FAST HOCKEY.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17680, 3 September 1929, Page 5

FAST HOCKEY.

SATURDAY’S GAMES. , MT. EDEN BEATS THAMES. take gage-brown trophy. Tho Mount Eden Hockey Club paid the first of their annual visits to Thames on Saturday to play the Thames-Hauraki Hockey Association-s senior and junior rer,. teams, and proved-, victorious in two fast . wellcontested games. In the junior game they became the first holders of the Gage-Brown trophy by defeating Thames-Hauraki by 6 goals to 3. The teams were as follow: Mt. Eden.—Mahon, Bowden, Darragh, Jenkins, Horspool, Newby, Fletcher, W. Lomax, M. Jones, H. Jones, ]>. Lomax. ; * Thames-EGauraki..—D.slali unty, Laurence, Renshnw, McMillan, E. Donovan, L. Candy, D. Ritchie; J. Hool, S. Donkin, G. Kirby, S. Wilton. Thames won the loss and commenced with the sun at their backs. From the bully off Mt. Eden set up a hot attack and within three minutes H. Jones found the net with a good shot. Stung by this reverse Thames set up an attack, but good defence by Darragh sent them back and before Thames could settle down H. Jones again found the net. Thames now settled down to a stern struggle and the backs having found their positions repulsed several hot attacks by the Mt. Eden forwards. , A good clearance by Laurence sent the ball ,to Ritchie, he taking the ball up the side line and with a nice centre to the circle Hool found the net" but was penalised by “sticks.” Not disappointed, Thames maintained their attack and Mt. Eden were having a torrid time in defending, hard hitting by Thames sending the ball over the back line three times in quiclc succession. A good save by Bowden let the Mt. Eden forwards away, but Rensliaw was very safe and sent the ball back, but a shot by Hool. missed. Not to be denied, Thames bustled the Mt. Eden backs and Kirbv found the net with a good shot. From the bullv off Mt. Eden went for the goal but Renshaw sent them hack,; the ball going to Wilton who. with a good centre, Donkin carried on and found the net, equalising the scores. Thames were now playing with good combination and were having far the best of the game. Several spectacular attacks by Mt. Eden to'gain the lead had the crowd very excited, and it was necessary for Candy* to hit behind to save. Shortly after,' H. Jones found the net, but for offside play the goal was disallowed. • Half-time cam'e shortly with the score, 2 all.

On resumption, Thames found the sun very trying and Mt. Eden, who were now playing as if they meant business, gave Thames no respite, H. Jones netting for the third time. Still playing' well, Mr. Eden maintained their attack hut offside play by Fletcher gave Thames relief. From the free hit the ball went to Wilton who sent to Kirby, to Donkin, but Darragh cleared with a good hit and Mt. Eden, Thames backs out of position, M. Jones found the net for the fourth goal, it glancing off Delahunty’s pads to just cross the line. . Mt. Eden were not long in adding another to their total, when from the bully off H. Jones went through the Thames defence for the fifth goal: Thames were now having a hot time, but a good clearance by McMillan sent the ball to Ritchie who sent to the circle, but a golden opportunity was lost when Hool and Wilton both missed with speculators. Mt. Eden, getting the ball, made a bee line for the goal, and H. Jones had no difficulty in finding the net. Thames now took a hand in matters and had Mt. Eden defending, but bad stick-work aricl bunching by the Thames forwards spoilt man'v opportunities, Wilton missing* an open goal mouth.; The next score came when Hool took a good centre by Ritchie and found the net with a reverse stick shot. Time came shortly after with the scores: ... , Mt. Eden, 6; Thames’, 3. 'Referees: B. Cooper (Auckland) ; C. J. Garland (Thames).- ■ THE SENIOR GAME. EDEN, 3; THAMES, 2. The match was at a fast pace throughout, with play fluctuating all through. The winners until the closing stages dominated. Thames-Hau-raki were most prominent in the last quarter of an hour and pressed hard in an endeavour to even up. For Thames, Martin in goal hooted well and . truly and ' stopped many shots. At full-hack, Miller and Brazendale worked hard, being ably supported by Jensen, NankiVell and Mullet in the half-line. Brownlee, H. Kirby and Candy in the .forwards, showed up in patches, but combination, was lacking. The wings made the mistake of taking up too far before centering, hut tried hard all through. For Eden, Brown in goal, had little to do' but stopped a couple of hot shots in convincing style. Anderson and Mainland in the full-back partnership, were much too clever for the Thames forwards, the latter being a tower of midget strength). The halves all played well, Jenkins, Hughes and Hirst placing with good judgment.The forwards,, ably led by Welbome, played good combined hoclcey, Ash and Clark, with Welbome, showing up. Jansen, right wing, was content to play up and served up many excellent centres. Penman, inside left, proved nippy, but want of training told at the finish. A well fought-out game, played in the best of spirit and arousing the interest and barracking of the spectators. NOTES ON THE GAME. By “STICKS.” The ground was in good order and it was a good, fast, open game, the score being no indication of the merits. The Thames forwards showed more in combined efforts . than the Mt. Eden forwards, hut lacked finish in the circle. Of a hard working lot, Ritchie, Hool and G. Kirby were the pick, the latter scoring Thames’ first

goal in clinking style. The halves were inclined to wander, Candy being the most prominent in both attack and -defence. Laurence and Renshaw, the full-backs, got through a tremendous amount of work, repeatedly smashing the dangerous: attacks of the Jones brothers. Renshaw showed great promise. In goal, Delahumty had a busy time, but had no chance of saving those that passed him. Lacking in the finer points of the game, the Thames team nevertheless showed great promise and stuck well; to their task, having, in attack, the best, of the game. For the winners. H. and M. Jones, inside left and centre forward, com- , hined well, each scoring three goals with clinking- shots. D. Lomax, left wing. W. Lomax, inside right, and Fletcher, right wing, at times put in good work, centering well, but altogether the line did not combine 'as' well as the Thames boys. Eden’s half line. Newby, 'Darragh and Jenkins, came through a ordeal m great style, whilst Bowden, and Horspool, at full-back, repeatedly broke up dangerous attacks with well judged hitting. Mahon, in goal, was not extended, owing to Thames’ poor shooting. A£ a junior game the njiatoh- was of a high order, the winners’' finer points of the game being responsible for the big score.