K CUP RETURNS TO GORE FOR EIGHTH TIME

Southland Times, Issue 23610, 10 September 1938, Page 15

K CUP RETURNS TO GORE FOR EIGHTH TIME

By beating Ashburton in the final of the Dominion women’s hockey tournament at Gisborne last Saturday, Eastern Southland won the K Cup for the fifth time in succession and for the eighth time in the last nine years. The team scored 43 goals at this year’s tournament and had only two goals scored against it—a fine record.

Since winning the trophy at Invercargill in 1930, Eastern Southland teams have been beaten only once for the title. They have scored approximately 350 goals and have had no more than a dozen scored against them. The fact that this year’s side had six new players in its ranks says a great deal for the high standard of hockey played in the district.

The team was a firm favourite with the spectators at the tournament who appreciated the combination and clever work of the players. The team was the main attraction of the tournament and whenever it took the field there was always a big crowd in attendance. Although Ashburton was not expected to have a chance of winning the final, it gave a surprisingly good display, keeping the game' fast and open. Eastern had the game in hand throughout, however, and maintained a territorial advantage from the beginning of play. An analysis of the number of shots stopped by the Ashburton goalkeeper, Miss A. Lowe, revealed that she blocked and cleared on no fewer than 30 occasions, and the ball beat her eight times. Miss Lowe was warmly applauded by the crowd for her performance. The weather was not of the best during the tournament, rain falling every afternoon after mornings of sunshine. The grounds kept in fairly good condition, however. The hockey visitors were well entertained, a feature being the programme staged by the Gisborne Savage Club, which extended an invitation to a korero. After its final win the team entertained its manager-coach and chaperon, Mr and Mrs G. C. Hamilton, ai d at this function Mr Hamilton announced that he would be retiring from administration, as it was likely that he and Mrs 'Hamilton would be abroad next season. Mr Hamilton has been manager and coach of the Eastern team for the last 16 years and he has done a great deal in the interests of hockey in the district. It is unfortunate for Eastern that he is retiring and his place will be exremely hard to fill. Before Eastern broke away from Southland Mr Hamilton was a member of the sub-associa-tion and was one of the selectors for Southland. He has been interested in the game for more than 20 years. On his return to Gore this week Mr Hamilton stated that the team had given a wonderful performance at the tournament and that it was equally as good as any team that had left the district.