KAPONGA WINS AGAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1935, Page 8

KAPONGA WINS AGAIN

FIFTH HOCKEY SUCCESS MANAIA BEATEN IN MEN’S FINAL. FINE FORWARD COMBINATION. For the fifth year in succession Kaponga won the senior men’s hockey championship of Taranaki yesterday after a hard tussle with Manaia in the final at Kaponga. Although the class of hockey was not quite up to the standard expected, there was some attractive play, especially among the forwards. The score was 3-0. Kaponga’s forward line has developed combination to an extent rarely seen in Taranaki club hockey, and it brought the results. Manaia put up a splendid fight and there was no score at all until nearly half an hour’s play had gone. In Kaponga's goal McLeod did well, saving neatly time after time. Noonan and Morgan gave him I'ttle cause for anxiety, as both played very sound hockey. Of the halves Evans was the most impressive, his youth and brief experience being considered, and he gave promise of . being a-possible representative. Pascoe, S. Betts and R. Cuff led the forwards, Pascoe and Betts combining really well Payne played a great game for Manaia, some of his saves being brilliant. He showed an accurate eye in kicking and hitting, and was not afraid to come out to meet the opposition. Davis was particularly safe at full-back. In the forwards Surgenor seemed to have lost some of his old dash. Tichener played a fine game on the wing. The teams were:— Kaponga: McLeod; Noonan, Morgan; Evans, V. Betts, K. Albon; Windle, Behl, Pascoe, S. Betts, R. Cuff. Manaia: Payne; Davis, Budd; Young, Duncan, Bennett; Hemsley, Yarrow, Scan- . nell, Surgenor, Tichener. Play was hard and fast from the start, but steady defensive work on both sides prevented any score. Tichener appeared to have a sitting shot when he raced away on his own right up inside the circle but he hit in haste and missed by a yard. Kaponga forwards followed up a dashing piece of work by S. Betts, and Pascoe caught the goalkeeper out of position with a beautiful shot to the comer. Surgenor broke away and Tichener took his pass to leave Noonan standing as he headed up the line. McLeod came out to meet him, however, and in the collision Tichener lost his stick. Manaia carried play right to the circle in the second spell, and only fine defensive work by V. Betts and Morgan kept the forwards out. Kaponga could do nothing with a corner hit, but a continued forward attack gave S. Betts an opportunity on the edge of the circle and, after enticing Payne out to meet him, he scored easily. From a corner hit S. Betts sent in a beautiful shot, but gave sticks as he hit. Cuff brought Payne out to meet him as he came up the wing and the goalkeeper kicked the ball to the twentyfive. It landed on S. Betts’ stick and, as the forward raced up, he had Payne dashing desperately back to the goal. The shot went wide. Three or four further difficult shots at goal were brilliantly saved. S. Betts then took the ball from a long comer, and sent the ball right through the Manaia forwards to score the third goal. Kaponga 3 Manaia 0 Messrs. M. Priest and Jackson umpired.

CENTRAL HOLDS CUP GEORGE AND DOUGHTY FINAL. PROLONGED GAME AT KAPONGA. The central'-division retained the George and Doughty Cup for the annual Taranaki inter-divisional hockey competition in a gruelling game at Kaponga yesterday by two goals to one. The match was a triumph for Kaponga, eight of that club’s players, who had. just completed a strenuous championship final, being included in the team,. They began to show the effects of the strain towards the end of the second spell, but later recovered again, or south became more weary. For those eight the final whistle ended a strenuous three hours of hockey. The teams were on the day remarkably even, neither being able to make much impression in the circle, and two ten minute spells of extra time and a further three minutes on top of that were needed to end the game, the score being 1-all up to the last minute. Central showed surprising fitness and perseverance and worked well together as a team. Benny, in goal, saved splendidly on many occasions and the fullbacks, Morgan and Albon, were thoroughly reliable, though towards the end Morgan began to show the effects of his strenuous first match. Evans made a splendid right- half, and Page and V. Betts also played well on form. S. Betts and Pascoe were outstanding in the forwards. The teams were:— Central: Benny; Albon, Morgan; Evans. Page, V. Betts; Windle, Behl‘ Pascoe, S. Betts, W. Huffam. South: Stevens; Clarke, Ryan; Westwood; Simon, Brough; Blake, McGlashan, Fleet, Howatson, Fredrics. Fielding a very much fresher team, South carried play well into Central territory from the start. Fleet headed several dashing forward rushes, but on each occasion Howatson took the ball and hit just fop hard as he neared the goal. At last Blake pierced the defence from fairly well out to open South’s account Within three minutes Central had equalised, S. Betts scoring to cap a fast forward movement. Central attacked strongly in the second spell, and Stevens was twice called on to clear. S. Betts and Windle in turn over-ran the back line within five yards of the goal. South retaliated and play ranged between the twenty-fives without any advantage to either side. South attacked hotly, Blake and McGlashan working together on the wing, but Albon and Page managed to keep them back. South continued to press and only a splendid defence kept it from scoring. Cuff set off for the goal in great style at the opening of the third spell, but Ryan came across to clear beautifully. The spell ended with the scores still even. A dashing run by Cuff was the first scoring opportunity in the fourth. The forward came up very fast on his own, Stevens came out to kick clear and missed, and Cuff had an open goal, but it was a left-handed shot at an awkward angle and he just missed. Benny was called on for two difficult saves a few minutes later and time was called with South pressing very hotly. Play was resumed once again in an endeavour to conclude the match, and the end came in about three minutes. Central attacked strongly and the forwards were all crowded in the circle, when S.

Betts sent in a slashing shot that finished up in a corner of the net. Central 2 South 1 Messrs. Rybum and Fryer refereed. PRESENTATION OF TROPHIES. UNDEFEATED IN THREE YEARS. In the absence of the president of the Taranaki Hockey Association, Mr. H. C. Johnson, Mr. R. Grace, vice-president, presented the cups to the winning teams at the conclusion of the George and Doughty Cup match. He congratulated Mr. V. Betts, captain of the Kaponga team, which won the Taranaki club championship, Mr. R. Duncan, captain of Manaia, runner-up in the championship, and Mr. L. Page, captain of the central division team, winner of the George and Doughty Cup for interdivisional play, and presented to them the trophies won by their teams. Kaponga had been in the Taranaki hockey finals for seven successive years, said Mr. Grace, and had won in the last five. It had also the proud record that it had not lost one club game in three years. That was a particularly fine performance and possibly unique in New Zealand. The Manaia team was also to be congratulated on its effort. It' kept Kaponga on the alert the whole time. They were all of the opinion that hockey was on the up-grade in Taranaki, said Mr. Grace, and he was particularly pleased to see so many spectators present to support the teams.