HOCKEY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15824, 24 July 1913, Page 10

HOCKEY.

(Notes by Bully.)

Tho following table shows the. positions of tho teams engaged in the two men's competitions:- g onior Ai _ j : o a ri § m rt d .S £ ►? 0• h 0 0 0 Pj g p 0 fl O ft University ... 10 9 1 0 67 23 18 Gymnastio 10 6 3 1 35 30 13 St. Martin's ... 10 6 4 0. 42 30 12 Otago 10 4 6 0 41 47 8 Y.M.C'.A, ... 10 3 7 0 18 31 6 Union 10 1 8 1 12 54 3 Senior B. City 10 10 0 0 65 7 20 University ... 10* 6 3 152 19 13 Hardware ... 10 4 5 1 31 27 9 Otago 5* 2 2 1 9 29 5 Gymnastic ... 10 1 9 012 68 2 Y.M.C'.A. ... 5 0 4 1 3 32 1 * Including match in which' University defaulted to Otago. There will be no matches at Forbury next Saturday, but a trial match is being arranged at Bathgate Park. The flooded state of the ground at Milton has made it necossary to postjjono the City team's proposed visit indefinitely. Tho team chosen to represent Southland against Wellington suffered defeat at the hands of a mixed team in Invorcargill on Wednesday week. Southland enthusiasts are anxiously waiting to know how the challenge match Hawke's Bay v. Wellington is going to end, and speculation is rite as to who are to be the winners. Hawke's Bay is certainly a strong team, but it is "Circle's" opinion (Southland Times) that after tho match Wellington will still be the holders of tho Challenge Shield and that Southland will be given an opportunity to gain possession. Even should hawke's Bay defeat Wellington (he Southland team will travel as far north as Canterbury, and play the representative matches, outside the challenge match, of course, as originally arranged for. Belated word from the Invorcargill Association indicates that the Southland match here against Otago will bo played as the Southland , men return from tho north—that is, on Wednesday, August 13, instead of tlm 6th, as at first mentioned. There should not be much difficulty in selecting a forward line this year, though the question of placing the men may not be quite so simple as choosing them. Frank Drake, Caldcr, Andreae, and Rybum are all _ clearly certainties, and Thompson, of University, should not have to encounter much opposition for fifth place. Culliford and Tritt, and perhaps Paul, will doubtless _be considered, but it would bo surprising if any of them displaced Thompson. Slater seems the only real certainty in tho half line, unless W. E. Bannerman, on last Saturday's form, may also bo considered such. M, Drake and Fenwick both haves sorious claims for tho remaining place. Whibley|s place alongside Davics at fullback will not be easy to fill. Smart will no doubt take tho placo if he is fit, but though ho may be well enough to accompany the team at tho end of next month he would be running a big risk in taking part in the Southland match'. Failing Smart, _ Ahlfeld should have next consideration. Y.M.C.A. has two good fullbacks in Moxham and Thompson, but they are not likely to bo required. R. B. Bannerman may be confidently looked for on guard at the net, though lie hap a rival ! in Lcith, of Y.M.C.A.

Saturday saw the completion of tho second round of matches in the soniorcompotition. The ultimate result in both competitions is beyond dispute now, and no doubt this helps to account for the obvious flagging of interest that is making itself felt at this comparatively early , stage in tho season. Gymnastic and St. Martin's are running one another very close for second honours in tho senior competition. St. Martin's sprang to life again in quite surprising style on Saturday, ami tackled their task in such business-liko and vigorous fashion that they ended by inflicting on the redoubtable University men their first defeat of the season. Thoy gave a first-class display of tho spirited attacking game—as spirited as the heavy going would allow—and tho fact that the University men were hopelessly disorganised from the start and never gave a glimpse of their ordinary form must largely be placed to the credit of the St. Martin's men. University, of course, had a holiday team, but worse than that, they wero placed in a most unusual formation. Slater, apparently scenting trouble before tho game startod, sacrificed attack for dofenco, and played with seven backs and only four forwards throughout. In the first spell he had three full-banks, getting in one another's way and giving the opposing forwards no chance of getting off-side, but in tho second ho slightly improved matters by changing the formation to four halves. Individually University's bright particular stars all seemed sadly ofT-eolour, with the exception of Andreae, who, especially in tho closing stages of the game, was doing two men's work brilliantly. Apart from l'\ Drake, who always shines in tho St. Martin's ranks, J. Paui was decidedly the most conspicuous of the wearers of tho pink. Ho so far forgot his place as a wing forward as to score no less than four times, and he kept the students in almost constant trouble. It would not be surprising to know that the selector was giving him serious consideration. Whibley, on a pair of crutches, formed one of a group of depressed University enthusiasts watching' tho misguided struggles of the men in blue. Unfortunately there is no chance of his taking tho field again this season. So much the worse for the chances of tho Otago representatives. St. Martin's held a steady lead all through the game, but how easily the position mirfht have boon reversed was illustrated more than once. Towards the close of tho first epell St. Martin's led by 5 to 1, but a few minutes' activity at their cud of the ground resulted in the half-time score raiding 5—4 Union followed ud their success of the previous Saturday by drawing with Gymnastic last Saturday. Neither team c'id itself justice, however, and the display .was a poor one.

Otago and Y.M.O.A. had a very kecnatid even contest on a boggy ground. In this case also neither club was represented 'by its full strength.

Tho City Club continues its victorious career unenccked in the Junior Grade, and defeated Gymnastic by tlic vciy decisive total of 12 goals to nil. University B, thoir nearest rivals on the list, are now seven points behind them. Another runaway victory in tho same grade was scoured by Hardware ever Y.M.C.A. All the pleasure was taken out of this match by the absence of any referee. Thero was only one A Grade match in ladies' hockcy on Saturday, lkveneboumc could not till the places of three absent players, and had to default to Otago. University defaulted on account of tho midvrinter vacation.

\Va:ata and Momona had a very keen and fast contest, resulting in a draw. Momona has, 'however, appealed against one of the goals got by Waiata after a penalty bully, so the result is still undetermined. The Waiata girls gave a much improved exhibition of hockey. Momona were vigorous and effective on attack, Miss L. Bennett playing a' particularly good game. Thoro'will be no ladies' club matches at Forbury on Saturday, and in their place trials will bo held on the North Ground. It is understood fill.it the selector wishes to see two trial games this season. Unless Hie Univoreity girls selected can get arniy north with l.lio team, however, it 6eenis unlikely that the tour will be made at all, as their absence would leave the team decidedly weak. ; A correspondent closely in touch with! ladies' hockey in Dunedin write that it docs not scom to be up to the standard of former years. To what, is this attributable? The players are equally _ fleet of foot and lis. powerful i'itterr. as in, previous years. The poor stat." of the grounds may account in part for the sorry displays, but the real reason is that the minority of the players have no knowledge of the science of r!ie game. Several years ago many lady niavers nuidc ; quito a study of hockey, hut th's pret'ee unfortunately wms to have fsi-lien from favour Take forward play, for example. Th" forwards in almost every team seem to be quite content ns long as they hit t.lie ball, regardless of di'v-Wini or I ho portion of opposini backs. AWittelv ro attempt seems to be made to cultivate tin* l fshct iv.ntiy g>"iir ; ■n'liioh so ner. nlnxi v - drfrnd'.i'ig Iv'ta. The" in the circ'n fir. chootinT " «vvl when a good =liot 'i srnt. I" and 'he <r<vilkeopo* manages to effect, <i "me" there is rarely any "ttem"t made at vuii"'m f in smother," her rl^nr'* l " flirt. Goals u-iftont number aro lost through lack of following un a.

6hot. The long pafskig 1 frame is now quite out of date, and it would well repay til teams to cultivate the short passing game and make it t'heir own. The half-backs inv.st be untiring both in defence and en attack. Often in our local matchcs one sees .thrc-c backs busily engaged defending their goal against the onslaught of five forwards, while the halves are coolly looking on from about the half-way line, Then, too, when attacking the half-backs arc often_ inclined to hit far too hard, and so spoil many chwicos by putting the bill over the line. Players must use their heads. _ Very few full-backs ever try to be attacking players. If a team, through the full-backs playing well up the field behind tho halves, can have 10 attacking plavers what an advantage it is. for all recognise that "the best defence is attack." Yet, stramgc to say,, the majority of full-backs aro quite content to remain on tho edge of the circle chatting to the goalkeeper, while the eight remaining members of their team are making desperate efforts to score. Luckily for hockey a goalkeeper clad In a skirt sweeping tho ground is now almost unknown. What is wanted to keep the ball cutsido the peste is sticks and feet, not skirts. If we can now abolish the senseless custom of getting down on the ball that will be another step in the right direction for the improvement of the game. A goalkeeper who adopts such tactics is a hindrance not only to lierself but. also to her fellow bael;6.