HOCKEY

Southland Times, Issue 22039, 12 June 1933, Page 5

HOCKEY

SATURDAY’S GAMES. TWO CLOSELY-FOUGHT MATCHES. The grounds at Queen’s Park were in a good condition and the weather was fine on Saturday afternoon when the men’s hockey competitions were advanced a further stage and the commencing games of the revised ladies grades were played. MEN’S SECTION. COLLEGIATE A’S FIRST DEFEAT. BEATEN BY SERVICE.

Keen interest .was taken in the A grade men’s match between Collegiate A and Civil Service A, and after a keenly-fought game in which play was on the ragged side, Service gained the day by two goals to one. At the outset, each eleven seemed keyed up to a pitch of nervousness over the importance of the game, but later the players settled down to a keen and fairly fast battle for supremacy. The teams were:— Civil Service A.—V. Taylor; Deacon, Gee; Mackley, Hope, Vik; Rennick, Taylor, McKelvie, G. Anderson, Sounness - , 1 Collegiate A,—N. Poole; Hodgson, Tiplady; Rigby, Lindsay, Stirling; Wills, V. Poole, Boyd, Chisholm, Shields. Even play characterized the opening stages until Shields centred well to put Collegiate on attack. Service conceded a comor, but Boyd was slow in taking the hit and play swung back to midfield. Sounness gained considerable ground on the left flank before he was pulled up by Rigby and the Collegiate centre-half sent Chisholm away in a solo dash right to the edge of the circle. Gee cleared, but again Collegiate attacked determinedly and Service conceded a comer, from which Taylor was called upon to clear. Finally Vik relieved the situation by sending the ball to midfield where Anderson secured only to find himself robbed by Rigby. The Collegiate vanguard surged into their opponents’ circle and, from a comer, Boyd drew first blood with a hot shot. Collegiate A 1, Civil Service A 0. Service set up a hot counter-attack, Hope sending Anderson and McKelvie away in a good combined movement. The ball came out to Rennick who beat Tiplady and centred. Poole cleared at the expense of a corner and a tussle took place in front of the goal-mouth, Anderson, amid excitement, equalizing. Collegiate A 1, Civil Service A 1. Play travelled up and down the field at a fairly fast pace. Lindsay, when holding up Sounness at a dangerous moment gave sticks, and McKelvie was unlucky not to score from the comer hit. Just on half-time, Boyd, receiving from Wills, reached the Service Circle. Hope, just at the critical moment, brilliantly saved an almost certain goal and Deacon cleared well.

Collegiate showed more cohesion in their work in the early part of the second spell and pressed Service hard for several minutes. Chisholm, with clever stick work, reached the circle when he received from Shields, but Vik came to hand just in time to clear well. A free hit for undercutting a moment later again saw Collagiate attacking, but Deacon was too safe. Stirling sent his forward away in a combined movement that reached the circle. Mackley, however, it was who on this occasion proved sound. Sounness looked dangerous when he dashed down the wing, but he lost possession to Hodgson who cleared to Lindsay, Wills, receiving, sent to Boyd, who failed to pick up the ball. Anderson, Taylor and McKelvie carried play into their opponents’ 25 and then into the circle where Poole ran out and cleared. Then V. Poole was unlucky not to score shortly afterwards when he darted into the Service circle after Boyd had shot, but the ball rolled over the backline. The winning goal was scored by Sounness who, receiving from McKelvie after a good run by the centre forward and Taylor, beat Poole to find the net. Service 2, Collegiate 1. Collegiate made strenuous efforts to equalize and, although in the dying stages of the game Service were forced to concede two corners, the fianal whistle saw no alteration in the score. Messrs F. Hinton and J. M. Davies controlled the game.

CIVIL SERVICE B (3) v. CENTRAL (2) After a fairly even, though ragged, game, Civil Service B defeated Central by three goals to two. For the winners, Attley (2) and C. Anderson (1) goaled, while Barham (2) gained Central’s goals. HIGH SCHOOL (8) v. TECHNICAL B (0). Better positional play and combination among the forwards of the High School B team told their inevitable tale in the game against Technical B, who were defeated by eight goals to nil. Anderson (4), Scott (1), Gray (1), McKeever (1) and McChesney (1), netted for the winners. A good display between the posts was given by the Technical goalie. MATCH AT RIVERTON. Playing at Riverton, in the B grade competition, Riverton defeated Collegiate C by eight goals to two in a game which was far more even than that score might seem to indicate. Walker (4), Fraser (2), and Liddle (2) goaled for the winners. TECHNICAL v. CENTRAL C. In the first spell of the match between Technical A and Central C, the former eleven put up a good showing, but they tired after half-time. The game ended in favour of Central by five goals to two. CENTRAL A v. COLLEGIATE B. Though playing short, Central A were superior over Collegiate B by six goals to one. Lockhart (4), McLean (1), and Hughes (1), goaled for Central and McGavin (1) for Collegiate. LADIES’ SECTION. COLLEGIATE DEFEAT UNION. The main attraction in the ladies’ section was the first grade match between Union and Collegiate A, the latter gaining a victory by three goals to nil. The only game in the B grade, that between Ex-High B v. Collegiate B, was, in effect, a practice one, for the former, being unable to assemble a team, defaulted to their opponents. However, scratch elevens were arranged and the players indulged in a friendly match. The bye teams in the A and B grades respectively, Ex-High A and Technical College, also had a practice match, the former winning by 11 goals to nil, the half-time score being 5-nil. Although so comfortably defeated, the Technical players gave a much improved showing and stood up well to their more experienced and elder players. For the winners, L. Heaps (5), L. Fraser (3), M. White (2) and Z. Smith (1) goaled. COLLEGIATE v. UNION. Though Collegiate defeated Union by three goals to nil, the game between the two elevens, far more even than that

score might seem to indicate, was closely contested throughout. In the main, however, play was decidedly ragged and the standard of work not particularly exhilarating. The match was always interesting, but the movements launched by each team were more in the nature of individual, rather than of combined effort. The Collegiate vanguard showed more cohesion than did the opposing forward line, but the individual work of the Union forwards somewhat made up this leeway. The Union backs, however, were not impressive and the rearguard would have suffered considerably in comparison with that of Collegiate had it not been for the sound defensive work of V. Robb, who played an outstanding game. She bore upon her capable shoulders her own burden and a goodly portion of that of her mates and rushed from one flank to the other to stem the attacks. The Union goalie, too, E. Murray, gave another bright display between the posts, some of her saves being excellent, while O. Stott, the Collegiate custodian, was likewise right on her game and she, too, cleared well some hot shots. B. Robb has played much better games and, though she certainly sparkled up in the second spell, her perfonnance before half-time was disappointing. M. Balch proved an aggressive centreforward who had a certain measure of bad luck in not being able to press home several likely rushes led by her. M. Sandri showed an improvement, while V. McKenzie (left winger) was always potentially dangerous. E. Darlison put in some good work with M. Balch, but E. Todd, whose positional play was at fault, has been seen to better advantage. The Collegiate fullbacks, M. Dawson and K. Breen, had plenty to do and came through their task with credit while, as a unit, the Green half-line was generally safe. E. Bell (centre-forward) appears to be right on form and she gave a bright display, while Edna Smith, too, was another forward who was always prominent.

The teams were as follows:— Union:—E. Murray; K. Wright, K. Hodgetts; V. Robb, B. O’Shannessey, B. Robb; E. Darlison, E. Todd, M. Balch, M. Sandri, V. McKenzie. Collegiate A:—O. Stott; M. Dawson, K. Breen; M. Smith, B. Thomas, H. Myers; M. Mclntyre, E. Smith, E. Bell, I. Rewcastle, D. Gray. Union maintained a territorial advantage at the outset, M. Sandri leading an attack with V. McKenzie in close support. K. Breen, however, pulled up the movement but, Union continuing to press, Collegiate conceded a corner. B. Thomas cleared temporarily, only to see M. Balch aggressive again and M. Dawson saved once more at the expense of a comer. The ball came out to M. Sandri, whose shot was well saved by O. Stott. I. Rewcastle then changed the scene of play with a dash and, with D. Gray in close support, led the first real Collegiate movement into their opponents’ territory. H. Myers and M. Smith were prominent in sound defensive work when, V. Robb having cleared to M. Balch, the centre-forward looked dangerous. The Collegiate forwards, led by E. Bell, launched a counter-attack which broke down, howe-rr, at B. Robb’s stick. She sent to E. Todd, to M. Balch, and the pivot tricked the defence to pass in to the circle. The ball came out to M. Sandri, who gave “sticks” just at the critical moment and a good chance was lost. B. Thomas then let I. Rewcastle break away to beat K. Hodgetts, but an infringement in the circle play brought much-needed relief to Union. Twice M. Balch broke clear, only to find herself poorly supported, and then E. Bell, evading the Union halves, sent a hot pass to M. Mclntyre. The winger picked up the ball well and entered the circle where, amid excitement, E. Murray, the Union goalie, saved well just as E. Bell was bursting almost into the goalmouth. Good work by E. Smith let E. Bell obtain the ball shortly afterwards in a good position and, with neat stickwork, the centre-forward tricked the defence to score. Collegiate 1, Union 0. Play continued to be fast and fairly even, M. Dawson showing up in the Collegiate rearguard when first M. Balch, and then V. McKenzie, E. Darlison and M. Sandri. pressed, while E. Bell, in turn, invaded the Union circle only to see E. Murray again save an almost certain goal at the expense of a comer. B. O’Shannessey sent M. Balch away in a good solo burst, but the ball was travelling too fast and her shot went wide, another good chance being lost. Almost immediately afterwards, M. Balch burst through again, O. Stott saving in good style her hot shot at the expense of a comer. The ball came out to M. Sandri, who darted in, but again O. Stott just managed to kick clear in time. Yellows pressed determinedly and the Collegiate backs had their hands full. Ultimately B. Thomas cleared and though, just on half-time, E. Darlison led another Union attack, H. Myers repulsed the movement. The second spell was also sternly contested and play ranged up and downfield alternately. Good work by E. Darlison put Union on attack and the ball came to M. Balch, to V. McKenzie, who actually netted, but was offside. Collegiate then took a turn at attack, V. Robb being always prominent in repeatedly repulsing the Green forwards. Ultimately E. Smith, handy in the circle, secured and, unmarked, sent in a hot shot which the goalie saved well, but shortly afterwards E. Smith sent to E. Bell, who found the net. Collegiate 2, Union 0. The Union forwards swept upfield, following a good clearing hit by K. Hodgetts, to harass the Collegiate rearguard. M. Smith relieved to halfway, only to see V McKenzie gain ground on the left wing, but no one was at hand and the situation was saved at the expense of a corner. M. Balch then came through and again another corner was conceded. For several minutes Union kept up the pressure, but the defence stood stout. Then the Collegiate vanguard became aggressive and, following, a weak clearing hit by one of the Union backs, E. Bell secured the ball to goal with a hot shot. Collegiate 3, Union 0. In the dying stages of the game, Union launched a series of onslaughts and their opponents conceded four comers in close succession. The Yellow forwards, however, could not press home their hard-won advantages and play returned down-field. First V. McKenzie, and then M. Balch, beat the defence, the former’s shot being saved when O. Stott rushed out and the latter’s just missing the net, the game thus ending, Collegiate 3, Union 0. Mr L. Holmes controlled the game.