HOCKEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20259, 20 May 1929, Page 15

HOCKEY.

POOR STANDARD OF PLAY. SOMERVILLE HARD PRESSED. EASY DEFEAT OF UNIVERSITY. Men's senior hockey at Rcmuera on Saturday lacked the sparkle that characterised the play of a week previous, and the general standard was below the average. St. Luke's looked like having a runaway victory from University, but in the last quarter of an hour the students made a much improved showing, and ran up three goals. Mount Eden defeated North Shore in a stern struggle, and Somerville just managed to secure a victory over Epiphany by a single point. The results were as follows: St. Luke's, 6, University, 3. Mount Eden, 2, North Shore, 0. Somerville, 2, Epiphany, 1. The following table shows the positions of the teams in the senior competition :

A COMFORTABLE WIN. The game between St. Luke's and University began very quietly, and became lively and interesting only in its closing stages. Univeisity forwards, playing the short passing game, moved quickly to the St. Luke's circle, where a couple of shots were somewhat luckily blocked. Kadcliffe made a good opening for Taylor, but his shot went wide past. St. Luke's attacked for a brief spell, but could not hold the advantage. When St;, ' Luke's reached the students' circle again Crawley twice kicked clear. Robertson initiated another attack and Crawley again used his feet vrith excellent effect. Hot work followed in St. Luke's circle and Highfield effected a good save. The students' forwards carried on a nice movement'from a roll in, but St. Luke's found the line. Brown missed badly in face of a St. Luke's rush, but recovered and cleared. Burnett, who was playing in the forwards, ended a St. Luke's attack by finding the net. Fi'ooi the bully off Wotherspoon and Bay came away, and Burnett, picking up the centring shot, added a second goal. Shortly before halftime Bay again found''- the University net. Taylor marred some chances by centring too powerfully. The last incident of, the spell was another goal to Bay, who seemed to trickle through the defence unhindered. A promising student forward movement was pulled up by Vipond, and H. Williams broke up another attack that threatened danger. St. Luke's attacked down the right wing, and J. Giles shot into the net. A hard shot by Burnett was well saved by Crawley, and play swung to St. Luke's end. The students were hard put to it to keep out St. Luke's after a corner, but the ball eventually went over the line. v St. Luke's came again, and, when Crawley missed a kick at a shot by J. Giles, a sixth goal resulted. The students added a little spice to the game by charging down on SI. Luke's circle, but they did not at this stage look like pressing the attack home. Don missed completely when in a good scoring position, but Lamb sent in a pass which Meiklejohn transferred to the net. Hay followed this up a minute later by adding another to University's jcredit. A third came from Radcliffe's stick, who drove in from a very narrow angle after a scramble in the circle. Meiklejohn had a flying shot at goal, but Highfield dealt with it. The students continued to. press until time was called with the scores:—St. Luke's, 6; University, 3.

SOMERVILLE'S NARROW MARGIN". Somerville ended with only a very small margin in its favour after a dull encounter with Epiphany. The Somerville forwards carried play to Epiphany circle, and a corner followed. Clive Watts' shot was blocked and K. Mills and Hewitt cleared. A series of free hits favoured Somerville chiefly, and Epiphany was kept busy defending. Probably on account of the deadness of the ground, both teams played the ball in the air as much as possible. K. Mills made a fine run down the line, and carried the ball into the circle, where Dunn got a rebound from Chiplin's pads and scored. Somerville responded promptly, the forwards combining in neat passing. E. Watts got the ball from Seccombe in a handy position and evened the scores. Baiter stopped a hard shot from Seccombe. and several shots from the Somerville forwards went close past. Somerville continued to make most of the play until the interval. A melee took place in the Epiphany circle, and several shots were blocked. C. Mills and Michel helped to clear, but Somerville returned to the attack. Penalties against Somerville relieved the pressure for a time. Epiphany survived a penalty corner, its backs putting up n very sound defence. Time and again Somerville invaded the circle, but it could hot get a shot through. At last a combined assault was finished off by C'. Watts finding the net. Somerville continued to press and Baxter in goal was called on. to stop shot after shot. Seccombe had an almost unobstructed shot, but drove the ball past. Epiphany made another, sortie before the game ended with the scores:—Somerville, 2; Epiphany, 1. WIN FOR MOUNT EDEN. Mount Eden met with a very sound and stubborn defence in its match with North Shore. North Shore was first to attack and Reid took play down the field until blocked by Kelly. Play returned to the North Shore circle, where H Jones took a pass and sent in a good shot. North Shore was kept on the defensive until good work by Monteith opened up the gamo again and gave Anthony a chance of scoring, which was not availed of. North Shore's goalkeeper and fullbacks were kept busy defending, and were successful in keeping the goal intact until half-time. The Mount Eden forwards took charge again early in (he second spell, but Reid and Monteith then broke away. Both Anthony and Reid had promising shots, but Vaib -was equal to the occasion. M. Jones was prominent in a Mount Eden attack which ended in the ball going over the line. More scrummaging in the North Shore circle ended in H. Jones scoring a second time. North Shore was by no means disposed of and tested out the Mount Eden defence very thoroughly. Penalties against North Shore hampered its effectiveness considerably. When Mount Eden attacked again Rankin made a couplo of good saves. Play was in midfield when time was called with the scores:—Mount Eden, 2: North Shore, 0.

LOWER GRADE RESULTS. . Following are the. results of matches ployed in the junior grades:— Second Grade.—St.- Luke's, 4, Epiphany, 1; Somerville. 3. University B, 2; Wesley, 4, Training College, 2. Third Grade.—St. Luke's, 3, Somerville, Fourth Grade.—Wesley, 4, Papaknra, 0; Otahuhu. fi. University, 0; Papatoetoe, 3. Auckland Grammar. 2. Fifth Grade.—Mount Eden, 5, Someiville. 0. LADIES' MATCHES. Following are the results of matches in the ladies' competitions:— Senior Grade.—Somerville. 2, Y.W.C.A., 1; Mount Eden. 4. Arawa, 0. Junior Grade.—Somerville, 2, Mnnmewa. 0: Papatoetoe A. 4, Technical A, 3; Wesley won from Papatoetoe B by default; Y.W.C.A., 3. Mount Eden. 2. GAMES AT TE AROHA. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TE AROHA. Saturday. Results of hockey matches at Te Aroha are:—Men: Te Aroha beat, Wainui by 5 goals to 0. Ladies: Te Aroha beat Wainui by 1 goal to 0.

WAIPA LADIES' ASSOCIATION. [BV TELEGRAPH,—OWN COR RESPONDENT. ] TE AWAMUTU. Sunday. Two hockey matches were played at Te Awnmutu yesterday to commeiice the Waioa Ladies' Hockey Association's competitions for Iho Finch rosebowl. Otorohanga and Te Awamutu played first, and the visitors won by 1 coal (Miss L. Leathern) to 0. The Te Kuiti and Pateranei teams met in a. very keenly contested game, which resulted in a win for, Pateransri by '7 goals (P. Sifleel 2. G. Bell 3. and M. Macky 2) to 2 (J. Smith),*

GAMES AT HAMILTON. [RV TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] HAMILTON. Sunday. The Indies" hockey matches played on Boyes' Park yesterday resulted: —Huia. v. Leamington, 2: Old Girls, i. v. Hosmtal Nurses. 2.

BOTORUA COMPETITION. [Bl' TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ROTORUA, Saturday. Hockey matches played in the Governments grounds) this afternoon resulted:—Ara.was. 1. drew with X'lis. J. after a splendid came: Shamrocks, 3, v. Whippets, 0. This was tho.first appearance of the Whippets' team. They played a good earne against a strong combination. •. RESULTS AT HAMILTON.' [tSV TJiX-EGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON. Sunday. In a hockey match at Steel Park Hamilton yesterday. Old Boys seniors, 6 goals, defeated United, 3. Co.lts, 2, defeated Kaipaki, 1. Junior matches Resulted United. 7, v. Hamilton High School, 0; Hinenioa, 2. v. JCgahingapouri, 1; Old Boys, 7, v. Y.M.C.A., 0; Kaipaki, 6, v. Baptists. 0.

Goals. >Sli. , P. W. L. D. i'\ a. rts. Somerville 3 2 . X 8 5 4 University :j 2 1 — I) 10 4 •St. Luke's . . 3 2 1 13 9 4 Mount Eden 3 >> 1 _ 0 5 4 North Shore . 3 1 2 6 S 2 Epiphany 3 — 3 — 4 9 —