HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 533, 19 June 1909, Page 12

HOCKEY.

(Bt Ditran.)

'' V.M.O.A.suffored their- first defeat this Soaiten' at the hands of Katorf last Saturday, It/ was a lue exposition' of .hookey, being very fast all, tough, and eaiae very torpasslHg took placft o» both sides, Kami were pattieularly.' welkomserted in their movements. and, on their form, would have' bfieu very hard to boat, '< • : j Y.M.C.A, played with their usual dash, but were beaten more by experienco than by anything olae.'' Obstfuetldii,: whieh' Was to iiotloeablo the previous week, was praetically missing, and . tho team was eonsequently', not hindered by being penalised for such un-' nccessary breaches. ■. ' ; Karon played their best game ,for' some timo, and their splendid combination evoked ffOttt an ! ex-player on tho lino tho remark: "Hockey, as jt should bel" Davies'wasfat his' befet in Karon's forward line, and ;soon ihade himself ednspleuouS by feoAHng u boautiful'goal just after •the fcominencement of tho game. !'■ Filltofl ilfed played a better game, atitl ikiw, learned. to pass the ball (j'nickef Whon tackled. Still oilotber fdnvard wis vely prominent—Willis, right Wing—who showed a thorough knowledge of the game. Of the bafcks, I'ttthatn, left-half, was, perhaps,.the chiof, and thd eaptaiii must bo'dßhvinixsd by his showing that this player is a far better hall-back'.than, fbrWahl. : , s l ; .

As usual, the Parton brothers wefre the main elornoiita dt strength, inthe Y.M.0.A.: team—tl. PaTton, right-wing. boihg a ,odn> Stant Source. r oKdanger tt) Karori, lie is Vorv good with his. qticltj and passes wfleld'. frith cdtntneuddblo judgment. . Cardb Was playing Well, when he, unfbrttihately, With ; , tt 1 tiaSty accident, which, although 6nly preventing his playing for a few minutes, llad tlio effect. of "putting him out of his •stride" when ho Wad able to resumd, Tho back division of the i r ,M\O.As team was not fast tnotigh to BtaVo.bit their Spfeedj? Opponents, and very tiftetl failed to get their hits in before the opposing forwaros were tk'poti them,'- and had beaten thoiu fdr tho ball, Tho X.MiCiA. goalkoepor was not by tiny' means brilliatitj and stopped in gofcl instead'of coming out to meet the ball. If he had left his abodfe on occasions, ho would have helpied his 'Side considerably. - United had an even gaiae, with Wellington, but the prospects were not by hliy means dull fof v Wellington When' half-time \vaß souhded—their bppflftfcnts then having Silly dne goal to their Credit and Wellington play,ihg a; faif game. EtotyeVer, aS in the g&hib agoinst Y.MiC.A.j Wellington did net| ill tlio ScKion'd term, show the Viiil netessiify to eortl? tuaiHl vietdry, and W6re tkateri by'rt fair margin/' .The fault seems tt> bo With, tlio backs, who will not hit hard enough when liafd Mertsed. The impression (she £dt§ \U that tlib fofWilftls aro starved ltf their bheks. United forwards were nflt by any iiltinnS hS hs they might lmve heoiV Ihfib Wfeek, illid several find, ohoninjjs ivefe'' missed, faulty shooting being trie cjilef catlse. Their backs, iioWfeVor, were ill good fettle, ftlitl preSeiitod a hatil |)i"hblonl to Wellington's forwards, es> pecihlly whrni scores secmetMiUel,v. Wellington a line tlf frifWartlS which, if Silpportod by tho halves,' is likely to prove a surprise packet lit nfiv time. Walton Is "fit," mid seems willinK enough to do a great deal if called tipen. ;. • Victoria College liml a tfislt which necoSsitated careful handling when they \iaet Weslev, but.they wefe prepared, and, at tlib end of tlio tlrt.V, tlie oliv6 green Wild gold colntii's were in the ascendant Wesley seem to,bo "going n(f" a little of late,' although thty appear In take command at tin) Start of 4 gntni. They w<JHi Qfflt to todte list

Saturday, trat.it is noi gpod policy to relax tho grip whon a team has only ow goal to its favour. Tho college representatives have worked up good combination, bod should win sevor&l games if. they manage to . keep together. It was their combination which won thorn tho game. Although Wteley defended well in the Beoffiid half, and no* and again got near their opponents' circle, Kibblewhite (Colloge right full-back) was too good, and staved off any dangerous rushes. Boere might bo said to have been "out on Jiis oWJI," and, althongh inollnod to do rather mtlch himself, was the strong, point in tho Collego attack,. ' ..' ,

Vivian apd Thorndon had a oloso gamo on No. 6 ground, which is far superior to No. i. Although Vivian won, there was little botweon tho .teraij and Thorndon . spoiled many a chance by hitting wildly. Forwards, to bo successful, must lccop tool, and not imagine that aero hitting isNplaying heckoy. Thorndon seotn to bo getting moro combination, but why put D. Sloane backf Hunt 'should use his head, moro, and learn to combine daßh with passing. Certainly ho is very plucky, and tackles bis man well, 1 but ho very often makes littlo Use of tho ball whon ho succeeds in getting possession of iti Great trouble was oxperienood last Saturday in tlio last quarter of an hour in seeing tbf ball ' owing to. the gamea being finished itl semi-darkness. This was because tho boat left Wellington a quarter 'of an hour after its usual time, ana, in consequence, a ,lato start was made, at tho Bay. It extraordinary that tho boat conld not bo timed tt> leave a little earlier than at present during theso short days. The Ferry Company would probably agrte to altering the time-table on Saturdays if. tbo Hookoy . Association ' ttpprodcheu them on the matter.