HOCKEY BELOW PAR

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 443, 27 August 1928, Page 7

HOCKEY BELOW PAR

MANY TEAMS DEFAULT OLD PLAYER ORDERED OFF I Auckland hockey was in a bad way l on Saturday. Owing, no doubt, to the counter-attractions at Eden Park, several teams defaulted. These included University Whippets and Training College in the senior grade, and several in other grades. Taken all round the matches in the senior grade were below par. All three were closely contested, but the quality of play was not worthy of the time of the season. There was a regrettable incident in the Mount Eden-University game. The centre-forward of the former team, Alexander, was ordered off for striking Don, of Varsity. The Mount Eden team won by 3 goals to 2. , St. Luke’s defeated Otahuhu by goaling in the last half-min-ute after an exciting match of fair quality. The score .was 2—l. North Shore team- beat Somerville Colts by a similar margin after a hot match. As a result of the default of Varsity Whippets, Somerville seniors were given the verdict. Epiphany similarly won from Training College. In the replay girls* match between Y.W.C.A. and Ara.wa., the Y.W. team achieved an easy' win by 4 goals to 0. MOUNT EDEN’S NARROW WIN The first half of the Mount EdenUniversity clash went decidedly in favour of Eden, although the score was two all at the breather. Thereafter the students recovered and gave Eden a good run for it, although they eventually went down. Varsity’s team contained no fewer than five players from lower ranks to fill gaps caused by sickness and holiI days. It was not surprising, therei fore, that the Blues lacked cohesion and understanding for the first half. In view of its handicap, it was remarkable that tho team put up any showing at all. Credit must go to Sparling and Brown, who gave a splendid exhibitions-of defensive play. Winn, in goal, did not “come off.” although his entry into senior hockey was convincing and spectacular some ihree weeks or a month ago. Storry was the best of the halves. Ellison, at centre, was fair. Hay, junr., temporarily elevated, made a very good left wing and worked hard. Taylor, on the other wing, also merited his place. He has a useful turn of speed and that combined with -weight makes him a valuable hustler. His goal was a good effort. Don, Seelen and Hamilton all toiled hard with varying degrees of success. The whole five were disorganised in the earlier stages but settled down later. Bunching was the besetting sin. INDIVIDUALISTS Mount Eden had the advantage of its usual team and at first looked like swamping the opposition. The best hockey was seen in the halves and fullback departments. The forwards degenerated from a combined quintet into a squad of goal-hunters. Rarely has the line played in so selfish a manner. The centre-forward, Alexander, was the worst offender, although he secured all three goals. Perhaps in view of the early weakness of the student team, individual goal-gather-ing was justified. Two of Eden’s team, Kelly and Alexander, indulged in a lot of wild stickwork. ST. LUKE’S v. OTAHUHU In a fast, energetic game, showing flashes of good hockey, St. Luke’s beat Otahuhu by two goals to one, the winning goal being scored in the .last three minutes. St. Luke’s forwards played an excellent game, and pressed huhu hard, almost throughout the match. The Otahuhu backs, however, held them up successfully and excellent work was done by the Otahuhu goalkeeper. The Otahuhu forwards put up a good fight and, when they succeeded in breaking through the enemy’s attack, gave a fine display of passing, the work of F. Gardner, when he got his chance, being particularly noteworthy. In the first half of the game, there were rather too many infringements, but after half-time, both teams settled down and fought out the game to the end. St. Luke’s forwards, for the most part, were too fast for the opposing forwards and the greater part of the play was in the Otahuhu twenty-five, but the good work of the Otahuhu backs kept the score down and very nearly saved the game for their side. OTAHUHU’S FIRST DEFEAT At times the Otahuhu forwards carried out some good passing rushes, but on the whole their combination was poor and St. Luke’s was able to hold up almost all their attacks without much difficulty. The St. Luke’s backs had -very little chance to display their style, but when called upon, they held off Otahuhu’s attack fairly successfully. This is the first time Otahuhu has been beaten this season. The game was well fought out right to the end, and if St. Luke’s deserved to win, Otahuhu put up a fine defence.