Fiji Women Draw With Feilding

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 190, 13 August 1936, Page 8

Fiji Women Draw With Feilding

IN REPRESENTATIVE HOCKEY GAME.

Ground conditions were at their worst at Feilding yesterday afternoon for the representative hockey fixture between tho touring women’s team from Fiji and the local representatives and the verdict 3—all is a compliment to the visitors who offered a sterling fight under conditions so climatically the reverse to thoso of their homeland. The local team demonstrated throughout a more proficient handling and manipulation of their sticks and appeared to be more at home on tho rain-saturated ground. The visitors did not combine as well, but when in close attack were formidable. To within a few minutes of the final bell the visitors were leading by three goals to 2 and were hotly engaged for the best part of the second spell in defensive play which was materially assisted by the able work of M. Fenn. The teams were:— Fiji: L. Storclc (goal), M. Fenn and A. Eastgate (backs), W. Molloy, O. Foreman, F. Wilson (halves), J. Harman, M. Bently, L. Sutherland (capt.), M. Errey and E. Raffles (forwards). Feilding: B. Edge (goal), G. Hawkins and P. Carpenter (backs), M. Teague, W. Dewe and F. Hayward (halves), E. Hill, M. Aloss, B. Staples, I. Coles, A. Griffin (forwards). The home team captured the advantage from the outset and combining well the forwards were quickly round the circle where the first attack on the net missed. Immediately afterwards the ball was nicely centred for B. Staples to goal. I—o. The visitors lost no time in replying and through the agency of J. Harman staged a promising attack, the ball shooting to the centre for L, Sutherland to miss the net in a strong shot. From the hit out F. Hayward carried play down the field to the visitors’ goal, where A. Eastgato saved and once moro the Feilding goal was in peril. From the bully E. Hill mado a brilliant solo run which caught the visitors out of place and tho attack on the goal was saved by L. Storck. Under the heavy going the visitors found the foothold almost as slixipery as ice and despite this persevered in an encouraging attack in which the halves were prominent. F. Wilson carried the ball to within Feilding’s near territory where J. Harman carried to the circle for L. Sutherland to equalise. I—l.1 —1. Feilding were kept hard at it by the visitors who were making a strong show but much of their work was lost through failure to combine. A. Griffin played a great game in the successive attacks launched by Feilding and the visitors suffered a close call when I. Coles accepted from A. Griffin and missed the shot. A keen strugglo ensued when it ended in B. Staples registering. 2—l. Working their tvay out of their territory the visitors came through with a dash in full control, E. Raffles shooting for L. Sutherland to miss the net with a keen shot. Play came to tho sideline, where J. Harman captured possession and cleverly took the ball to the circle for L. Sutherland to carry it to the net. 2—2.

Play settled down to a keen struggle for the advantage aud in F. Hayward, 1. Coles and B. Staples, the visitors were up against a splendid combination which time and again loomed prominently in tlio play. The visitors, however, moved quickly to counter the movements and when M. Alolloy broke through on a solo attack her effort was spoiled through the aosente of support. Feilding took charge but lost possession to (J. F oreman whose shot to o. Harman was carried to tho corner. Tho visitors charged the hit out from behind and fougut keenly only to lose the advantage when E. Hilt broko through tho attackers. Her progress was cnecked by F. Wilson and tho visitors were soon pressing hard, but failed through want of cohesion. Feilding had tho advantage as the interval came with the score unaltered.

E. Raffles, M. Errey aud L. Sutherland combined on resuming to launch an attack which promised well until the last-named slipped in the circlo just as she was taking the shot. It was a dangerous moment for Feilding and tfie clearance came through the sure stick w 7 ork of W. Dewe. B. Staples, I. Coles and A. Griffin were together in tbe subsequent recovery to the visitors’ goal, where E. Raffles and F. Wilson saved and brought play to the centre line. Unable to hold possession the visitors fell back to their circle where Feilding missed a goal through the shot of A. Griffin going wide. Tho defence did very well to check this attack.

The visitors now appeared more confident and had largely adapted themselves to the difficult conditions to produce a more effective resistance. Play swept up and down the field in quick time and the crowd gave every cneoui- ( agement to tho visitors when J. Harman captured possession and shot for tho centre where L. Sutherland tried tor the goal. The mud spoilt the chance and tho defenders recovered to the visitors' goal wheic a keen struggle ended in the attackers being peualisod. W. Molloy recovered and the ball travelled along tho side-line to be carried up cleverly by J. Harman, wno centred for E. Baffles to shoot to M. Bently, who goaled. 3 —-. It was a pretty piece of play which was roundly cheered. The home team was now fully extended and produced a form which was characterised by accurate hitting. They were constantly on the ball and snould have scored time and time again, but their efforts were ably frustrated by M. Penn, whose powerful hitting in defence repeatedly averted troublo for the visitors. M. Errey and E. Baffles were prominent in a nice movement which brought play to the centre line where they lost possession and a splendid opportunity. However, they continued to hold the advantage for some time and then fell away to a strong attack launched by E. Hill, whose sure stick work brought her to the visitors' 25 yard line. A keen struggle ensued but the defence proved sure, and the home.side fell away to the shot ,o£ M.

Fenn, whose defence was particularly able. Feilding rallied and attacked again aud again and tho exhausting paco they maintained put the defence to a supreme test. With little .time left it appeared that the visitors would emorge victorious, but in the final minute the persistence of the homo team was rewarded with the equalising goal shot by M. Moss. , 3 —3. The umpires were Messrs. F. McLachlan and H. Wilton,

MANAWATU V. FEILDING,

As a curtain-raiser to the above game the Manawatu men representatives played the Feilding representatives, winning a keenly-contested game by 3 goals to I. The teams were:—

Manawatu: H. Bone, K. Drinkwatcr, W. Sutton, W. Burne, M. E. Smith, J. MeHaffie, C. Ward, D. O’Brien, J. Morgan, X. Struthers, A. Donaldson. Peilding: C. Whiteman, J. Humphries, C. Curtis, W. Punstou, G. Packer, B. Wallace, M. Grindrod, H. Cocker, A. Packer, W. Hocken and S. Hocken. The visitors opened the attack and using plenty of combination pressed at tho circle for the shot which Whiteman ably swept aside. Peilding then took play to the visitors’ goal, where Bone defended skilfully. Play was quickly back in Peilding's quarter when S. Hocken saved, but tho visitors came again and quickly O’Brien found the net with a well-directed shot. I—o.1 —0. Peilding replied in a swift-moving attack which ended in S. Hocken centreing for W. Hocken to goal. 1 L Just before the interval O’Brien made tho score 2 —l in favour of Manawatu. The second spell was evenly contested throughout, and it was not until close on time that Manawatu added another goal to make the final score 3 —l in their favour. Messrs. E. A. Garlick and L. Marlin were the umpires. The visiting Piji women’s team was last evening entertained at a dance in the Parish hall. They will leave Peilding to-day for Auckland, where they will play their final match before returning to Suva.