LADIES' HOCKEY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1329, 17 May 1918, Page 6 (Supplement)

LADIES' HOCKEY.

THE COMPETITION MATCHES. The ladies' . hockey competition matches in Christehurch wore continued last Saturday. The juniors made a modest start with one match, the other one. Normal v. Technical College, having to be postponed on account of its being holiday time at the Normal Training College. Digby's and Sydenham met on the new ground at ITagley Park, and had an even game, the score ending 2 all, which was no doubt more appreciated by Sydenham than the previous one.

A senior game was played on the other ground between Wharenui and Oxford Terrace. It was a fairly easy game for Wharenui, although in the early stages Terrace played remarkably well, ami managed to prevent Wharenui from scoring. The marked improvement came to a sudden climax, however, when M. Drayton received a nasty bump with the ball, and was temporarily disabled. Oxford Terrace's confidence and superior form, which had been noticeable before, now vanished, and the game changcil into a persistent struggle to keep" Wharenui out of the circle, varied occasionally by a few spasmodic rushes on the part of an Oxford Terrace forward. They still have the same old faults, but they are not quite so glaring. The forwards tlo not pass, nor do t-hey keep in line. The player who happens to get the ball sticks to it until it is taken from her, or is hit over the line. She invariably hits the ball too far ahead of her, 'instead of giving it little dribbly taps, and cither hits it most conveniently into the opposing back, or loses it as before mentioned. Seldom are they seen to pass, and if they were guilty there would probably be none + o pass it to^ The halves do not follow up closely behind the forwards as they should, and hardly ever look where they are hitting. The backs are good except when they hit across the goal, and the goalkeeper is also good, but she would bo better if she. kept on her feet, wore a shorter skirt, and cricket pads. Then she would find it, much easier to defend her goal than by the method she now uses. When the ball is stopped by kneeling down it is so awkward to get it, away in that position, and if the backs had not repeatedly come to the rescue on Saturday the Wharenui forwards would have pushed the ball in as they rushed on. That method may be successful against some teams, but seldom when there is a line of fast forwards to beat. By keeping in a standing position a goalkeeper has her feet as well as her stick at her service, and her limbs have perfect freedom of movement.

The game was too' easy to bring out tin Wharenui girls' real capabilities, but to-morrow they "will need them all when they play Waimairi', who are said to be very strong this year in spite of depletion in their ranks. Wharenui will no doubt prove a good match for them, and a very fine game should result. Tt will be played on the Papanui Recreation Ground.

If Ngaio had built any very high castles in the air regarding their game with Waimairi last Saturday, they soon fell to earth, as Waimairi were much too strong. As the score mounted up the losers' defenders became disheartened, and there is never much hope for a team then; so Waimairi just romped home. Technical College put up a pluelcy light against Digby's, the score at halftime standing at 2 —l; but their dash diminished in the second half, while the score rose to 5 for Digby's, and Technical College's remained at their modest 1.