HOCKEY.

Northern Advocate, 18 June 1920, Page 5

HOCKEY.

COUNTRY v. TOWN

GAMES AT MANGAPAI

Three 'buses and several cars conveyed the town rep. hockey teams, ladies' and men's, with their supporters, to Mangapai yesterday afternoon, where two good games took place and a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon's outing resulted for all oresent.

The ground was better than any in Whangarei and the enthusiasm of the barrackers on the line was of a higher pitch than usual during both

games

COUNTRY LADIES' WIN,

The ladies played first and their game was in many respects a good one, though in others disappointing, for reasons which will be mentioned on a future occasion. The teams took the field as follow: —

■Country.—-Full-backs, Misses R. Sloane and M. O'CarroM; halves, Misses K. Draffin, Salmon and Walker; rover, Miss Child; forwards, Misses V. Child, C. Crawford, N. Sloane (centre), Hannam, and Mrs

Sloane

■Town. —'Goal, Miss Ramsay; fullbacks, Misses L. Braun and T. Hutchings; halves, Misses I. Woods, S. McKinnon, and L. Pickmere; forwards, Misses O. Pickmere, G. Lowe, James (■centre), Weaver and Wilkinson.

In the early stages of the game country did most of the attacking, and shortly after the commencement Miss Sloane just missed scoring with a hook "shot in the circle. Mi.-'.s Braun did some good work relieving pressure, and Miss Woods cleverly nipped the hall away from Miss Sloane as she was about to take a olear shot. Several other attacks were frustrated by good defensive play in goal, hut finally Miss V. Childs shot a goal.—Country 1, Town nil. a From the bully-off, Town forwards became aggressive, but Country came back with a rush and Miss Hannam

nearly scored

Shortly after the half-time spell, Miss Crawford and Childs took play to Town's end, where the latter centred, and Miss Sloane scored from a practically unopposed shot. — Country 2, Town nil. Shortly afterwards Town livened up considerably and good forward, play put Country on the defensive, the attacks being maintained amid great enthusiasm for a considerable time, Miss Lowe on one» occasion very nearly scoring. From this point on the game was very interesting and well contested.' Country were again subjected to spells of defensive work, but corner hits against them availed nothing. On one occa sion the Town's right flankers, Misses Wilkinson and Pickmere, passed almost the length of the field and the Hatter had a shot which, however, failed to open Town's scoring account. Country took ,a turn in Town's circle, but the defensive work of Misses Braun,. James and Ramsay was equal to the occasion. A few minutes before time Town attacked again and Country were lucky that on one occasion at least, a goal was missed by Town.

The game, which was won by Country by 2 goals to nil, was refereed by Messrs G. Larking and Thomas, and it must have afforded the selector of the Whangarei reps., Mr Hodgson, some good data for his choice of players, FAST GAME BY MEN. The men's game opened fast and furious and it did not slacken off in pace much throughout. Hard hitting was, generally speaking, more noticealble than, good comlbined work, though there were notable, excep tions. The teams were:—

Country.—i Full-hacks, J. Sloane and S. Ormandy; halves, Clayton, P. Whittle and P. Carter; rover, W. Onmandy; forwards. C. Creeks, B. Sloane, L. Vaile (centre), S. Draffin, and G. Carter.

Town. —'Goal, P. Campbell; fullbacks, N. Munro, T. Palmer, S. Humphries; halves, G. Tupp and A. Chisse'll; forwards, H. Hannam, H. Sheppard, W. Lees (centre), P. Harrison and Nick Munro.

During the earlier stages of up-and-down play, shots were made ineffectively on three occasions by B. Sloane and Draffin, Town's defence being effected safely, chiefly through the splendid goal-keeping of Campbell. The first goal, however, was the result of the goalkeeper stopping the ball, but slipping in doing so, and B. Sloane shot the stationary ball between the posts.—Country 1, Town nil.

After several ineffective attacks by Country, the Town forwards, by firs S >ate combined passing, carried play ,|nto Country's circle, where Chissell centred to Hannam, but Childs raced the latter to the ball and saved. Shortly afterwards good hitting up-field by Lees, Harrison, and Chissell gave Hannam a scoring chance, but the ball got over outside the post before he could use his stick to direct its course. Just before half-time Hannam got a lucky shot through, owing to faulty blind hitting with sticks on the part of the defenders, instead of certain stopping in the danger zone. —Town 1, Country 1.

For some time after the recommencement, open play took place, the efforts of the opposing forwards to initiate passing rushes being constantly foiled; frequently by overrunning the ball. Country's menace within the circle was frustrated twice by Campbell, and later N. Munro missed a possible goal for

Town. Town forwards attacked again, and Lees shot a good goal. putting Town in the lead by 2 goa's to 1. The score was equalised within a minute of the bully-off by Carter scoring* as the outcome of a good run by him and B. Sloane. Country had the better of ensuing play and S Draffin scored a good goal. Just on time Country became dangerous again and B. Sloane scored, the game ending in a well-merited* win for Country by 4 goals to 2. Messrs W. Jack and G. Larking had charge of the very fast and strenuous game.