HOCKEY SEASON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19953, 23 May 1928, Page 16

HOCKEY SEASON.

COMMENT ON THE MATCHES. ST. LUKE'S TAKES THE LEAD. SOME INTERESTING DISPLAYS. A distinct improvement in the general standard of play was noticeable in the senior grade matches at Remuera on Saturday. Teams are being steadily welded into a united whole and a recognisable system in attack and defence is being developed. There was a large increase in the number of spectators and they were rewarded by seeing an exciting contest, coiicumiug much good hockey, betweeu fat. Xjuko's and bomervuie. i>y deieatuig SouiurviUe una replacing It, at 1110 HCaU ox tlio list ot leiUllS, St. J-uke's has greatly added to the interest oi tlie competition, ilio baLLie was reminiscent oi uie encounters of a lew years back between these two teams, when lor a time they were very evenly matched and used to provide tue star attraction ol the season. No one will begrudge St. Luke's a clear-cut victory alter a keen, hard-fought game. liighiieid, in goal for the winners, gave a sterling display, and was undoubtedly responsible in a great measure for his team's victory. An Elective Resistance. It is not easy to discriminate among the .rest oi tlie backs, who together oliered a very effective resistance to the many assaults ol the Soniervnle vanguard. Particularly during tlie closing stages of tlie game, when isomerville required only one goal to equalise, was the St. Luke's defence tested. Burnett, who played a line game at fullback, is a very promising young player. Among the halves chief honours must go to Steele, who played a very sound game, and has evidently lost none of his cunning with the stick. Robertson, at centre, was always in the thick of it and his accurate stopping and hitting were a asset to his side. Among the forwards Hookham, on the right wing, and Fitt, his inside man, lrequently caught tlie eye for neat, combined plav. This was indeed the best feature of the work of the forward line. The first goal scored for St. Luke's by J. Giles was a meritorious one, coming from a well-timed roverse shot. It put fresh heart into the team early in the game. C'hiplin, defending Somerville's goal, is inclined to take too- many risks by running out from the goal mouth to meet an approaching attack. Both the Somerville fullbacks, Munro and Gardner, performed well, though perhaps on the run of play Munro had the heavier task. The half line scarcely showed its usual ability. Haggett and Rogers got through a lot of hard work and both were very reliable. In the early stages Cole seemed to lack his usual keenness, but he made amends by giving an excellent display in the closing stages. E. Watts Leads Attacks. Among the forwards the honour's of the day may fairly be given to E. Watts, at centre, who led the majority of the attacks. The remainder of the line worked hard, but in the face of the defence offered by St. Luke's they did not show to such advantage as they have been doing on previous Saturdays. University A was hardly up to its best form against North Shore. .North, who was replaced by Chambers at fullback, was much missed. The half line was quite satisfactory and Storey showed distinctly improved form. Radcliffe was not quite up to his usual standard, but Tizard shaped in promising fashion. Philpotts played his customary dashing game on the wing, but much more use might be made of him by his backs. Hay, on tho opposite wing, was also quite successful. Linton, in goal, showed a tendency to speculate rather much. North Shore is decidedly one of the teams that is rapidly reaching an effective understanding among its members. They held tho scoring level with the students throughout the first spell and it was only in the second that University could secure and hold a lead. Rankin had a very busy time in goal and gave an all-round disjplay that may fairly be called brilliant. Feature of the Back Play. A. Anthony's long, powerful drives were a feature of the back play, and frequently sent the forwards into action. Reid played an outstanding game on the wing and" often combined well with P. Anthony in effective movements. Areta had the misfortune to go into the combat against Mount Eden two men short, and this heavy handicap could not be overcome. The team was without the services of Wilkie, in goal, and Davis, at fullback. Nevertheless, it fought gamely all the way and during the second spell scored three goals for the three that were scored against it. Gurney, at fullback, was conspicuously useful and Ashley and Sweeney wero the best of tho halves. Savage, at centreforward, was the mainspring of most of the attacks and shot two of the goals, tho third falling to Taylor. Ash gave a very pretty exhibition among tho Mount Eden forwards and two of the three goals he scored were from particularly fine shots. Chaplin, at centrehalf, was invaluable to his side and both the fullbacks. Mainland and Anderson, were responsible for much sound, useful work. Tho Somerville Colts team was reorganised to some extent and included Gregson as centre-forward. Tho side certainly gave its best performance this season and it is quite on the cards it may recover the ground it has lost in the competition. The two fullbacks, Hunter and Smith, played well together, and Smith seems likely to make good in this position. , Promoted Junior Makes Good. Among tho halves, Herd, promoted for the day to take the place of G. Gutry, was the pick of the line. Gregson, in holding the centre line together well, contributed much to the success of the side. Ho was well supported by Sawyers and C. Edwards, the latter of whom showed up very well in the circle. Tho Epiphany forward line is hardly up to the standard of the backs. Its weakness is in tho circle, where it lacks tho sudden decisiveness so necessary to effective shooting. While Somerville had tho better of tho first spell, tl]e second rather favoured Epiphany, which was hammering awav at tho Somerville defence most of the time. Copies of tho latest official rules of the English Hockey Association, as issued by the International Hockey Board, have been received by the New Zealand Association. Authorised copies are to be supplied to each provincial association. Ihe New Zealand Association has set tip a special cor.imitteo to investigate tlie position of its affiliation with the English Association. An interprovincial match between Nelson and Canterbury has been fixed to take place at Christchurch on May 2b. The Wellington Association has 10 clubs and three sub-associations affiliated this year, CHAMPION LADY SWIMMER. MISS MILLER'S FIRST TRY. When Miss Kathleen 'Miller, the young Duncdin Olvmpic swimming representative, first visited the Duncdin baths as a little girl she held to the side of the baths and cried. Nevertheless she soon overcame her nervousness, and when 11 years old she won her first schoolgirls' championship. From such material was made one of the finest trirl distance swimmers in the world to-day. Miss Miller is the youngest of six daughters, none of whom has ever excelled in the sport. Her mother, wht> herself cannot swim a stroke, candidly admits that the secret of her daughter's mastery of the water is a mystery to her and her family.