WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Southland Times, Issue 25301, 3 June 1935, Page 4

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

LOCAL, COMPETITION COLLEGIATE DEFEAT TECHNICAL In fine weather and under good ground conditions, the Southland Women’s Hockey Association’s competition was advanced a further stage on Saturday afternoon. Technical College did not field their strongest side against Collegiate, who, proving too strong in all departments for their opponents, won comfortably by 13 goals to nil. The young College girls fought pluekily against heavy odds and, as was but natural, experience and superior combination told their. inevitable tale. In the ranks of the losing eleven, however, were quite a few individual players each of whom shows promise for the future. E. Sinclair played well pn the Technical left flank, while M. Thomas, as centre-forward, put in some bright work on attack but was not always as strongly supported by her vanguard as she might have been. V. Millard showed up on occasions as an aggressive left inner, while J. Hansen was the pick of a young rearguard which held the dashing Collegiate forward line fairly well. E. McDonald gave almost an inspiring display between the Technical posts. Collegiate, who were without the services of Nola Bell, showed many bright glimpses of combined work. E. Bell, centre forward, played an aggressive game throughout and was well backed up by her forwards and halves. The Collegiate scorers were Edna Bell (8), I. Rewcastle (4) and D. Gray (1). Messrs J. M. Davies and A. Kidd controlled the game. The teams were as follows:— Collegiate: E. Belsham; T. James, J. Jack; H. Myers, M. McLeod; P. Steans, D. Gray, E. Bell, I. Rewcastle, P. Wilson. Technical College: E. McDonald; A. Bateman, J. Hansen; L. Birch, P. Birch, I. Tuffery; J. Hemmings, L. Frame, W. Thomas, V. Millard, E. Sinclair. United Default. Owing to the holiday week-end, United could not manage to field a team and Union thus registered a win by default. A practice game was then arranged among the players. SOUTHERN DISTRICT. TWO INTERESTING GAMES. The Southern Sub-Association’s competition was advanced a further stage on Saturday afternoon when, in fine weather, Oteramika met Gorge Road at Oteramika while Kapuka played Tokanui at Kapuka. The Oleramika-Gorge Road match proved interesting throughout and play was fairly fast. In the first spell Gorge Road had a 2—l ascendancy but the second spell saw Oteramika equalize. Both elevens tried hard to gain the winning margin but. a hard-fought game ended in-a draw. In both teams were several promising young players who, as the season advances, should show a considerable improvement in the standard of their work and challenge strongly for representative ranking. Gorge Road had two hard-hitting full-backs in J. Gray (left) and B. McCallum (right), the last-named being especially dependable. J. Gray put in some sound defensive work but, as in the Town v. Southern game, she still showed a tendency Ho speculate at times and sent the ball across the centre of the field from the flank instead of either finding touch or giving the leather to the inner or winger. B. McCallum again impressed and proved as versatile a full-back as a half-back. R. Kevern, whose position is generally right wing, played as centre half for Gorge Road and, though inclined to be on the slow side occasionally for this position, put in some effective work both on attack and defence. M. Johnston (centre forward) showed aggressiveness and pace, particularly in the loose, and, when she can finish off her movements to better advantage, should prove a dashing player. The Oteramika right wing put in some good efforts on the flank while Miss Nicol and E. Perriam were useful links in a forward line which, however, found difficulty in pentrating the fairly strong Gorge Road defence. Some of the backs on both sides showed a disinclination to rush in and tackle their opponents who were thus given splendid opportunities for shooting when within striking distance. Messrs Curran and Hodge were the referees. Tokanui defeat Kapuka.

Much interest was taken in the game between Tokanui and Kapuka at Kapuka, a large number of sideliners witnessing a well-contested match which ended in favour of Tokanui by two goals to nil. The half-time score was one-nil, Ruby Leith finding the net. For the first quarter of an hour in the second spell Tokanui maintained the territorial advantage and M. McEwan broke clean away to add another goal. Shortly afterwards, J. Hagen initiated another dangerous-looking rush but O. McMillan ran out to boot the ball to safety. M. McEwan then went back to right full-back. Kapuka set up a series of aggressive vanguard sorties which had Tokanui defending strenuously. On one occasion, Miss Falconer led a good combined attack but, though she shot when in a handy position, failed to goal. L. McNatty showed up as Tokanui’s left full-back in clearing strongly in the face of Kapuka vanguard attacks and M. Valli gained ground on the left flank but could not centre in in time to her inside forwards. Back came Kapuka but, on at least two occasions, golden opportunities to score were lost through poor shooting. Tokanui were on the offensive again when time sounded soon afterwards. I. Baxter, Kapuka’s left full-back, gave a display in the rearguard and was difficult to evade. She shows distinct promise and more should be heard of her work later in the season. E. Swale (centre half) put in some solid defensive work in the face of Tokanui sorties. , R. Leith (Tokanui’s centre half) is another young player who will undoubtedly develop. She seemed fairly fast in that position, and anticipates the run of the play well, while she infused a certain amount of dash into her work. M. McEwan figured in some spectacular solo bursts while J. Hagen, as right wing, was always in the limelight. She has a good reserve of speed and several of her team’s attacking movements resulted from. her enterprise on the flank. M. Valli, on the opposite wing, did not receive many opportunities to show her capabilities. She tackled back well, however, when beaten for the ball, and gained ground on the flank but, like most of the left wings at present, appears to encounter much difficulty in sending in her centres when on the run down the flank. L. McNatty, as left full-back, put in some sound defensive work in the Tokanui rearguard.