HOCKEY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 114, 19 June 1914, Page 2

HOCKEY.

NEWS AND NOTES. Now that the competitions have gone through six days' play, one is able to get a good idea 'which teams will be.left in the run for supremacy. Sydenham A and Addington are unbeaten in the first grade, with Selwyn, who have not yet had their bye, close up. In the. second grade a keen struggle may be, anticipated. Selwyn, Sydenham A, and Sydenham': •!$• are all unbeaten, while Bible' Class, are a mere point behind. The wyn and Sydenham .Bis forward to with much., interest, and the following Saturday- the two Sydenham teams meet. In the third grade competition Selwyn have scored the possible number of points/ and' are closely followed by Oxford Terrace and Riccarton Guild.The fourth grade, competition is being very evenly. contested, Te Whaka, Selwyn arid Woolston being all in the funning. The,' final of the fifth'grade, will be fought-put between Oxford-Terrace and -.Technical College,- Sydenham arid Selwyn. .;, *:-...:'

Last Saturday the. competitions, were continued in wretched weather,- and equally bad grounds. Oxford Terrace created a surprise by drawing with the unbeaten A'ddingtonites, while Selwyn went under to U.R.C. That, promising combination, East Belt, gave' Sydenham A a good, run, while the Second. Sydenham .team collected its first scalp, at the expense of Ghristchurch. East Belt once more proved that they are a power to be reckoned with, and gave Sydenham A a really good "go." The latter was certainly the best team, but nevertheless it is to the credit of East Belt that they were able .to extend •the:blues,as,they did. .

[ Robb ;played'the first spell at right back, but was a failure; he, however, 1 played ■ very ■ safely; after ■ he' took' up his old position' between the. posts.' Chambers gave a good exhibition -of goalkeeping iri the first spell, his mighty drives getting his side -out of 'several awkward corners. Sherwood- as usual played splendid hockey; at' all times using his head effectively. A pleasing feature of his play is-to* notiee how, when in a 'tight corner, 'he-' hot attempt to send the ball' On' to 1 his forwards, but jnst taps it ori to his half^'Who 1 does the rest. The" half-line' worked' splendidly, Duffield pl&yirig an exceptionally'fijie game, and : his cutting arid' passing le'ft .little to be Snell jjlayed' one 'eff jhis 4 best games of the season. He 1 has, a very useful habit of' relieving an opr, ponent of the ball and sending it on to his fpywairds; he mixed the direction of his passes riicely. The forward line, while going well, are capable of a much better performance, land would have given One, too, had the: ground been dry. Patrick used his; stick' in accepting passes cleverly, ;i but he is incliried use only one hand,,too riiuc.h. [Hulbert <ndt ,s.o good as usual; he could pass to Throp, and Hawkins a< ii'ttle oftener than he does. Throp notched a couple more goals in his usual , breezy style.; he was the best ,bf the, line on the !clay's play. .Hawkins continues to improve, and .on Saturday last he gave a finished display., Biis goal was a, brilliant effor ( t, and reminded one of the two goals scored by Southland at Sydenham, last,year. ,'His chances of representative honours are increasing , every match. r Congreye, in goal for East Belt> had few,, chances. ,of distinguishing .himself, 'the goals, registered against him all be : ing of the hot order'.. Hardy and Lomas defen'ded in gp,p,d. style, ; but ijb. is seldom that they look where they are hitl&rig—the mere getting rid of the ball is more important to them. They still manage to lift the ball Oecasiorially. Lomas has a' bad practice of swinging his arm roririd the 1 rieck of the first man he comes if'he is falling He should also reinember iMt there is Only one captain iri a teairi kn& that he will say all that is to be sjtid.' Btirrows was easily the best of the half lifie; his play is pretty to watch, always smiart, clean and happy. He has a great future before him if he can eOritinue to ihiprove as he has done since the beginning of the season; J.. Hale sieeriied to get very little work, repeatedly : he would be 1 in the act of receiving or hitting a ball, when in would comfe Duffield, much to Hales's annoyance. The Belt forwards have a lpt to learri when it comes to circle work. Their shooting on Saturday was very " ordinary." H. 'Hale made many openings, but spoilt them through failing to pass, he also uses one hand too frequently. Brown played well in the first spell, but why be was shifted from his usual: position takes some explaining. The match between Addington and Oxford Terrace was played at St. Albans Park ori a ground hardly fit for ' decent hockey, being badly cut about by the fifth grade teams which played their inatch beforehand. ' Terrace unexpectedly drew with their formidable opponents. The first goal was caused by a mistake by Moretori letting the Terrace forwards through, which resulted in Whyte goaling. The blacks however equalised before half-time, with a good forward rush in which Campbell scored.

The second spell was more willing, especially in the/talking and obstructing lirie. For the greater part of the spell'the blacks were attacking, Grammar shooting two goals, but was penalised both time's for sticks. '/.''' Of the backs, Moreton did not give his usual performance, the wet ground seemed to be troubling him. Teiripleton gave a very'pleasing exhibition, doubtless his'being accustomed to the ground helped him. considerably. Sepie played his usual safe game; he did excellent work considering the conditions; he received able support front Arnold and Calvert. The latter pair must get rid of the ball quicker than they do. Of the forwards' Chappell, Grammar/and Wilson all played well. Grammar riiust learn to shoot goals Avithout giving stick. ' '"

' Drayton in goal for Terrace played a splendid game; he stopped several really hot ones. Velvin was the pick of' the backs, but must get out of that habit of turning on a man. The sarne may be said of M'Cullough. Stillwell played a heady game at half. I expect to hear something of hinv in the riear future. It would be difficult to single any forward l out for special mention, they" all being about on- a par.; but it is

about time that Whyte and Drayton—the former in particular —studied the offside rule. They were repeatedly offside" last Saturday.: That the C.H.A. is determined to put down anything in the nature of rbiigh play and" bad language, is evidenced by the fact that two ;Te Whaka juniors have been disqualified —one until the end of this season and the other until the end of the, 1915). season for this offence. • •'"--'

The .Southland HSA. are evidently keen ori\ .a visit from Canterbury, as they have' written jap asking for the date: ,of»\ match. ; , '• • The Shield team ; will leave Christchurch on "August 'A, and retuim on August 11. -rj The team will comprise eleven x placers, two [ emergencies, man-, ager and referee, making 'fifteen meii all told.

Pi Btollaud, who played for Sydenham Thursday Seniqrs last year, is at present playing in Napier. The meeting of U.R.C. and Sydenham A to-morrow should draw a fair crowd of spectators, j The; game is bound to be a willing;,"bb»" ; ,At the same time Selwyn might] I^oll the sur--pri§e of/- their! il'ives -at the Addington Reserve, 1 if; th« ground is in any- \ I,