HOCKEY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 129, 2 June 1928, Page 22

HOCKEY

By "sticks" STILL IN FRONT. 'VARSITY'S GOOD LEAD END OF FUR ST. ROUND NEAR SENIOR "A." Cats. C|m. 1". W. I). K. ]•'. A. Pis 1/nli-or.sH.y -1 ►» 1 « H « "• \Vesley 5 2 2 1 12 10 li Hutt '1 2 2 0 14 7 (1 K.M-ori 3 2 0 1 11 4 '1 • Potoiio 4 1 1 2 » 13 ;; V.M.C.A 4 1 0 '3 4 10 2 Wcllint'ioll 4 0 0 4 5 12 0 SENIOR "B." • duals. Cli]>. P. \V. 1). Si. V. A. Pts University 0 5 0 D li. S It Hutt 5 3 1 1 17 «. 7 Karorl „ 5 3 0 2 11 7 0 Hula ". D 3 0 2 17 S 0 Wesley 5 3 0 2 10 17 0 Petoiie 0 1 0 4 4 20 2 Training College .5104542 Y.JI.C.A 5 0 1 4 8 23 1 Training College have defaulted on Iwo occasions. , With the end of the first round in sight, University have a good lead in tho senior A grade, as they, are one point in front of Hutt and Wesley, and have played one game less than tho .latter team. This afternoon the riversiders i and tho students will try conclusions and the game should bo well worth watching. Karori started off badly, • their first fixturo with Petone being postponed and their bye occurring two Saturdays afterwards. Nevertheless, thoy haye1 won two out of tho three games, played, and are certain to be in at the death. 'Varsity are also doing well in tho senior B competition, having won all their games to date. Thoy are three points ahead of Hutt, and it r/jpears likely that they will maintain their lead for some tine. Hutt's Close Call. Both "Wesley and Hutt showed plenty of dash in their encounter at Karori Park,'tho fact that they were on level terms on tho championship ladder probably being responsible for tho spirited play. The Blues maintained a fine combination in the first spell, and the Hutt defence was severely tested, Atkinson, in goal, doing well to allow only two shots to pass him. Until well on in the second spell, tho score was 2-all, ■ but then came the incident which changed tho whole complexion of the game. A penalty bully for obstruction by i\ Lusty was in progress in front of the Hutt goal when the referee (Mr. H. Hatch) ruled that Lusty had again obstructed, and'ordered a penalty goal. Defeat seemed likely for Hutt, but in the next few minutes they played a i sterling game, and there was general , satisfaction when E. Lusty's third goal brought the score to 3-all. Hutt have never been closer to defeat, and it was only by playing all out that they were able to effect a draw. Allegations wcro made after the game.that there had been an unnecessary amount of rough play, but during both' spells there was only one questionable incident, and . that the offence was deliberate is doubti ful in view of the pace set by tho two teams. • '■ ' Young Men Well Beaten. ■ V.M.C.A. could do nothing right ■ against Karori on Saturday, and it is no exaggeration to say that but for the good work of the goalkeeper, M'Donncll, the score, of six goals to nil would have been increased.- Karori set out to show that their lapse of the previous Saturday was only temporary, and, despite the heavy ground, they played excellent hockey. Young Men .wero inclined to bunch, and they lost many opportunities of relieving the, pressure on their goal by.long hitting. Spiers and Hull, Karori's full-backs, allowed . very few balls to pass them, and tho fact that Spiers scored one of the goals . "showed plainly that the opposition was not taken very seriously. Young Men lacked finishing power. .They wcro also ■ slow in getting rid of the ball, and appeared to be disconcerted by the heavy ground. However, they, did their best, and none but tho most sanguine of their supporters could have expected-any-thing but a decisive, defeat by Karori under such circumstances. Petone and Wellington. The gamo between Petone and Wellington at the Petone Recreation Ground was rather disappointing, as neither team played up to the standard expected. Iv tho first half especially the play was very careless, there being a great deal of miss-hitting on both sides. The game was very even in this half,1 and at half-time neither team had scored. In the second half, however tho players made better efforts, and some fairly good hockey, was seen in patclies. Petono opened the scoring, a few minutes after the commencement of tho second spell, and Wellington wore quick to follow, until tho final score road four goals to ono iii favour of tho Petone players. Taken all around, tho game was hardly up to senior A standard, except for brief patches m tho second spell. , Pending Tournament. The annual five-a-sido tournament at. Peilding is to be decided on Monday. Four Hutt teams and one Petone team . will bo competing, and it is understood that the entries compare-very favour- ! ably with those received last season. At ■ tlie last tournament there were over eighty men's and'ladies' teams. Kach 1 team plays three games before the ' eliminating matches, and yet it is" usual ' for the whole tournament to be finjshod Iby 4.30 p.m., after a 9.a.m. start. Hutt ! had two teams entered last year, ono - contesting a semi-final and the other bo- • ing runnov-up. This tournament -.is ; said to bo the best conducted in Now I Zealand, and great interest is always shown in the various games. ' Challenge Matches. Th method of conducting shield competition for tho coming season, was discussed at the annual meeting of the* ; N.Z.U.A.. Mr. S. G. Holland (Wanganui) moved that tournaments for tho shield should bo held. Mr. R. Gracio (Nelson) said that he was personally in favour of tho old challenge shield principle. Tournaments wore not' feasible when men had to travel for a week or ton days. The. chairman thought that tho old challenge method, was the best. . The motion .was .lost, and challenge matches will bo played. i Overseas Visitors. The advisability of inviting an A»s- . tralian team to tour New Zealand was i considered at the annual meeting of the ■ N.Z.H.A., . states tho. Christchurch , "Star." Mr. W. H. Down (Banno- . virke) opposed the suggestion, saying ' it was very doubtful if tho best team ; would be able to got away from Aus--1 tralia this year. If a poor team wero ! sent it would be difficult to make tho . tour a success. Mr. H. Throp (Bul- • ler) said that the possibility of a firsti class team coming from Australia was . a very remote one. The motion was ; lost. Mr. Down moved that "This . council recommends tho incoming cxc- . cutive to bring an overseas team to Now Zealand next year." This recommendation was carried.