HOCKEY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16174, 10 July 1923, Page 9

HOCKEY

WA IRAK APA V. POVERTY BAY

HOME TEAM REPEATS VICTORY.

In a return match played yesterday, on the Reserve, the Poverty Bay hockey representatives again proved victorious, this time by three goals to two. One of the goals scored was decidedly a chance shot, but it may fairly be said that on Lho day the home team was superior. Blues attacked from the ‘bully, but sticks in the circle gave whites relief, and play travelled to the other end of the field, where (he whites made things busy in the home circle. A couple of cornor hits failed to yield opportunity for scoring, and Fitzmaurice and Sparks brought play down the left wing. Obstruction by whites in centre-field assisted the homo team, and in a couple of moments Armstrong and Morris were in the. whites’ circle. A fast shot from Armstrong .went over the back line, and after (he. corner hit, whites returned to midfield. Fitzmaurice brought the ball up to the blue forwards again, and another unsuccessful shot at goal, by Sparks, missed narrowly. A sensational run by Smith and Sexton, visiting forwards, brought the home goalie (Potter) oiit. to the edge of the circle. Potter swung and missed the ball, falling headlong, Smith seeming to have a perfect opportunity to score; hut Pollock's speed carried him past tho attacking forward, and with a smart backhand stroke, the blue back cleared over the line, a splendid save. The blues were very close to scoring shortly after, when the File brothers and MeLachlan brought the ball up to the circle on the right wing. MeLachlan centred to Morris and Twiglcy, who had a. hot struggle near tho goal mouth. A shot struck the goal post, but bounced back into play, and the next attempt went over the line. The white forward lino again showed itself superior, the home' team being weak on the right wing. The defence on both sides was fairly sound, but the blues showed a tendency to hit too hard for accuracy, and frequently gave sticks. From one of the tree-hits thus given to whites, the first score resulted, Tnnnicliffe intercepting a shot from tho rightwing and netting neatly. Blues evened up almost immediately by a flukey shot by Morris, whoso aim at tho moment seemed to be to keep the ball in the circle. The blue forwards were in the white circle and pressing hard, when the Wairarapa goalie attempted to clear straight upheld. Morris jumped after it, caught tho ball on the edge of the circle, and struck at it with one hand on liis stick. The ball trickled between the legs of tho white backs, and wobbled into the net. One all. Half-timo intervened with play in the blue territory. The early part of the second spell was enlivenfed by a solo run by Sparks, who beat tho goalie and missed an open shot at the goal. Wairarapa’s goal came along as a. result of a good run and shot, by Smith, the whites’ left winger, and the whites kept tile blues on the defence for a period of some minutes. One shot missed by the goalie was finely cleared by Fitzmaurice and a hefty kick by Potter relieved the pressure at another stage. Hawkins (white) was out <of play for a space owing to a blow on the neck from a shot by Armstrong. Blues evened up the scoro with a fine goal from Armstrong’s stick, the ball being taken on tho fly from a- penalty corner. Pollock arid Atkinson were now putting up a great show in defence, against determined white attacks, carried out by Sexton, Riggs and Gallon, chiefly. Pollock got a shako when ho collided on tho run with MeLachlan, the blue right wing who more than once interfered with the movements of bis own men. Twigley, a young player, distinguished himself by adding the next, goal to tho home team’s score, with a smartyshot that beat the white defence, making tho score 3—2 in favor of Poverty Bay. A hot white attack led by Riggs and Gallon, centred play round tho blue goal for a few minutes, and another spell of play in the white circle, Twigley and Sparks striving with repeated shots which only missed by narrow margins. Ordish, the white goalie, was hard put to it to keep the ball, out, but lie was well assisted by the Bannin brothers, and the game ended with no further score. Poverty Bay 3, Wairarapa 2. Messrs. A. N. Stubbirigs and J. Henderson were referees.