 I,'- 3 Vivian, " ■ ...■: ..,.•.».. 3, .2... 1.-,-■ . 1 Viotoria.'College. ..'..„'. ... 3 .—-'•'. 3 , —•". — Wellington r ■'~., '■■■".'.,' 3 1 - 2 !\r-'- ■ 2 Y.M.C.A.". ' Tμ. ... 3' 3 '- -.;.,6 iThorndon ~...' ...>.... 3' — 'B'—. — ■Uniteu.;„••; ■...-:.;.';■■•» 3 ; ;2 v ly-ry-i ~ ;it 'vrili:'thusi be !l peeiic,thi}tj ; T.MiG.A: : are; at present,in the ascendant with ono;point ahead of Wesley,_a.nd. two ah.eqd.' of United. The last-named meets Avesley to-day, and this match should give .an excellent .idea of .the-relative powers,of all the, teams in;..the competition:' The' 'crucial' test; however, ,1 wiir bo ..'when Y.M.C.A. and Wesley meet. If United defeats Wesley, , is probable that Y.M.O.A.- will' aohiftve the coveted distinction this - yoar,,. as only one round may be played, and United and Y.M.C.A.'Would,' thereforo, not meet again. If they do. meet again, there is 'not much reason to believe.that Y.M.C.A. would be again victorious,- provided United maintain;' present, form.... Should United■. suocumb'. to Wesley to-, day, .the final would 'probably be between that team and Y.M.C.A., providing that' the. lattor'! defeat-,Wellington. Whatever Jo-day's results may be, thoy will ,bp looked, for. with, interest/ •■■:'■ ■i' : ' { .::\ '■■' [ •':.■, "■;:..•.:•.„■ In reference to tho .proposed refereeo' conferonce, the local secretary, Mr. R. L. Jones; : hiis advised, the Wanganui Association, that the ■Wellington: Association feels that..'Wellington, being central, the conference should.be held here, and at a special meeting held on May 28,. the delegates and provincial secretary were elected./It was proposed to hold : the'conference, here on ; Saturday, July 3. . "•■ -,' .'-In. a circular letter to the Wairarapa,, Tara-" naki, Horowhonua,- Thames', Auckland, Canterbury, ' Otaeo and' Nekon' Associations,' the secretary states that the business of, the conference could be:tranEHoted in one day, : and would not,neceesitnto the delegates being 1 away from' home for ; any length 'of > time. An agenda pape.r would be drawn .up as soon as possible, and forwarded to l the.various associations^.:' The, game between Wesley arid Thorndon was interesting in , 'many iivays. Thorndon plfey with little combination, but, on theother harid, Wesley are well schooled in this branch ofjthe 'game. , .. Hence, it-tfas rather a"surprise'-to-'obe* on tho lino that Wesley had to bo. content l with only one to nil in their favour , up till the last quarter of on hour. Thorndon would'do' well to de,vote ' time to practising other/details as'well as combination. One obvious. mistako was apparent among tho forwards on Saturday. When -a■ forward is 'tackled it is useless' to hit straight, ahead, as it is, if anything,- in advantage-to his opponents, the full-back on 'the , 'other 'side simply having to hit up to hisforwards., ; This hit, in many oases, is more valuable t«an a free-hit, because the forwards, who have 'just previously got'rid of the ball, are. , on.the,move, ahd.they have not tho opportunity of stopping the rettirn from the oppos-' ing full-baok. .■.■;.; : '- ( - ; :.:.-:', : ~ :.'■. • *■■■••' ,Theise remarks apply to the Thorndoii halfbacks as well,_ who, should'endeavour to hit on every occasion to a forward. Many halves hit needlessly to the line, instead of to .their forwards, 'fhorndon's team contains very many keen players/and.it 'ie pleasing to find the team is.improving very'tost. Players who have only been playing'senior for ono reason oannot be expected, to play the gan(e .which older, and' more experienced : y players 'adopt.' Thorndon must not lose heart over their defeat on. Saturday, for they mot a team which should go very close.to championship honours this season. ' . ':,*:, , ; . . Wesley; although not showing their'powers in shooting in tho first spell,, put through what must bo almost a'record for senior hockey iu 'Wellington—no fewer' than six goals being registered in , tho concluding ■ quarter of an hour. .Perhaps, tho neatest goal was that notohed byDixoh from aoorner-hit, although Curgenwen's two scores were good shots, and gave the Thorndon goalkeeper-little clianco Manawatu werQ.met and defeated bn'Thursday by 4 to 2. In the early stages of the gome the. speotator^: ■ on -the line were nntioipating . a, ; ,win : for :, tho -:■ visitors, and ! truly thoy looked > like -' it. What was . yrong with. Wellington ?.' . Thoir team was'- not; up to representative standard ■and the ■ 'comment :was not infrequent' thai Thursday's team would not , have a'chance >agamst:;Auckland. r ; The halves':in particular wilh'tlio-cxcoption of. Dau-son, were very wealSurely Wellington can put a much supovior toalu in the "field p ■' .;'.•, ■ .At Tuesday's meeting, of tho. Assooiation the proposed visit of the Wellington representatives was 'discussed,.' The 'Wellington Association is desirous that thematch bo plaved ,on a Monday early in July. The idea of a Monday match is that players may leavo the Empire City on Saturday at midday, arrivingin Auckland on-,Sunday. morning; tlius'hnvina a olear dayls. rest-before''the'match.: The tesin leaving for homo, on Monday-evoniiig, aiming in 'Wellington on.Tuesday af.ornocn, would tlius-only-lose-two days. No decision was. Arrived .at on Tuesday evening, and tho association, says the Now Zealand -Herald,'.' would do well to carefully, consider the/matter., A Saturday's iiiatoh, apart from its financial aspect,- i-o greater publio education, and that is 'ohi of the main things to consider wheli shield doles are betnj considered," Thoro is no-doubt this 'ssnsqn's popularity of tho b mie is duo to the wisdom-displayed by tho Management Committee last season in.playing the shield inulchoa with■■ Wollingloa and CantorSury.on. a ground easily accessible to tho general public. Tho. Tnranakl Assqeia'-ion hns advised the Wanganui Association that they will not be able to send a team to Wanganui this yecr.'. In a letter, Blgnod "Piirpltjr," in ■ ".'■-:;;. '■'■/'■ •'■'•'■■'. ''■'.'• ■ '. ".'■ : ■.

Tot Dohoton, complaining of the < Petone grounds, Mr. W. J. Organ, secretary of the Wellington Association, paid a visit to the grounds, and reports that,'although they are not tho boot, they are quito playable, ' and Petone have no other grounus. Certainly note wore/required, and ho has written the Peton* Club on that subject - Kolburne Park is badly la need of rolling," : and r .llr. Organ has written to.Mr. Q. P. Glen,'" superintendent of city reserves, asking him to meet tho wishes of players. . ; • -The St. Patrick's College! juniors met and defeated ■ Potone by 3 goals to 1. Tho winners were very much "off colour," few of them showing anything like their usual form. W, Ryan and Francis, who, ecourod tho ccale, played well, the rest being pretty mediocre. Individual play is a oharaoteristio of the Old Boys' team,..and no matter how brilliant a few players might be in this direction a good combined team will, upset their attack, Th« , St. Patrick's representatives should mort often. ■■■••■- ■ .>■ . -.'. v -. ■ ■ . '.'

Petono easily disposed of St; Patrick's Cot lege Old Boys third-grado. team, and won bj 7 goals to nil. The loners w«ro playing.fcrni' men short and, taking this and the r 'dltion of the ground into consideration,' the Liph boon registered against,them is easily acoounted Uα,,