WILSON CUP FINAL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4340, 6 October 1950, Page 5

WILSON CUP FINAL

MAJOR HOCKEY TROPHY THAMES-HAURAKI ASSN. PAEROA AND KEREPEHI TIE The Paeroa men’s hockey team played a drawn game with Kerepehi last Saturday in the final Wilson cup match, the score being two goals each. The Wilson cup is the major hockey . troplhy for the Thames-Haurakf Hockey Association and these twoteams have been almost neck and neck the whole season, The teams are* now even on points and extra time was played on Saturday in an attempt to reach a decision but without success and the association will presum- - ably have to declare the competition a tie. The game was hard and even and played in an excellent spirit. Paeroa had only nine men and they had to» play above themselves to force a draw. Not unnaturally Paeroa wa® forced on to the defensive and theforwards were left largely without ' support. This took a lot of stingfrom the attack and many promising movements broke down. It is possible that the presence of a fast supporting, centre half like Kemp might have made a big difference. On defence Holst, O’Meara, M. and W. Kemp were outstanding with Holst exploiting his reverse stick shot to the full. . During the firsts half of the game Kerepehi was on the attack most of’ ■ the time and Paeroa was * pleasantly surprised to reach the interval with , no score. In the second spell the Paeroa forwaWs changed their tactics a little, coming further back into ,the|r_: own territory. This enabled! them to get more of the ball but gave them more ground to cover on attack. The move was justified when a passing movement took Paeroa to the twentyfive. took the ball from there and charged into the circle to score. Kerepehi soon equalised, when Collins, who had been playing a good attaching game on the right wing, drew the defence and centred to Middleton, who was facing an empty goal. Paeroa’s nine men were making desperate efforts and a good dribbling . run by Baker took the ball 1 into the circle. Here he overran the ball which was deflected off his heel toBeale’s ready stick and smartly slammed into the net. For a time Paeroa played a purely defensive game and hit for touch at every opportunity. The overworked halves were almost run to a standstill; and O’Meara had to retire to the goal mouth to search for a second wind. This did not keep Kerepehi out and Middleton again, scored with a good shot following an. attack down the left wing. With scores even and the game . nearly over play got very willing, but there was no further score. Extra time was taken but another, ten mih-. utes still‘did not produce a goal and the players were unanimous that they had had enough. • It was a fine finish to a good competition and the seven-a-side tournament in Paeroa next Saturday will conclude the season.