BRIGHT PROSPECTS FOR HOCKEY SEASON

Southland Times, Issue 24109, 24 April 1940, Page 11

BRIGHT PROSPECTS FOR HOCKEY SEASON

By

CENTRE-FORWARD

Although the men’s hockey played at Queen’s Park on Saturday could not be described as outstanding, the standard was sufficiently high to indicate another good season. At the start of a new season players are rarely properly fit and it is not to be expected that they will produce their best form. On Saturday, however, there was some good individual play and the keenness of the teams, if it is maintained throughout the season, should help to ensure a successful hockey year. Central A’s victory over Central B came as no surprise as it was not expected that the B team would extend the other. Not that Central B is a weak team; it is made up of promising and keen players, but as the Central Club’s most experienced members are in the A team, Central B really belongs to the intermediate grade and would probably do better if it competed in that grade. On Saturday Central B put up a very good showing, but was no match against the older and more experienced A team. There is much good material to be developed in Central B. The. first matches of the season confirmed the belief that the prospects for the new hockey season were bright. There were several new players and as very few have left the ranks recently, the sport will not have depleted teams with which to start the season. Central has already lost one valuable member in K. Lythgoe, who expects to go into camp very soon. As a fullback Lythgoe has been a tower of strength to his club for many years and there is no doubt that his services will be greatly missed. He has offered his services for a much more worthy cause, however, and he will leave with the best wishes of hockey players and followers of the game in Invercargill. Another player who has joined the forces is N. Moffett, who is with the 2nd Echelon. Several players in Saturday’s matches showed promise, although it is rather early to sum up the individual merits of the teams. B. Fredric gave a good exhibition in goal for Central B and but for his many good saves the score of Central A would probably have been higher. Fredric would not disgrace any senior side.

J. Harvey is a new recruit to the Central Club and his first appearance

was very promising. By concentrating on positional play Harvey should develop into a player of no small ability. He has a reasonably sound knowledge of tactics and his progress this season should be interesting to watch. Another player who made his first appearance in club hockey in Invercargill on Saturday is A. Osman, a member of the Courthouse staff, who was transferred from Gore some months ago. He played at Gore for one season and will strengthen Central A. Like Harvey, he will need to concentrate on positional play and with experience he should prove an asset to the team. It would seem that I. Speirs, T. Hennessey, W. Semmens and B. Lowe will form the backbone of the Central A team this year, with the addition of several newcomers, including L. Fyffe, Taylor, Osman and Gunn. Gunn has shown a wonderful improvement during the last season or two and his stick work on Saturday was always good. Central A has all the prospects of a good senior eleven. The other senior game on Saturday, in which Civil Service scored a narrow victory over Collegiate, was productive of some good play and, from a spectator’s point of view at least, it was quite the best game of the day. There was not a great deal between the two teams and the match was keenly contested. Both teams will need to be reckoned with in the senior competition and the contest for hockey supremacy this year will doubtlessly be keen. I. Campbell gave a good exhibition on Saturday and proved a prolific scorer. As centre-forward for Civil Service Campbell is in the right position, and his play in the last few seasons has improved wonderfully. Ruthven and Rennick played well in the back division and W. Barraclough served his team well in the goalmouth. The Collegiate side was a strong one and it would be difficult to sort out any particular forward as outstanding. They combined well and put up a good showing against Civil Service, especially in the second half. It is understood that E. Booth is soon to be lost to hockey in Invercargill as he is being transferred north, and his services will be missed very much.