HOCKEY AT NEW PLYMOUTH

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1933, Page 5

HOCKEY AT NEW PLYMOUTH

GAMES IN SATURDAY DIVISION. BAD WEATHER SPOILS PLAY. Fierce southerly winds and driving rain made conditions very rough for the Saturday matches of the North Taranaki hockey competition. The ground was rough and the ball was bouncing very uncertainly, so that first-class play was practically out of the question. Nevertheless the standard, in the second game at least, was quite good, and the players certainly showed fitness. New Plymouth Wanderers beat Combined Rangers I—fl, and Territorial Pirates beat Opunake 2—l. - The first game, New Plymouth Wanderers v. Rangers, was scrambling and for the most part uninteresting, though there were occasional bright patches when Wanderers started some really good passing rushes. The teams were:— New Plymouth Wanderers: Wilson, L. Innes, M. Sole, G. Beaven, J. Innes, Booth, Haymer, Ward, Page, Gibbons, R. Wilson. Rangers: Keenan, Groombridge, Purcell, Ewart, Richards, Tiplady, Collett, Vesty, Lightfoot, Baddeley. Mr. Foster refereed. Wanderers attacked from the start and for some minutes held Rangers penned in its own twenty-five, but the state of the ground made accurate passing and hitting almost impossible andjnany good opportunities were wasted. 'Wanderers nevertheless staged several good forward rushes, two in succession being spoiled by off-side play. Lightfoot and Vesty worked their way into the New Plymouth twenty-five, but Sole cleared. Rangers came back to the attack, however, until J. Innes secured and ran down the field to beat Purcell, but he hit too hard, the ball going over the back line. After scrambling play Page got away in a dashing run, but Keenan saved well. Shortly afterwards a forward struggle in the circle resulted in a score by Gibbons. New Plymouth continued on the attack, But there was no change in the scores before time was called. The second game was much better m every way. Despite the wind and the rain play was fast and of a good standard generally. , The teams were:— Territorials: D. McLean, Keenan, Bennett, Williams, Holmes, Treeby, Stephenson, Matthews, Goodwin, Smith, Westwood. Opunake: Taylor, Gordon, Coad, Lee, Henderson, Thayer, Waterhouse, Heidner, Cameron, Northcott, Fitzsimmons. Mr. Page refereed. . For the first ten minutes Opunake held a decided advantage, staging fast forward rushes that always looked dangerous. The Pirates’ full-backs, Bennett and Williams, however, Avere consistently safe. Heidner got away several times at the head of the Opunake forwards, but the ball was bouncing badly and as a result the hitting was inaccurate. Goodwin led Pirates back into Opunake territory, but lost the ball. An Opunake attack was stopped by Treeby, who passed to Goodwin, the ball going out to Mathews and in again. Territorials now definitely took the offensive and several good shots missed the goal narrowly. From a long corner Treeby nearly scored. Williams was putting in some great hits, sending his forwards away a number of times, but Coad was sound on defence and checked them every. time. After half-time Territorials again attacked strongly, but good work by Taylor, in goal, kept the army men away. Two Opunake offensives in succession sent the ball over the back line. From a great forward rush Baddeley centred to Goodwin, who scored Pirates’ first goal. Within two minutes Opunake had equalised, Heidner scoring from a brilliant run. Another hard shot by Williams was carried on by Goodwin up to the circle, but the player threw, away a golden opportunity, the ball going over the bar. Goodwin was successful a moment later, however, giving Pirates a one-point lead. Opunake made a great bid for a draw, but several attempts ran over the back line. The game finished shortly afterwards with the score unchanged.