HOCKEY Good Standard Of Play Seen In Opening Matches

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 April 1949, Page 10

HOCKEY Good Standard Of Play Seen In Opening Matches

The West Coast Hockey Association officially. opened Ahe 1949 season at 1 the Recreation ground on Saturday when matches were played in both the' men’s and women’s competitions. The standard of play for so early in the I season was good. The weather was fine and the ground, although inclined to be bumpy, was in fair order. ; Last season’s champions in the men’s section, Rangers, had a close win over Cambridge but on the day’s play it appeared that the leading teams last year will again take part in the finals this season. i Results of all matches played on Saturday were as follows: — Men’s Competition—Greymouth 3, drew with Cobden 3; Rangers 2, beat Cambridge 1; Pacific a bye. , Women’s Competition.—Trinity 3, beat Greymouth 1; Hokitika Rangers 2, beat Runanga 0; Hokitika Rovers 2, beat Blackball 1; St Columba a bye. From the outset it was apparent that the Greymouth-Cobden match in the men’s section would be a fairly even one, but a better combination in the Cobden forwards gave that team an advantage. Greymouth, on the other hand, appeared to have a stronger defence but there were weaknesses in; both teams that will need to be over- , come before the season progresses much further. K. Kendon netted all three goals for Greymouth, while C. Douglas, S. Hill and J. Carter scored for Cobden. j On paper Rangers should have scored a convincing win over Cambridge but from the start the match was a scratchy one and neither team settled down until well into the second spell. The scores were even for most of the game, but a penalty bully near the call of time gave Rangers the lead. G. Watson and P. Clarke were the scorers for Rangers while A. Crooks netted for Cambridge.