HOCKEY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 22

HOCKEY

I By "sticksi

'VARSITY LEAD TOO GOOD FOR KARORI A SURPRISE VICTORY SENIOR "A." Goals. Clip. P. W. D. L. F. A. Pts "University 4 3 1 0 11 8 7 Wesley 4 2 1 1 !) 7 !> Jlutt 3 2 1 0 11 4 !i V.M.C.A 3 102 4 JO 2 Kurort • 2 1 0 1 r, 4 2 Pelono ......... .'! 0 1 2 H ] 1 1 Wellington .2 0 0 3 :i 8 0 JUNIOR. Goals. Clip. P. W. D. L. P. A. Pts Huitt 4 2 2 0 10 5 G University. "A" .. 4 2,1 1 10 7 5 Karon ■ 3 2 1 0 12 3 5 Wellington 4 2 0 2 9 12 4 Wesley 3 2 0- 1 10 7 4 Hutt 2 2 0 0 12 2 4 V.M.C.A .4 1 0 3 G 22 2 Petone 3 0 0 3 2 !i 0 University "15" .. 3 0 0 3 3 13 0 'Varsity, having won three arid drawn one of the four games in which they have played to date, arc leading in the senior A championship with seven points. Wesley and Hutt are next with iivo points, but the riversiders havo played only three games so far. At first sight Karori would appear to be well down in the. list with two points, but they have had two games only_ the loss against 'Varsity accounting to some extent for the apparently poor showing. Bearing in mind that both Wesley and 'Varsity have shown themselves to bo up to Karori's standard, there is great, promise of' an exciting finisit to this competition, and there appears to be little prospect of any of the stronger teams having a runaway victory. V.M.C.A. were soundly beaten by Hutt on Saturday, and their chances -of premier honours in the championship cannot be regarded as bright. • Karori's First Defeat. 'Varsity brought off the surprise of the senior A competition when.they defeated Karori on Saturday. It had been recognised that the students would prove a^-formidable proposition, but it was generally considered that Karori possessed that extra dash which would turn the scales in their favour. Many therefore had their calculations upset when the students not only held tho Karori men i but continually hemmed them in in their own twenty-five. The Blacks appeared to be well off their game, whilo' tho 'Varsity team, as a whole, wero playing a game out of the box. Both Spiers and Hull, the Karori full-backs, who can generally be counted upon to turn defence into attack, with-timely clearances, lacked tho spirit which characterised their previous play, and for once Mooro, in goal, was kept busy. He had little chanco of stopping the shot which M'Leod sent in to give 'Varsity their first goal. Karori did not take advantage of the many corners conceded to them/ and seemed to have more; than their share of misfortune in tho matter of shooting wide at goal. Probably against any other team but 'Varsity, the Blacks would have been abl to scoro a win. M'Leod played a forceful game in the half-line for 'Varsity, his clearances averting danger tiin.e and again. Until, well on in the second spell the students held the upper hand,- but when Simpson scored 'Varsity's second goal a change came' over the Karori team. With about ten minutes' to - go, all tho play was in the "'Varsity area. Not a 'Varsity man was left unmarked and the ball was constantly in the Greens' twenty-five. Several times it seemed that a score was imminent, but tho Warsity ■ defence, working at top pressure, staved off tho attackers 'for a time. The inevitable scoro came when K. Perrin, who was at the top of his game, tapped the ball to Sf'Gavin from a free hit, the latter 'finding tho net. Roberta just missed the net a moment later with a high shot. 'Varsity deserved their win, but they were fortunate in finding Karori off form. Under ordinary circumstances a draw would, probably have beon. the result. Wesley Beat Petone. Pctono gave another good exhibition against Wesley on Saturday in the senior A competition, but were unable to break through their opponents' defence, tho score, 2-0, in Wesley's favour, giving a fairly accurate estimate of the respective merits of, the teams.. The suburban men combined well, especially on attack, but their wing halves wandered more than was advisable against a team of Wesley's calibre, and trouble was tho result. The two full-backs were given more to do than they might reasonably have expected, and they did well to keep the score down to 2-0. Of tho forwards, Campbell, on the right wing, an ex-Waikato representative, played an outstanding game. Showing plenty of pace and accurate stick-work, he appeared to be ah acquisition to the team, and with more support ho might have been the means of opening Petone's score. Pylo and O'Callaghan played good games for Wesley, tho latter especially proving a decided stumbling-block to the Petono forwards. O'Callaghan is seldom called upon to show his speed, but when necessary ho can move with surprising pace. Hutt's Good Win. . , Hutt showed a big improvement when they met V.M.C.A. on tho Hutt Recreation Ground last week. Up to that time V.M.C.A. had been showing surprising form for a team just promoted1 from the senior B ranks, and had played, in a very convincing manner. On Saturday, howover, Hutt completely overwhelmed Young Men in the second half of the game. Although at times still lacking the combination that has been a feature of this team's play for several seasons past, Hutt worked with a much better spirit, and at tho close of the game had a total of six goals against their opponents' one. Throughout the first half repeated' attacks were made by the Hutt men, but tho excellont defende.bf the V.M.C.A. custodian —MacDonnell —kept tho score down to two goals td nil, Lusty and Judd being tho scorers for Hutt. Nevertheless, V.M.C.A. played well, in this half, and several times had the ball in ■ a,good position for scoring,' only failing to connect at the last minute. In tho second half, however, Hutt was by far the better team, and four goals wero added to its total by West, Diamond (2), and Matthews. About three minutes before time V.M.C.A. mado a determined attack, and sent ono sizzling into the net past the Hutt custodian, .'. Atkinson, who mado a very solid defence throughout the game. Hntt showed -a big improvement, in form, while anany little weaknesses in tho V.M.C.A. team were apparent, but no doubt will soon be rectified.

Workmen's contributions oE one penny a week amounted to £2500 for the Workinglon Infirmary last year.