NEW ZEALAND WINS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 35, 10 August 1925, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND WINS

HEAVY GROUND UPSETS AUS^ TRALIANS.

Playing a superior game throughout, the New Zealand hockey team defeated the Australians by 5 goals to 1 in the Test match at the Basin Reserve on Saturday afternoon. Doubtless, the visitors wore accustomed to dry grounds, and were not able to find their feet on the heavy surface, but for all that they seemed to have lost the dash and energy which marked their first win over Manawatu, and tho issue, so far as the New Zealanders were concerned, was never in doubt.

The teams were :—

Australia : Flockart (goal), H. Eiley and J. S. Mills (t'ull-backs), Seaman, J. Abel, and Grant (halves), L. Nettleton, Gray, W. Nettleton, J. Miller, and Craig (forwards). New Zealand : Snooks (goal), Ireland and Perrin (full-backs), Steel, Hore, and Gurr (halves), Jacobsen, Bell, E. S. Watts, C. B. Watts, and D. Hood (forwards). New Zealand won thef toss and elected to play against the strong'wind, attacking from the commencement. "Sticks" against Jacobsen and Steel lost them the advantage, and Australia get away, tho movement failing only in the circle. Later, Perrin, in clearing, sent the ball to Hore, who with Hood and E. Watts, went through to gain a corner. S. Bell sent in a high shot at goal, but Flockart saved spectacularly. Abel cleared with a long hard shot, but- the New Zealand forwards were back again like terriers, and Flockart was called upon to bring off two remarkable saves when Bell slammed the ball in. Again New Zealand came back, but this time the visiting goalkeeper' missed the kick, and E. Watts followed in to open New Zealand's scoring account. New Zealand 1, Australia 0. The Australians got away in a magnificent rush, Ireland alone bringing the home team out of a dangerous situation. Australia pressed again, but Perrin effected a clearance, and Hore sent the ball away. Obstruction by Riley (Australia) resulted in a free hit outside the circle, and the ball travelled to C. Watts, who beat Flockart completely with a rising shot. New Zealand 2, Australia 0. Half-time came soon afterwards. '

The resumption saw New Zealand, with the wind at their backs, pressing the visitors back to the circle. A scramble ensued in tho goal-mouth, from which Bell secured the ball and scored with a trimmer, which went right into the back top corner of the net. New Zealand. 3, Australia 0. Immediately afterwards, the home forwards pushed through again, and this time it was E. Watts who scored, putting New Zealand four goals ahead. Here the Australian forwards took a hand in the game, and W. Nettleton raced down the line, passing at a critical moment to Gray, who accepted, and beat Snooks for the first time. New Zealand 4; Australia 1. Heartened by this success, Australia returned to the attack, but the opposing backs were too good, and hardly a ball .got past them. Then the Watts brothers and Bell got possession, and they peppered the Australian goalkeeper without success, Flockart proving himself an adept at saving. A good clearing hit by Mills went to 0. Watts, who brought off, a great eolo run. right from his own twenty-five yard line, but support was lacking, The Australians resumed the offensive, and pretty stickwork gaVe them a penalty comer, Steel missing tho ball. A relieving hit by one of' the New Zealand backs went to Gurr, on to E. Watts, but the forward hit was too strong, and Flockart was about to clear when Watts tore down, and whipped the ball off his toes to score, making the tally : New Zealand 5, Australia 1. Both sides battled strenuously to improve their scores, but the pace had been too fast, and tho final stages of tho game lacked incident,, the score remaining unaltered.

Messrs. C. Bellamy and R. Gracie, both of Canterbury, were the referees.