WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Southland Times, Issue 23841, 12 June 1939, Page 4

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

COMPETITION GAMES CONTINUED HIGH STANDARD OF PLAY The Southland Women’s Hockey Association’s competition was continued on the Queen’s Park ground on Saturday in fine weather. In contrast with the matches the previous Saturday the two games were closely contested, and there was a decided improvement in the form of all the teams. Invercargill beat Technical by one goal to nil, and Col- | legiate was beaten by Ex-High by four goals to three. IMPROVED PLAY BY TECHNICAL INVERCARGILL WINS BY ONE TO NIL The match between Technical and Invercargill was a closely fought contest, Invercargill winning by one goal to nil, scored in the second half. Technical showed a pronounced improvement in the forward line, which played a much better game than on the previous Saturday. Technical’s stick play was better than that of Invercargill, but Invercargill was stronger in attack, and showed more experience in tactics than the younger team. The teams were: TECHNICAL: J. Warnecke, L. Cook, J. Macgregor, P. Hemmings, E. Edwards, C. Birch, S. Monk, R. Watson, A. Shaw, O. Hemmings, M. Turnbull. INVERCARGILL: A. Smith, F. Fulston, M. Kelly, H. Sandri, M. Elliotte, I H. Eunson, R. Hutson, D. Mulvey, G. Tomlins, P. Hall, L. Maddock. Invercargill attacked from the bully off, and carried play into the Technical 25, but good defensive work enabled Technical to clear. A swift rush down the line saw the Invercargill backs momentarily on the defensive, but a counter attack relieved the pressure. A. Shaw, the Technical centre forward and captain, made a break into the Invercargill goal, but the ball was deflected just outside the post. There was no score at half-time. Some fast stick work by H. Eunson in the second half placed Invercargill in a strong position, but the Technical defence was good, and the attackers were unable to complete the movement. A few minutes later, however, G. Tomlins, the Invercargill inside left, led a. forward attack from 25 yards, and slipped through to score. Invercargill 1; Technical 0. , Invercargill continued to attack, ana M. Kelly figured in some splendid passing rushes. M. Elliotte got away in a rush down the line, and looked like scoring, but was too slow in reversing her stick, and lost possession of the ball. Technical retaliated, and made a desperate effort to score, but the Invercargill defence was too strong, and when the final whistle sounded the scores remained: Invercargill 1; Technical 0 Messrs H. Kelly and L. Holmes were the umpires. EX-HIGH DEFEATS COLLEGIATE WELL-CONTESTED GAME S The match between Ex-High and Collegiate, the strongest teams in the competition, was a fairly eventful one, and provided periods of bright play by both sides. The issue was in doubt all the way until the end of the game, ExHigh’ winning by four goals to three. For Ex-High O. Taylor, inside left, played a splendid game, and E. Fox and L. Purvis were also conspicuous in attack. D. Gray was the outstanding player for Collegiate, and A. Bateman, the goalie, made some good saves. The teams were: COLLEGIATE: A. Bateman, P. Milliard, R. Stewart, M. McLeod, N. Rich-, mond, O. Butler, F. Watt, D. Gray, J. Hemmings, R. Davies, D. Matheson. EX-HIGH: F. Monk, T. James, E. Fox, K. Westerby, L. Fraser, H. Monk, J. Livingston, M. Ford, L. Purvis, O. Taylor, J. Anderson. A few minutes after the start, ExHigh broke away, and from a melee in front of the Collegiate goal J. Anderson scored with a good shot. Ex-High 1; Collegiate 0. The Collegiate forwards got possession, and there was an attractive display of fast stick work, in which both sides fought for possession of the ball. ExHigh cleared, and a few minutes later O. Taylor sped down the line and netted the ball, making the scores: Ex-High 2; Collegiate o.' Ex-High continued to attack, and the Collegiate goalie, A. Bateman, made a fine save just when it looked as if the attackers were going to get through again. Collegiate then took command of the game, F. Watt running up the line with the ball at her stick, and then passed to D. Gray, who missed with her shot. From a comer a couple of minutes later Collegiate got possession, and D. Gray goaled from a handy position in front of the net, with a fast shot. Ex-High 2; Collegiate 1. Collegiate was playing more strongly by this time. D. Gray led a fast rush tb the other end, with a clear field in front of her, but her shot missed the net and she did not get a second opportunity. There was no further score before half-time.

Collegiate got away well in the beginning of the second half. A shot at an empty net missed, but a moment later a second attempt by D. Gray was successful, making the scores: Ex-High 2; Collegiate 2. Ex-High returned to the attack and carried play to the Collegiate end, where a corner enabled Collegiate to clear. Fast stick work brought Ex-High back once more, and Collegiate was kept on the defensive until D. Gray took her forwards down the line in a bright passing movement which, however, collapsed at the critical moment. The fortunes of war were changing continuously by this time, and both sides were kept on the move at a swift pace. From a scramble in front of the Collegiate goal a well-directed shot by L. Purvis sent the ball into the net, making the scores: Ex-High 3; Collegiate 2. Collegiate answered the challenge with a swift sortie and after several determined efforts D. Gray drove the ball into the net, making the scores equal, three all. Collegiate maintained its attack. and D. Gray and E. Fox raced for the ball, D. Gray gaining possession. Her shot missed, however, and Ex-High cleared, carrying play into the Collegiate circle, where Ex-High scored the deciding goal. The game ended three minutes later with the scores: Ex-High 4; Collegiate 3 The umpires were Messrs H. Kelly and L. Holmes.