HOCKEY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4740, 23 August 1902, Page 6 (Supplement)

HOCKEY.

(By “Full-Back.”)

Tho “rep” team, picked by the senior selection committee, fully justifies the confidence placed in it by decisively beating the “B” team by 4 goals to 1. The game was miles ahead of tho usual ’■rep” trial matches and was hotly contested right through, tho play being fast and open. The “A” forwards, considering it was the first time they had played together, showed splendid combination, and ono or tw* of their passing rushes were very pretty, especially the one that Davies scored from; tho hall passing through the hands of each forward and a, nice centre from Bridge enabled Davies to shoot a good goal. The forward line should not lie altered, as it is undoubtedly the strongest combination that could be chosen. The "B” forwards also played well, but had not the same sting that the “A” line had. The “A” halves played fairly well. I have seen Campbell play bettor games; he seemed to mo to leave too big a gap between himself and his forwards, especially when his team was attacking. O’Sullivan played well at times, hut there wore one or two occasions on which he-should have centred .instead of passing to his outside forward. Reid was fair. • Ostler, of the “B” team, was to my mind the best half on the ground, and it will he hard on the form he displayed to keen him nut cf the team. The full berks of both sides played very well, and ‘Wcllbigtou is very strong this year in this department; No change’in this line ran he mode however, as Wheeler. Ashholt. and Preston made no mistakes on Saturday. After Saturday’s game this is my team :—Preston, Ashholt, Wheeler, Ostler, Campbell, O’Sullivan, Smythe, Davies, Hickson, Bridge. Organ. Emergencies; C. Hickson, Reid, and A. 11. Bogle. Tho committee is experiencing great difficulty in getting a team for the Nelson match. It is to be hoped that players will give tho Association all tho support they can so that tho engagement may be fulfilled. Tho United and Wellington Clubs have both sent away teams this season, and therefore tho Association must look to tho other clubs for tho greater part of the foam. The United Club will play Carterton today at. Carterton.

There was a junior "rep” trial match last Saturday, but some of the players picked did not turn up, and consequently the game was .robbed to a large extent of its interest. The "A” ' team won rather easily. It would be as well if the absentees- last Saturday were not considered for the rep team.