NEARLY FINISHED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6622, 11 September 1908, Page 7

NEARLY FINISHED

.IHKLS’ HOOKKY AT DAY’S HAY. VRSTKiRDAY’S CAMUS, HAWKE'S BAY WINS SKNIOib OH A MI'IONS Ull’, Tho hockey girl is a lucky .voimi'. poison—of flint thorn can bo no Jonbt. Who would havo thought that yesterday afternoon would him' turned out rorn para lively fine and that the waters ftf tho harbour would havo so far calmmi down as to permit of almost siuoot.li jrassngos to and from Day’s Hay for her tournament ? Yet so it was. Hut tho threatening state of affaire in the morning prevented many from venturing across wiio otherwise* would have made tho trip and very few spectators were present. Considerable inconvenience was caused to the players by the neglect of tho hockey authorities to notify them of the arrangements for tho afternoon. Largo numbers of the girls wore down at the wharf as usual to catch the 1.15 boat, but there was no 1.15 boat and they had to wander round killing time until 2.30. Many got tired of this amusement and didn’t go over at all. The afternoon was chiefly remarkable for tlm noteworthy fight between Ihe Nelson and Hawke’s Hay teams. Tim win of the latter, though it was only by the skin of their teeth, took Hmm through the tourney with an unbeaten record. They havo now met and vanquished every other team in tlm grade and so take tho championship. They havo a hyo this afternoon and may possibly return homo to-day. There worn no junior tourney games played, Wellington A having won that on Tuosuay afternoon. Two of tho teams, however, met in a friendly contest. Descriptions of yesterday’s two fixtures aro given hereunder.

Hawke’s Bay ... i Nelson 0 Wairarapib A ... 6 Wellington B ... 0 Wellington A a bye. Wairurapa B a byo. HAWKE'S DAY v. NELSON. It was a pretty tough job that llawko’a Bay undertook whon_ they ntartod thoir game with the Nelson girls on No. X ground. With contidonco bred of tho knowledge that they had so far evaded a heating throughout tho tourney and determined to koop that record unsullied if at all possible, they played up woll. But tho South Islanders acquitted thomnolves much hotter than was expected. Right through tho first spell tho contest was oven and fast, and both goals woro repeatedly in danger. But, spite of strenuous efforts, tho ball could not bo not into tho not. Anyway, it’s no easy task to persuade a ball through a solid lino of skirts, and re the attackers found it. Onco Hawke’s Bay had an opening when tho Southern goal-keeper toppled over in hor anxiety to save, but it wns’nt availed of. Up and down the field wae tho hall carried with mighty rushes and swoops. Tho attacks were good, the defence on both sides was always sound, and generally speaking there was nothing to choose between tho teams. So 'half-time enmo without score. On resuming it looked really as if something was going to hap r pen, for a good hot pace was at onco not. Nelson were thirsting for tho glory of defeating the leaders in the contest and tho loaders wore determined to prevent that at all costs. So l>oth got at it all they know. Thus tho spectators had an interesting time, for if they liked they could eheor on both packs with equal hope of success. Nelson after the interval began to giro rather bettor than they got and a fine shot at close range wag only spoilt by ovor-oxcitemout. ‘‘Hard lines, Nelson! Buck up again,” cried the Southern hnrrackers. Nelson bucked up, so did Hawke’s Bay, and the pace was then hotter than ever. It was a most cheering sort of a iipecbaole, tho battle raging hot and strong all over tho field. Hawke’s Bay got right down to business as the end of tho game drew nigh and pressed the Southerners considerably, but the latter, especially their goalkeeper, were quite equal to tho occasion. Tho excitement of clearing their own circle was varied by some most determined assaults on tho other end and the hopes of tho spectators were raised very high. Tho cheers for both sides were lusty, and fhe game was anybody s light to tho very cud. If anything Hawke’s Bay had a slight advantage in tho latter portion of the ©irao and at last this told, and Alisa Wellwood scored from a fine hard piece or play aimd tremendous oxoitoment. With about a minute to go Nelson made a grand effort to make a draw ot it, and would surely have done so jiad it not been for over-anxiety. The ball just wont wide and most people olt very sorry. Tho effort deserved to bo attended with success. The match was really one of the most hotly-contested of tho Whole series. It was a genuine straight-out fight bcUvoon two hard-working teams—one which it was a joy to behold. On the play it must bo considered that Nelson were tho better team.

WAIRAJUPA A v. WELLINGTON' B, The Wairaropa A Wellington B natch ivas ono of tho most oao-sided Sames it is possible to imagine. Tho „'n!i lr i arapa ? lna "' ero cl ever and fast, and knew tho game from A to Z; but their opponents—unohivalroiis ns it isi to say itr—did not know enough to ! any good openings, and were t-.o’ ?! ow to take advantage of those which they got by accident. Tho Wellington forwards wore especially weak. Tho hacks often hit tho ball hard up the field, but only to see it brought back ogam by the Wnirarapa halves, who had practically no opposition from the Wellington vanguard. Tho Wellington backs played very solidly in defence, hut the brunt of tho battle was borne by only ono or two players, but for whom tho team would have boon beaten by u. tremendous score. Only on one occasion, early in tho second half, did Wellington get into their opponents' ring, play for almost the whole of the. time being confined to a small area foun 1 tho - homo goal. In tho first spoil .Miss J. Bioknoll and Miss C. Me* Guiro scored for *he visitors, whose score was further enhanced in the iecond spell by goals by Misses E. Binknoll *(3), 0. McGuire, and J. jMoknolh About tho host player on the field was Miss J. Bieknell, on tho left wing, who led attack after attack on Mie Wellington citadel. The game, .vhjeh was interesting to watch bccansa tho fine display of tho visitors, end-

ed in a win for Wairarnpa by six goals to nil. TUB (TPS PJtKSBXTED. Tho cups won during the tournament wore presented at a well-attend-ed gathering of a social nature in ilio Town Hall Concert, ( handier last night. senior championship cup was receive'] on behalf of tin* liaavke s Pay team by the captain. Miss Heath, and that awarded in the. junior contest by Miss li, Johnston, the captain, on behalf of Wellington A. The winners were heartily cheered. Advantage was also taken of the oecasion to present the Clip to tne \ ictoria College team, tho winners of tint local ladies' senior championship. Mens Macintosh, tho captain, received the cupj and replied on behalf of ibe team. POSITION OP TRAMS. The position of the various teams so far as the tournament has none is given, below. Canterbury withdrew from the senior contest early in Hie week, the junior eonle.st was concluded on p notsday, the figure-, shown being the final result:—

CONDUCT OF THE TO'URNAMENT. PRESS ASSOCIATION’. jVLASTKRTON, September 10. Visitors from Wairarapa are not over lavish in their praise of the manner in which the hockey tournament, at Wellington was conducted. The general trend of opinion is that unless there is some indication of better management and a better place to play teams north of Wellington will be conspicuous by their absence at future tournaments.

A visiting pressman was a witness of the rowdyism among girls on the ferry wharf on Saturday night. Who tho girls wore ho docs not know ; they were not Wairarapa girls, who arrived by tho Duchess, but the players who arrived in another boat. Ho describes the girls’ conduct and those of thoir male attendants in singing, laughing uproariously, screaming and generally.conducting themselves in an unladylike manner as putting him in mind of tho conduct of Sydney or Melbourne factory girls “out for a day down tlio bay.” MEN’S MATCHES. TO-MORROW’S" FIXTURES. Tho We n Hockey Association having gr ho use- of two of the Day's Bay *s to tho ladies for a couple of exu»v..i-ion matches, only two of the men’s senior games will be played to-morrow afternoon. They are as under;— United v. Victoria College, on No. 2 groundivarori v. Vivian, on No. I ground. The Wcsloy-Thorndoii and the Wel-lingtcm-Y.M.C.A. matches . will bo played on October 3rd. Tho arrangements for tho third-class games have been altered somewhat, and now aro as follows: —Tho radon v. YM.O.A., ‘Wellington ground; Wellington v. United, Y.M.C.A,; Victoria College A v. Wesley, Thorndon; Victoria College B v. Vivian, Vivian.

SENIOR. PM. Won. L*t. Dm. Pte. ITawkes Bay .. G 0 0 12 Canterbury Wairampu A .. a ■f ■J ‘J 1 5 a Wellington A.. i a 1 5 Wairaraim 1! .. Xolsmi a 1 a W cllington B... 3 u 4 1 i JUNIOR. PJd, Won. Ls t. Dm. Pis. Wellington A.. Iloro'.vhonua ... 4 I a a 0 1 0 V G Hawke's Buv ... 4 a 1 5 Wellington B... 4 0 a a Wanganui 4 0 1 3 3