HOCKEY HITS.

Observer, Volume XXXV, Issue 45, 17 July 1915, Page 22

HOCKEY HITS.

[By Line-Out.]

THE championship matches under the auspices of the Auckland Hockey Association were resumed last week, after a fortnight's spell. The senior games resulted: University, 3, v. Mount Eden,, 0; Areta, 4, v. Auckland, 2.

It was generally expected, after the heavy deluge of rain on Saturday morning, and the majority of kindred! sports had postponed their matches, that the hockey management would declare their games off. No doubt the discontent expressed a fortnight ago, when the matches were postponed, bore weight, for the executive took no chances on Saturday, and waited until the eleventh hour before deciding.

A visit to the big recreation reserve showed that, beyond being very slippery, the majority of the playing areas were fit for use. The resultant play fully bore this out. Some of the games were very interesting, but in other cases, owing to the absence of players (caused by the uncertainty of playing) the games were of a tame order.

The principal item on the programme was the meeting of Mount Eden and University. No matter what kind of performance the Mount Edeni boys put up against any other team, they are always to be found in good l fettle when meeting the students. Both teams were slightly weakened, but the seventy minutes of play were full of interest and decidedly interesting to watch.

The whistle sounded with Univer-sity-winners by three goals to nil, but that margin of points by no means indicates the play.

Play travelled up and down field rapidly, for no sooner would one team's hopes be raised and a score seem imminent than a smart movement would transfer activities to the opposite end.

The students can partly lay success to what has so often piloted them through — combination. The team's working was by no means up to the best standard, but the happy knowledge of what each man would do prevailed.

It is in this direction that Mount Eden fail. Hard' working and full of dash, but eleven players Purely exerting individual efforts. The team has no finish, and cannot hope to attain any until! a better understanding exist®..

Two players stand out conspicuously for the blues' win, goalie Cotterall and left-winger Jacobsen. The man between the sticks did all asked of him, in fact was seen at his best.

Jacobsen put in a lot of useful runs, but capped the lot when he made the juggling run from halfway and scored. This was a fine effort, and by far one of the most exciting! pieces seen at Remuera for a Jong time.

It recalls an incident of early Auckland hockey, when the Auckland Club was at its best and engaged with University. The left wing was "Jack" Jessop, and with a run similar to Jacobsen's he electrified a big crowd of spectators and pit his team another goal in the lead.

Both the students' full-backs, Speight and West, shone remarkably well. The former played a game out of the box. His stopping, clearing and placing were very fine.

No doubt the poor showing of the nalif line was to an extent due to the ground conditions, but this trio did

not compare with ;that of their opponents. Perhaps Rennde bears special mention for his accurate hitting and rolling in.

Next to Jacobsen, the only forward really proiminent was Somers. He got two goals, but the one from the penalty bully was an easy effort.

King has rearguard honours' for Mount Eden, and will no doubt remember the consequences of obstruction. Only for this failure his display left little to cavil at.

Johns and Hunt share half honours. The going proved acceptable to the former, while Hunt, though he stopped so well 1 , seemed unable to clear in his usual smart manner.

There is not a great deal of picking and choosing with the forwards. Right wing Malcolm gave one of his best games, and opened good attacks as the result' of his rapid dashes down the line.

Fletcher was often prominent, but was below his usual form.

In tiie third grade the St. Peter's and Areta teams, who stood' level whom the field was taken'/ engaged in an interesting and fast game. The first spell ended with two goals a•piece, but the issue was put beyond all' doubt in the secondi thiirty-five, for Areta notched l three more goals.

With the exception of Armiger, the winners forwards combined well. The inside left seemedl to suffer from sleepiness, and in a tired, manner got about the field, evincing but little interest in the game. It's not a fair thing to the other members to have the honours of good wins shared by a "passenger."

Curtis (Areta half), who hails from Taranaki, was the shining star, and easily the best back on the ground.

Pooley, full-back for the winners, was very sound!.

The work of D. Baxter, the onearmed goalkeeper, was very good.

Of the St. Peter's forwards, Little and Mills were ever prominent.

Bushill and Ballantyne were good backs, and/ the latter had, very bad luck in injuring bis knee and having to retire when half-way through the second cpell.

Two members of the Areta Club have lately passed over to the great majority. The first was Trooper A. S. Endean, who died of wounds received in action at the Dardanelles. The deceased' was one of the first members of Areta, and played' in the second grade B team when they won the championship. On Saturday last Ray Sim::,;;• ;, a very popular member of the ciub, and one of the most S remising of full-backs, died of lood poisoning in the Auckland Hospital. He will be remembered in the third grade team.

The Areta-Auckland match calls for little more than passing notice. Areta were minus Ellison and Thomas, and filled their places with juniors. Auckland suffered most in this respect, and), after commandeering one of their old timers (J. Lepine), took the field short-handed. The game resulted in Areta maintaining their championship position.