CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15315, 10 September 1920, Page 8

CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLES.

NEW ZEALAND LADIES' ; HOCKEY TOURNAMENT. ■ YESTERDAY'S GREAT GAMES. ' '■ ■■■ ' "'-tH--' ■' '/■■'■ * : P.OTII MATCHES iRESUI.T IN DRAW- ' Boisterous as the -weather had - been for the*" Opening of the New .Zealand ladies' hockey championships at Gisborne, a joyful change came over the scene as tine week progressed, and for yesterday's; ■matches tho weather proved Ideal. The growing popularity or the game wasj ■ ■manifested, ..hot; only. by. the: vast concern so that congregated- at -the -Reserve: yesterday, bn i -also <by the .way In which ihe. crowd was constituted. Football and other lints of sport 'have ■--■thetrr special* : supporters, but ladies' hockey, as played ■ yesterday, bad' the magnetic-power.of..at-tracting all lovers of healthy * outdoor exercises, veteran -footballers.- seeming to i enjoy the display ap' (keenly as -any of , the other enthusiasts .present. The 'open- ' ing match, Wellington ... v. . Mqnawatu, having resulted m a score of three each, left the big throng— which had grown to about 5000— in a state of eager expectancy regarding the match Poverty Bay A v. Canterbury. And no ohe was disappointed, for the game became intensely; {Interesting from the bully-off;, (here being provided a brilliant' display Of hockey,, that kept the excitement -at fever heat throughout. The combination of either team was capital, the strokes wore swift arid suriy the rapidity of action could only have, been maintained by teatosi m the best. of! training, and the defence:; was m each; i case « triumph of cairn resourcefulness j' that increased the mecU -of- obtaining a j score under such difficult .conditions. - i POVERTY BAY A V. €AN.T^R_tjR--4>NE: ■ • . t ALL.-:- -.•»-.> ;■».-:■ J Poverty Bay: Miss Gallagher, Mrs. Ly L ; nex, Misses R. Solvander, A.'v'Bilhami. G ; ' Fanning, I. Robb, M. ;Fer#uson, IL Pearce, A. Hei, F- Hill, and ;fe.»Hei. Canterbury: Misses Rogers; ;Ca*vley, A.. (joss, Irvine, Leslie, G. Cross^Fniton, Rit/ cliie. Barr ; Johnson, and. Rossjter.'y :: ? From the commencement of the match^ •the barracking >vas enthusiastic,/ and ex-| j citement ran high- CaTiterbury -.opened: ] with .1 hard rush to Poverty Bay's quar-'» ter. where Miss Solvander cleared up*' field, when' the forwards :. captured the? j ball and carried, it to the other end of jihe field. Here the Canterbury: backs; ! managed to •'clear, and again, the. ball; traversed the 'length of the. -field, where fa shot by Miss G. Cross. (Canterbury) I narrowly missed, crossing ih jfrdnt of the ■.\goal. A penalty to .the local' team gave Poverty Bay a chance to open the op- \ posing ranks, and play swayed to the' i centre, returning under the pressure vi. ; the. Cantabs to the Poverty "'flay-- -circle., i Here INJiss G. Fanning cleared; 'near the ■ back line, and Canterbury's corner* "sho£ ; was intercepted by the same player, who, ; passed to Miss F. Hill, who took it to.' j centre, where she passed to * Miss * Pearce.: The game halted m Canterbury's quarter on the fall bf , Miss Pearce,' who remained down for some time as a resulf of a nasty bump. On 'the resumption cf play*, Miss Rossiter (Canterbury) captured the ball, and despite opposition -from Miss Bilham, went to the- -Poverty,. Bay, 2o Uric. A quick trapping and on the part, of Mrs. Lynex 'carried tnt game back to half-way, but Canterbury forward! were determined, -and-main-tained the pressure. A' rush by Misses Barr and Johnson was opposed by ' Miss Solvander, who, however, y£ave '•*'•' sticks, • ,: ihis resulting lri a free -hit, and the" ball travelling straight into Poverty Bay's net, but from 'outside 'the Circle. Canterbury were playing With remarkably fine combination, and -though bright flashes were observable m the local forward play; the .-visitors' 'had- the 'advantage for the first quarter of : \ an -hou.i\. At this : stage, however, " the 'local forwards took, a strong' hand.' Miss worked the' ball up the Tight line a^d passed it on to Miss JH.il! , Who forwarder to Miss K. Hei. The latter's shot was blocked, and the ball was returned straight to hor hand through the air. Picking the ball oat of the air. Miss Hei made another»hbt shot,' which -'Miss ".Irvine trapped and passed to Miss Barr. Miss /Fulton, on Canterbury (s right jiving, was next, to: receive, -and caiTiedr - -the game to- Poverty Ray's^terrltpiry,.. .where* however, Miss Fanning 4ilocked,f:a^d drove across field to Miss .-Pearce, ..The hall .went out. From here J t_e>. ; visitors brought the game to Poverty, • BBaysy v s circle, and only, the goalkeeper's resourcefulness stood, "bet weep, Miss ..Johnson and a score. A strong shot-'. was Jsen't In, but * failed to pass Mis? GaUaghpi*, ■ ahd was -cleared to the left- wihg v Miss fculton returned it, and Mr§. LyneV put. Jit over the' back line. Fiorii the Corner, tj^e local, forwards, Misses. 'Hei . (2) and Hill, captured the ball, .-and made >a great, rush downfleld, to be smartly ■' intercepted, -by Miss Cavvley (Canterbury')- "' Great -combination and speed . marked the- play . of both teams, and Canterbury gradually forced" the play once hibre into Poverty Bay's circle, where Miss Gallagher again had work to do. No amount of bustling, however. appeared ; to - dis'ract the .goalkeeper from. ,her .-. task, and: she skilfully stopped shot after, shot. Finally, however, catching the local goalkeeper,. away from home, Miss , Ritchie successfully:., sent one over, registering si. briHian,t- ; goal, and, wild applause' greeted. the t '„rs!t score of. the game. Canterbury, l, poverty Bay! •nil. ••• -'■- , >i. ..'.*., „.: Poverty Bay, now thoroughly aroused to the situation brought: about' by -Can-, terbury's strenuous and. skilful play, pro-, reeded to, make the, game a "cracker,"; and Miss Fanning,^passing to RllssMiill., gave the latter a chancfrto Ipan-' terbury's circle. Hard -and, trric. was .-the' shot that was sejgft in^ptheiiet from Miss Hill's stick, and wild was the applause that , v greeted the achievement, hut 'no -goal' was awarded, the referee' instead . giving a penalty to tho visitors tot offside play. The %mt l ervai > . eventuated - shortly afterwards, without further score. on the part of either team. The half had be«n fast and tho combination . great, and, the applause of -tho spectators was . continuous j as the play of either team merited it j Poverty. Ray opened, the second half, aggressively,. Misses Robb, Ferguson, and Hill figuring m a piece > of concerted play; which gained the 3f> line ih Canterbury's territory. Miss Ferguson, centring, shot too hard, and to the disappointment of an oxpectapt public, passed '-over' the hark-- lino. Here play paused for- the^.'re-vival-of Miss Leslie, Canterbury's j half, vbo had to cease' play* for a, few minutes. fOn resuming Canterbury iclear-j ed >irtorc than oncc'frbm;. the circle,, but Misses Robb, Fanning,-, and. Bilham kept their forwards well fed, j^and. 'attack after attack was launched -t. the, Canterbury, goal. A high shot >by , Miss ..Hill .-narrowly cleared the goal, and though the attack/ was pressed again. and. again, .no score was gained, Mlsfe Rossiter * finally getting away to centre, ..Avnere: her fellowforwards fouppoijting har took it to. the circle, }iiss Robb and Mns. .Lynex were responsible for stopping- *the 'rush, and Miss Bilham put one- into - tli^ a*, Jn dragging the ball down nylth hep slick. Miss Ritchie (Canterbury) -gave a, penalty from which Poverty -Bay Mvor^d down the right wing, the ball, gduigv, over off Miss Cross's -sticH.. ■/•From the comer -hit. Miss HiU blocked and. made. a 'good shot at goal, which was "trapped >ap;d returned by Miss Cawley. MissPcasce' found the pace too hot, and receivihgva bump, went down for some time.^ Once agaim the play was strenuous at Poyerty, Bay's end of tlie field, to bo returned, to* centre by goor) concerted dash, by Poverty-. Bay, and then lo .Canterbury's cipcle, where a couple of corners, jvith f ol^ojving shots for goal by Miss A. Hei,. eh^d, "^.Qh'fhe 25 lino, a Capterbtlry.>p}aycrjsave. sticks, and the lmiajty was.shaV WO'goal -by Miss Pearce,. .A 85 fptfowed/," from which the South* Islanders broke away, only to be rounded" up by ' Misses Solvander and Bilham. A later, sortie by canterbury w&'s blocked by Miss' Robb, and another by fhp p'oyerty f ßay goal- '* keeper, who forwardert ; the hall to. Miss Fannfngv The laUcp tobk a speculative hit, and passed brilliantly -to Miss Ferguson, who centred fo; Miss Hill. The ball then travelled io Miss Ar lie!, who