HOCKEY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7445, 20 May 1911, Page 8

HOCKEY

(By "Roquet.") Providing the weather is . Sue _ enough to enable hockey to be. played this afternoon the found series of gamer, will bo decided. I’Jay is likely to be very slow, consequent on the heavy rains (luring the week and it this is so there is sure to be one or two surprises when the results are made known to-night.

United again suffered defeat last Saturday, this time at the hands of Victoria ’College, who made up for their two previous imperfect showings by giving a tine all-round cxaibitiou. Especially prominent in the Collegians’ forward rank we're the brothers Struck. who woro absolutely “out on their own.” Saleh, too, on tho right wing, again showed ■ excellent form, and no doubt tho selector will have his eye on him for tho representative eleven. In tho College half-back line Burbidge was at his in-st, ami Oram, as tight naif, .was also responsible for good play. Kibblcwhite’s clearing at right full-back was clean. Ho has the «uuo knack of wrist play which was so noticeable in the; play of his brother last year.

On the United side there were only two men out of tho eleven who played really well.- They were C. Hickson, at right full-back, and R. Thompson, as left half. United's front rankers 'were out of condition .altogether, and they showed signs of lack of combination. Of a poor lot of forwards G. Smytbc was the most prominent. The red and white’s brilliant goalkeeper of two seasons’ back (Hwyeri was only fair last Saturday.Since his re-appearance on the field after his trip abroad Dwver seems to have lost some of his old form and at times last Saturday ho was caught - hesitating.

Tho Weilington-Y.M.C.A. fixture was not productive of a really first-class exhibition of bockcy, the players for the most part being content to bit the ball about all over the field. As a result, during the major portion of the seventy minutes olay was scrappy, and it was onlv occasionally that one caught a glimpse of good individual effort. The outstanding features of tho game were, firstfyi the rather sensational way Wellington piled on the goals, and, secondly, the wild hitting indulged in by both teams.

The Wellington team last Saturday was practically a reorganised ouo, and the only familiar faces of last season's players were those of Morpeth tin goal), Dunn. Hollis, and Morrah. To single out any Wellington players for special mention is rather a ha. d task as no one was responsible for giving a faultless display. Dunn, although appearing to bo a great bustler for his side, was wandering rather too much at times and was more often than not hindering the play of his confreres. Wellington's backs plaved well at times, and had no difficulty in keeping Y'.M.C.A. from scoring.

The T.M.C.A. side gave a disappointing display, but it might bo mentioned that their team contained a few new players who did not do as well as they might have. Pauli, the Young Men’s centre forward, was absent owing to indisposition, and this to a certain extent militated against the plav of the forwards, of whom Loader and Parton were the most conspicuous in the rushes of their team. The back division of Y.M.C.A. was very weak indeed, and this w'as principally the cause of Y'.M.C.A.'s downfall by so large a margin. The backs wore unable to block the attacks of their opponents, and in nearly every ease Wellington reached the. circle" and scored.

One matter referees should give serious attention to is tho roll-in rule. Ever since the season opened some referees have been very lax in regard to- the enforcing of this rule, and as a result many nlavers now take advantage and throw the ball in anyhow. If referees see that tho roll-in is done correctly it will "save a lot of time, in a shield game especially, where Wellington /players are likely to disregard tho rule and be penalised, every-time.

. It .would bo just as well to remind thoso players anxious to gain representative honours to be on the alert this afternoon, as the selector will be watching the games with a view to picking n team to defend tho shield against Manawatu on Juno 3rd.

Tho England v. France match played recently was won -by England by four goals to nil. England had their best possible , team, which... together with tho score, shows .that, Franco now is bv .no means an opponent to be taken lightly. At the outset play was fairly oven, but England soon began to press strenuously, and crossed over, leading by two coals to nil. In the second half, the Frenchmen were iron nod within their own half, and seldom broke away. The defence by • tho Frenchmen was, however, splendid.

In the United-Greggs junior match at Bay’s Bay last Saturday, a very fine exhibition of hookey was witnessed. United all round played an'excellent game, the most brilliant player on their side being A. Miller, at full-back. His partner and tho goalkeeper were also prominent. On the . Gregg’s side everyone was at his best, with the exception of the right full-back and right wing, who, having a very bad tendency- to wander, spoilt their team’s play. ' TO-BAY’S FIXTURES. Senior. United v. Wellington, Bay’s Bay, No. Victoria College v. Wesley, Karori. Karori v. Y.M.0.A., Day’s Bay, No. 3.