HOCKEY

Southland Times, Issue 21193, 20 September 1930, Page 18

HOCKEY

(By

“Half-Back.”)

Though the Southland A men’s representative team were regarded locally as a strong combination, the visiting Otago eleven forced them to bite the dust in good style last Saturday- afternoon. The tussle provided the finest exhibition of men’s hockey- seen in these parts for many a year. Even the Maroons themselves were the first to admit that, in all departments, the visitors showed a marked supremacy. The game was fast and keen right to the final whistle, but the issue was never in doubt, the northerners gaining the day by six goals to nil. Time and again the Otago vanguard, with nippy stick work and clever combination, bewildered the Maroons’ defence and the home team played just as well as their experienced, dashing and more resourceful opponents would allow them. The Otago senior eleven must be warmlycongratulated on their clever exposition of the game, and it cannot be gainsaid that their visit will go far towards improving the standard of local hockey. V. Poole, the Maroon goalie, put in spine brilliant work between the posts and, but for his Tlisplay in saving almost certain goals, Otago’s tally would have been considerably larger. The custodian manifested an uncanny sense of anticipation and is deserving of the highest praise for his.efforts throughout. Several of the visitors, at the dinner after the match paid glowing tributes to Poole’s prowess and the opinion was expressed that he should be well in the running for inclusion in the New Zealand team due to visit Australia next season is distinctly gratifying and will go far towards further encouraging the Collegiate player in his work. Tlie full-backs, Anderson and Deacon, had heavy work thrust upon them for the rapidity with which the Otago eleven launched their attacks seemed, at times, to tie the Maroon halves into fruitless knots and, consequently, the full-backs were forced to carry- a greater share of the baby- than they, perhaps, were entitled to anticipate. Anderson was a battler throughout and, especially in the second spell, when the visitors bore down in repeated aggressive sorties, the High School lad entered into his work with obvious zest and, at least, temporarily held the besiegers at bay. Deacon also trotted around in good style to loyally support his mate, and, on the day’s'play, it. must be generally conceded that the full-backs creditably acquitted themselves. ...

The halves were somewhat disappointing, for each member of the trio has given a better account of himself in club games. Of course they were opposed to more formidable combinations and the dashing Otago vanguard penetrated right, through again and again before the Maroon halves seemed to realize the fact. The experience gleaned in this game, however, should stand the Southland backs in good stead when the return match is played at Dunedin on the 27th for, no doubt, they should now be in the position of being able to better anticipate the tactics of the Otago forward line. 1116 Southland vanguard, except in the dying stages of the game, were seldom in evidence but this was only to be expected in view of the fact that the halves, harassed themselves, were unable to sufficiently spoon feed’ their forwards. In the last quarter of an hour the Maroon quintet several times managed to enter Otago’s danger zone but almost certain goals were missed. As with the case of the half-backs, each member of the vanguard has played better games and it must be confessed that, even on those rare occasions when they did launch attacks, their work was somewhat disappointing and certainly not in the same street as has characterized their play of a few weeks’ ago. However, no doubt the whole team will gird their loins determinedly between now and next Saturday when they should be able to give a display more in keeping with a fair standard of play. WELLINGTON’S K CUP. “Critic,” writing in the Hockey column of the Dominion (Wellington) under, the headings “Wellington’s K Cup”—“A Proud Team” says :— Despite the rather unfortunate loss through injury to Miss P. Hilkie and the sickness of Miss D. Foreman toward the close of section play at the Dominion women’s hockey tournament, when the best brains and hockey knowledge were sorely required, Wellington’s representatives managed to follow to a large degree the example of their football brothers by drawing with Eastern Southland for the honour of being Dominion women hockey champions and K Cup winners, an achievement that has not come the way of this city since 1921, when our representatives shared the honour with Poverty Bay.

It was a happy party that gathered on the deck of the ferry steamer from Lyttelton as she came to her berth, all looking eager to be back home again, and full of pride. Yes, they had justification for it; they had gained the coveted trophy- they went in search of. The K Cup has come to find a new resting-place in Wellington for the next six months, when it will be exchanged with Eastern Southland for the Floyd Shield, which is also shared by the finalists, due to drawing in the play-off on Saturday. All Wellington is pteud of her representatives, and the proper way to show that pride is being discussed. Surely the players deserve such recognition when it is considered that it is nine years since a Wellington tourney team returned home victorious.

Miss A. Hefford carried out her part in rather polished style; in fact, her eagerness to do her best prior to leaving Wellington was much in evidence at the tournament. Her performance in goal last Saturday against Eastern in the final was nothing less than marvellous, and her acute sense of anticipation earned for her much praise from opposing teams at the tourney. Her wonderful performance is another tribute to the good coaching of Mr A. Stratton. “Union is strength” applies to Mrs Smith, who was brilliant throughout, and Miss Kathleen Miller, the full-backs. A more safe and sound full-back in Mrs Smith was not seen at Invercargill, and her omission from the .North Island team was a big surprise. ’ Miss Miller was _as firm in her defence as ever, but I think Mrs Smith was a shade her superior. Miss Miller also failed to earn her place in the inter-island team, which points to Misses Hawea and Mitchell being superb in the eyes of the selectors. The halves, who were looked upon as not being very sound when selected, justified the confidence placed in them by Miss Kitto, for they played magnificently, thanks to the guidance of Miss Blanche Charles. She was a marvel in herself, and deserves high praise for the support she afforded her forwards and sound tackling. Her inclusion in the North Island team was justified. Misses E. Delves and H. Webb are to be complimented upon their solid work. Despite the injury of Miss Webb three-quarter way through section play, she stood up to the Eastern’ onslaught on Saturday- with wonderful courage and fortitude. Miss Delves will be a great acquisition to Wellington next year. The experience she gained at Invercargill will not go wanting, for I have seldom come across a more ehtnusiastic worker than this young Hutt player. The forward line that played on Saturday gave a dashing display, the surprise being the good work at centre-forward of Miss Maule. It is difficult to say whether Miss Foreman would have surpassed this Training College player on the day, although I am fully aware of the magnificent understanding among the Wilkins-Foreman-Harper trio. Had Miss Foreman been available she might have brought victory to Wellington, for there are few centre-forwards, if any, in the Dominion to surpass her. However, the scoring honours went to Miss Maule and Miss Harper, both of whom saved their team from defeat. Miss Anne Gleeson on the wing, was superb, sending along some snappy passes that rarely went wanting.. It was from one of these that Wellington scored. Miss Hunt on the other wing was just as brilliant, getting through great work, despite the fact she was nursing an injury. Miss May Wilkins at inner, gave her usual excellent display that enabled Wellington to take the lead, which, however, it could not maintain. One of the proudest women in Wellington to-day is Miss Wilkins, captain of the team. It was her shrewd hockey knowledge and leadership that placed her team in possession of the K Cup. All hockey enthusiasts will join in extending hearty congratulations to the members of the team on their wonderful achievement, not forgetting the selector, Miss Hilda A. Kitto.

The tussle between the two junior teams did not prove particularly exhiliaratiug, and on the day’s (flay, Southland B were somewhat fortunate in making a draw of the game. The Otago forwards were a clever quintet, their stick work being of a high order and repeatedly they penetrated right through to assail the Maroons’ danger zone. Mehaffey gave a good account of himself in Southland’s goal and more should be heard of him in the future. Some of his saves were smart efforts and the High School lad was always alert. Morgan was the better of the two full-backs and stemmed many a dangerous looking Otago movement. Gee seemed somewhat uncertain in the early stages of the game, his clearing not always being crisp and he has given better displays in ,club games. However, this was his first rep. game and no doubt the experience he has now gained will stand him in good stead in the future. Hope was the pick of the halves and, having regard to the fact that the present season is his first at hockey, he has gone ahead like a house on fire and he worked hard throughout the game. Hobson was disappointing, his clearing at times being distinctly weak, but both Hamilton and he livened up considerably in the second spell and gave Hope a greater measure of support to which he was entitled to look. As an attacking unit, the Southland vanguard were not at all impressive and were undoubtedly eclipsed by their more experienced opponents. The Maroon forwards were handicapped through not sufficiently securing the ball from their halves but, even when the vanguard did engineer a likely movement, they found it extremely difficult to pass the visitors’ full-backs, Grant and Barber, both of whom gave a sound display.