LADIES' HOCKEY. FINALS OF THE TOURNEY. NELSON (2) v. HAWKES BAY (1).

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 63, 12 September 1911, Page 4

LADIES' HOCKEY. FINALS OF THE TOURNEY. NELSON (2) v. HAWKES BAY (1).

Naturally great interest centred found the game played between the Nelsofl and Hawkes Bay hockey teams at Day's Bay yesterday. The match was the filial one of the late tournament, and the two teams, it was recognised, would give a good exhibition of the game. Undoubtedly Hawkes Bay went to pieces at the start of the first spell, and time and again when Nelson, pressed it was only good luck that saved the North Islanders. ..... Soon after the bully-off Nelson had the Bay team on tho gui vive, and moreover they kept them on the defensive- for some while. Most of the play ' was in the Hawkfes Bay half, if not actually in their twenty'five, and on 'occasions the Nelson forwards oould have done better work ~for their team by taking things more steadily in the circle. The Nelson team wa« the first to score, when Mi^» Simpson put the ball through the posts to the net. With a strenuous rush the Nelson forwards got completely through the Hawkes Bay backs, and a centre from the right wing Was received by Miss Simpson, who shot hard and unmistakably, the ball glancing off a player's foot into the net. Play- evened somewhat until half-time, and there was no further score. When the whistle went Nelson was still beleaguering the Hawkes Bay circle. After tho^ spell the southerners continued the attack for a while, but the ' Bay players seemed to liven up considerably, and. Nelson was at times put severely on the defensive. About the middle of the second half Mies Simpson, who had been playing an excellent game for Nelson, was temporarily hurt, but she later continued the game. *On occasions the Bay team attacked, but even when they did press there seemed -a lack of vim in their shooting, and art uncertainty in their passing. Suddenly, however, a loose rush developed, and at the close of it Miss Crowley scored for Hawkes .Gay after a hot scramble at the goal mouth. There was no further score in this spell, and consequently the actual game ended with a. goal notched in favour of each team. According to the rules, however, the match had to be prolonged by two quarterhour spells, with a five minutes interval. If, however, one side scored in the first spell, the game finished automatically, and that tea.m would be the winning one. Another fifteen Hinutes was played, but in this case there was no score, so, with five minutes' respite, the flayers set to again, and it was within a minute or two of time when. Miss Corrick scored a splendid goal. Had there been no score in- this second five minutes Hawkes Bay would have held the cup for a-nother year ; as it ' is, they were beaten for it by a goal scored within five minutes of tie extreme time-limit allowed by the rules. The last goal, shot by Mies Corrick,-' was one of the most, eventful of the whole week, and on it hung the issue of the championship. • Mr. H. ,V, Waitop was referee. PRESENTATION OF THE CUP. \ The presentation of the cup to th© Nelson eleven took place on board the ferry steamer. Dr. Arnold Izard, president of the New Zealand and the Wellington Ladies' Hockey Associations, called upon the Hon. J. A. Millar to> hand over the much-coveted trophy, and ' at the same time said he had not witnessed a faster or better game at this year',? tournament The Minister then presented the cup to 'Mies Whitwell (captain of the Nelson teani), humorously remarking that hie knowledge of hockey was very limited, but he could congratulate the winners on their excellent achievement, being a South Wand man himself. Mr. Dillon, M.P., also offered his congratulations to the Nelson players', after* which cheer* were given for both_-teams-and their captain's.