NEW ZEALAND WINS TEST

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1934, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND WINS TEST

AUSTRALIAN HOCKEY GAME HEAVY RAIN THROUGHOUT MATCH. STAN BETTS SCORES ONE GOAL. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. Heavy rain did much to mar the hockey test match between Australia and New Zealand on Saturday, falling without cessation throughout the game and making the ground very slippery. Despite the conditions a crowd of about 5000 witnessed an exciting display, the game being won by New Zealand by 5 goals to 3. The first spell and half of the second provided good, though not particularly brilliant, hockey, but the final stages of the game made up for any dull moments in the earlier part, goals coming quickly.

At the commencement Australia appeared the stronger team, but as the game wore on New Zealand became more quickly accustomed to the condi-: tions and 'showed more thrust and slightly better combination. Early in the game the New Zealand forwards took the ball through for Watts to score, and before long the same player again found the net, both times beating the defence cleverly. For the remainder of the spell the game fluctuated from one end to the other, but excellent defence by both sets of backs rendered the efforts of the forwards useless. For the first half of the second spell the teams were struggling against the conditions and good defence. For Australia the left back, Rothwell, saved cleverly time and again, and was the better of the pair, though Elliott also showed good form. Of the New Zealand backs Ewan was slightly better. About half-way through the spell Hayter opened the scoring for Australia, and in the succeeding five minutes no fewer than four goals were scored. Immediately after Australia’s score the New Zealand team forced the pace and- beat the visitors’ defence easily. Wellboume scored an excellent goal, and within a minute New Zealand had returned for Watts to secure his third goal. Australia also showed a decided improvement at this stage, and the forwards swept through twice in rapid succession for Allen to score on each occasion, making the score 4-3 in favour of New Zealand. For a time there was little incident of note, Australia doing its best to score an equalising goal and New Zealand defending stubbornly. Eventually New Zealand wore down the defence and Betts went through to put his side two' goals ahead, time being called a few minutes later with Australia threatening the New Zealand goal. New Zealand 5 Australia 3 EASTERN CHAMPION TEAM WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT ENDS. MARLBOROUGH BEATEN 1 IN FINAL. Christchurch, Last Night. The final match of the New Zealand women’s hockey tournament was played on Saturday as a curtain-raiser to the inter-provincial Rugby football match between Canterbury and Wairarapa. Eastern Southland A beat Marlborough in a closely contested and keen game by 3 goals to 1. The weather was ideal and the ground in perfect order. Eastern scored from a movement originating at the first bully. -After a short scramble in the Marlborough circle, M. Sherriff netted with a back hand shot. Play was even for a long time, with each side attacking in turn. Eastern had a penalty corner, from which R. Drake cleared for Marlborough, but M. Nicol and M. White came back, and a neat centre gave H. Reid an opportunity to net with a simple shot.. Half-time came with Eastern leading 2-0. Eastern attacked at once after the interval. .The. first attack was arrested through off-side play, but Eastern came again and K. Bond scored with a shot into the top of the net. Marlborough’s only goal came from a smart centre by B. Mills in Eastern’s twenty-five. Her shot went hard across the field to G. Woolley, who went in and netted from Marlborough’s right wing. Marlborough was defending for most of the remainder of the play. <