HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 805, 30 April 1910, Page 12

HOCKEY.

(3r "BunT-ore.")

The rough passage across to Day's tZ.f Penen , oßd by hooke y P la y«* last Saturday rndtes one wonder, if it Would not be possible for the Ferry Coinnanv to. substitute the Duchess for the V fl miral on these occasions. Possibly if proper representations' were made to'the company they might be able to meet the wishes of travelling teams in this respect. , . ; A change came over United last Saturday, when they defeated Y.M.CJI. by four goals to one. Last soason Y.M.'CA won their first match against United" However,. TJnited's victory counts little so soon in the season, and it would be unfair to say Y.M..C.A.V score indicated a fair and tnw sample of their- work Every man played well, but cool heads are required. Their combination was fair, but they frequently got lumped together, and thus lost good opportunities of scoring. United kept their positions on the field splendidly. The forwards of both teams served their partners well but in the case of Y.M.C.A'. the forwards occasionally went wild when near the goal. A word to Collie, the' Y.M.C.A. goalkeeper, seems necessary in the interests of his side. He must keep iri his place; no goalkeeper can afford to leave his post. If the backs did, their duty, they would be ready to assist him, but should the backs and halves become mixed, as wus the ease with Y.M.C.A. la6t Saturday, they cannot help their goalkeeper. To run no risk is the better plan. When the attackers are close 1 upon you, stick to your goal. "Bobbie" Pnrton is a fine ■ fellow on the field, and must fed proud of his good beginning this season. "Alec" l'arton also worked systematically. Lodder, too, deserves without him. his toam would often be lost. Holmes "saved" some very fine shots, and there is something about his play whioh appeals to everyone. Ho is as quick as-lightning, and does good work, . Dawson was very true—every ball was stopped with the foot "or hand before striking. It is a pity that all players were not as cool, for he seldom missed his desired blow at tho ball. Wlicatley was conspicuous at times. For the first 15 minutes one really . thought Y.M.C.A. were out to win, but great was the writer's astonishment to find, in the second spell, that they could not last the game, and they went to pieces sadly. ■ However, one feels that laurels may yot be theirs if they will only practise more. "United arc always lucky, but it must be mentioned, that Smythe and Elliolt on their side were in excellent form. The former uses his hoad splendidly, but for really hard, and, at tbo same time, clever work, Elliott wins tho admiration of all who understand hocks*, I

Smytho tried Mb "scooping" tactics ou Saturday early in the game, but did not succeed. The United team scarcely seem to understand tho obstruction rule. One case: A player must not "run in on his opponent's left unless tho former tonchos the ball first'." One of thenmen seems frequently to place himself as an obstruction, and another is also inclined to be an offender in this respect. Hickson was exceedingly good on the yfwj'noon's pla.>. _ The last goal lu Umtwl.s favour was a gift to Smytho. But for Collie's misfortune in causing the ball to bounce to Smythe the latter •I • Vi 0t lmTe scor(!ti - But, of course, it is all in tho game. Allen (goal) is a. promising man and may yet do justice to his team. In the Wellington r. College match an extraordinary score resulted. What were the latter doing? Have they allowed Wellington a draw to encourage them? College forwards were very poor indeed, .their shooting was weak; combination is apparently not considered now. With good material such as the College have they should have increased their score considerably. If : they wish to retain a fair of this season's honours, they will have to make up. I am thinking now of their match against Karori last season when they put up a good battle, yet when a team they easily defeated last season gets to work .in the first match this season (Wellington) College forgets now to play No score was registered during the first spell, and generally .speaking the game proves that Welling, ton must have been hard at work practising. I hey certainly showed more vigour and determination to win than dirt their opponents. Cleere' played a splendid game and drew first blood. The most prominent players on tho day's play were lvibblcwhite and Burbidge for the College team;.also Smythe (centre half) Morpeth, m goal for Wellington, proved equal to the task allotted him Thesame §£LtV a,d of th « I^6 S°al-keeper. btrackßros. were very fair. .It is a pity that Monaghan is absent from play, for College are in. need of a man of hie capabilities, for the position of-centre & One pomt about the College team-tV &*<* division was superior to the forMetropolitan have started well, though the score 1-1 against them would tend to.show otherwise. .Good material is in t.it h a . nd th .° writer expects very ■tut. fr ° m T ''•• ,<>»».'•*« Karori! late of College Junior), got in some tell- » Da 7 io f nll d Pope seemed fairly well /ft c F: tried irately after tho start of the second spell to score, but were not successful f or Some time. However, with Geudall's assistance from a On* ■ n*V a n -•. to score: Hall, Dnvics, Oram M Konzie, and Burbusb each' seemed in &°°,^, m V^ 0 . rh " laW y G «<Jall gave sticks when his .opponents were attacking ■■ vigorously,. thereby giving Metropolitan an opportunity of getting in and coring. Murphy shortly found the net Uh another, Claude Campbell did not day,- but it is o; be hoped that he will turn to again, this season. It will ho remembered that,he played with tho representative team' last season-he is a good centre-half and a hard hitter, 10-day Ivarori meet Victoria College at % S A- ; Metr «P«litan fight it out '!h7* ■* Kelburne, and United ™ , take ,) Ve ? <T to , tU Ba - T - All three matches, should be fast, as the teams are tairiy. well matched. . top-dressed," and will not be ready for some time.. The grounds'are in very fair condition so far, although No. 2 is yet on the hard side. No. 3 was good; but Nos 4 and 5 need rolling. Following np my remarks of last Saturday m reference to the question of selection 'committee for representative teams, l nave nod long conversations with several players, and am surprised to find that this matter was not properly thrashed out at the meeting recently. It appears that there was i great opposition manifested at the meeting to one man being chosen as -sole sekctor, but when Mr. Walton s name was mentioned those objecting withdrew, becauso they appreciate Mr. Walton's capabilities.- My point is this-and players agree with me - -that the delegates should have thrashed the matter out. thoroughly, irrespective of personality. Because Mr. Walton was present is that any reason why membere should sit dumb? I say again, Mr. Walton is a capable referee, but objection must be made to a referee being a selector—and sole selector at that—of a representative team. If he retires from refereeing, players will ■'bo >. content even though they consider one selector insufficient, Two hearts are always better than one; and we must have the very best men selected for the representative matches which.will be fought in Wellington this season., We,shall lose the Shield this season .if tho management does not look ahead and rectify this blunder, "Cleft. Ash,", in the-"Weekly Press," states that Canterbury has 20 Thursday teams, as. against, 18 last year, and '■ 30 Saturday teams, as against 26 last year! The total players are estimated to be 600. They also have experienced great difficulty in arranging for grounds. The various, clubs - are , asked, I understand, to' assist to make better provision for the future., ...'■'■-,.■ The Canterbury Hockey Association has issued a booklet containing useful information, including rules of the association, also referees' rules, and various other matters of importance. ■ The question of amalgamating the New Zealand Ladies' Association with the ■ Men's Association mil be. discussed at a subsequent meeting at Christchurch, but as far as can now be gathered, most. Canterbury delegates are opposed to such amalgamation.. • ■ ■"Bully-off" advises all players to carefully.'; study the new rnles; also td'get a' better idea of the "off-side" rule. It would save time if the rules were adhered to'more closely, and perhaps some little discretion reqnires to be exercised by tho Teferees. It may bo mentioned that referees ore always in demand, bocause should a referee be incapacitated or. unable to take his match it is difficult to fill his place. A referee's task is not to be envied; and he receives little or no recognition for his services; but, as one prominent referee said to me last Saturday, he felt in duty bound to assist the game of hockey, and I hope there are others who feel with him. "Bully-off" will be glad if teams would forward the names of their players not later than Thursday, to The Dohinion, each- week. Also questions will be gladly received, and answered in this column on the Saturday following. ..'