HOCKEY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18484, 24 August 1934, Page 14

HOCKEY

YESTERDAY’S GAMES TWO HARD TUSSLES Two hard games were played on tire Childers road reserve yesterday afternoon, in the Poverty Bay Hockey Association’s competitions for men players, Foresters A and Y.M.C.A. A drawing in the A section, and Y.M.C.A. B defeating Waituhi by two goals to nil in the B section. Keen interest was' shown in the matches. In the.A section game, play opened witli Foresters attacking, Davy, for Y.M.C.A. clearing well and putting his side on the attack. Y.M.C.A. played with more combination than their opponents, and kept them on the defensive for a time, many infringements of the stick rule and also obstructive tactics helping the attackers, penalties being given against the Foresters. Some good chances were missed while Y.M.C.A. were pressing. Occasionally Foresters would break away, hut solo play spoiled their chances of doing any good, against the hard and accurate hitting and determined tackling of the Y.M.C.A. backs. The first goal followed a solo breakaway by a Forester player, who lost the ball to ail opposing half-back, the latter placing it weil and Gavin goaling from a scramble in iront of the Foresters’ goal. In the second half, Foresters made a better showing, and their opponents were hard put to it to keep their goal clear. Had Foresters swung the hall about a bit more among the forwards they probably would have emerged the winners. Their half-backs were playing well, and giving the forwards plenty of the ball, but the front line lacked penetration. Play see-sawed up and down the field for some time, and neither side showed much combination, tempers moreover becoming a little frayed and warnings being issued by the umpires. Foresters made a final successful bid for a drawjust before the call of time, a mix-up occurring in the Y.M.C.A. circle, and the whistle blowing for some infringement, just as Jones made a successful shot at goal. The referee allowed the goal, and the match, was drawn. Messrs. P. Sim and B. Tuhoe were the umpires. This game could well have been played in a better spirit, there being an unnecessary amount of talking, both by players and spectators. The chief offenders on the field were the older players, and while the umpires are loth to order players off the field, as a disciplinary action, it seems likely that something of the sort will eventuate unless players keep better control of themselves. The closeness of the championship competition no doubt has its effect in sharpen-' ing the rivalry of the leading teams, but it should not he allowed to spoil the games. In the B section match, Y.M.C.A. B played a good, even game, there being no score in the first half, which was full of interest. In the second half, Y.M.C.A. had slightly the better of play, and J. Carroll shot two goals to secure the victory for them. Messrs. G. Graham and L. Brown were the umpires.

An invitation from the Coast for a Poverty Bay ladies’ team to visit Tolaga Bay or Tokomaru Bay will come up for discussion at next week’s meeting of the Poverty Bay Hockey Association. The game is flourishing on the Coast, and a match such as is talked of should bring out many good players. The Poverty Bay selectors probably would be interested in the possibility of developing new talent in the especially in view of the possibility of the New Zealand tournament, being played in Gisborne next year.