HOCKEY

Evening Post, Volume 50, Issue 50, 27 August 1926, Page 4

HOCKEY

XORTOX CUP TOURNEY.

The contest for the Norton Gup was continued on Wednesday in gloomy weather. Owing to the damp state of Newtown Park, it was decided to transfer the games to Pirie street. In the first match Wellington. A met Wellington B in a game that proved to be patchy. The B team opened the attack, and the A's were completely taken by surprise when . Watchman shot a goal within the first minute of the game. Then the A's spurred themselves, and penetrated their opponents' circle persistently until Baker scored, making the score 1-1. Frequent forward rushes on the part o£ the A's resulted in Coleman securing another goal for the Whites. Charles and Cox each scored, and at half-time the score was: Wellington A 4, Wellington B 1. In the second half the B's played with more dash. A good centre from Burns was accepted by Fraser, who found the net with a fine shot. Obstruction in the circle gave the Whites a corner bit. Coleman stopped, and Turnbull made no mistake with his shot at goal. Dawe broke away in the closing stages of the game, and'scored well for the B's. The game ended: Wellington A 5, Wellington B 3. Manawatu liad no difficulty in defeating Wairarapa by 6 goals to nil. Burt (4) and Sutton (2) scored for the winners, while Iremewan was most . outstanding among the backs. For Wairarapa Henderson, in goal, saved well, while Jackson, Fisher, and Irwin were a tower of strength to their team.

The games concluded at Newtown Park yesterday afternoon. Wellington B defeated Wairarapa by 4 goals to 1. Watchman (2) and Blick (2) scored for the winners, and Aplin for the losers, the game being referecd by Messrs. E. Atkinson, A. A. Kirk, and Fielder, manager of the Wairarapa team. Wellington A met Manawatu in the best game of the tournament. The local boys were first to score soon after the bully, Turnbull, the captain and inside-left, netting. Burt equalised for Manawatu shortly afterwards. Even play followed, and then Cox put a centre across to Coleman, who put Wellington ahead with a fine shot. Wellington A 2, Manawatu 1. Wahren, the local goalkeeper saved particularly well in the subsequent Manawatu attack, and there was no alteration to the score at halftime. The second spell opened with Manawatu on the aggressive, Burt eventually breaking through to score once more. Wellington A 2, Manawatu 2. Further repeated attacks by the visitors resulted in the deciding goal of the game being scored by Burt. Although Wellington pressed hard for the remainder of the match, they were unable to got through the Manawatu defence. Mr. H. Hatch was referee.

After the game, Mr. C. Burgess, manager of the Manawatu team, announced that, owing to several of Ms team being overweight, it had been decided to withdraw any claim on the Norton Cup, and the game would, therefore, be regarded piirely as a friendly match. Manawatu were the most successful team, winning all three games, while Wellington A had two wins and "Wellington B one win. Wairarapa lost their three games. At a meeting of managers yesterday morning, it was decided to recommend to the'N.Z.H.A. that the weight limit be fixed at 9st 81b for all future Norton Cup matches, and that all players should be under 15 on the Ist May preceding each tournament. The Hatch Cup team to meet Canterbury at Christchurch on Saturday in a challenge match for the trophy left for the South last evening.