HOCKEY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8519, 27 August 1907, Page 6

HOCKEY.

WAIRARAPA v. WANGANUI. A WIN FOR WAIRARAPA. Fine weather lavoured the match between the Wanganui and Wairarapa representatives, which was played at Lansdowne, yesterday. The teams were as follow j-Wairarapa : Goalkeeper, Hall; full-backs, Thynne and J. Fisher; halves, Carley, Donald i.nd Fairbrother; forwards, Fred Bunny, Williams, Pragnell, Rue (crdain) and Frank iSunny. Wangs- li: Full-backs, M. Goldsbery, Cave and Miller; halves, Winston, Henderson and E. Goldsbery; foiwards, Haase ; 11. Harris, W. Harris, Russell and Naylor. _ _ The game was not a very exciting 0 p O and only at times were there any flashes of brilliancy. Wairarapa.. who had much the heavier team, were stronger in the forwards, and their opponents strength seemed to lie in the backs. The first spell was greatly in the home team's favour, and th-.y scored two goals while their oppo. .ants failed to score. For some minutes after the start the play was open. Wairarapa were the first to assume the aggressive, but a free hit to the visitors relieved. Wanganui came down the field,but a free hit by Donald transferred play to the visitors' circle, where Fred Bunny scored the first goal of the match. The play was then confined to the visitors' terrh ry for some time, and the home team were having the better of the game. The hard hitting of the Wairarapa backs was a noticeable feature, and on more than one occasoin there was a dangerous scramble in front of the Wanganui goal. At last the visitors' forwards got possession of the ball, and rushed down the field only to be driven back by Fisher. This did not deter them and they came again, and Hall just managed to stave off a hard hit at goal. Wairarapa carried the play away to the other end of the field, but good play by M. Goldsbery and Cave prevented a score. A spell of uninteresting play followed until Rue managed to get through the opposing backs," and passing to Williams, the latter shot the second goal for his side. For some time after this the visitors kept the local team 011 the defensive. When the spell ended the ball v.ua in the home team's 25's. In the escc. -pell, Wanganui had decidedly the oeiter of the play. They were attacking most of the time, and it was only on remote occasions that the local team were able to get past the visitors full-backs, Cave and M. Goldsbery, who were playing splendidly. Play was in the neutral territory for some time after the opening of the spell, but Wanganui gradually worked the ball down and'obtained a penalty bully in the circle. Wairarapa got the ball out, and Williams dribbled the ball right through the opposing team, and was just stopped in the nick of time from scoring. The local team again found themselves hard pressed, and their "backs were kept very busy, .Hall, Donald and Thynne being conspicuous for their good play. Williams broke away again, but he was promptly checked. The visitors returned to the attack, and their forward play at this stage was better than in any part of the game. The rest of tha game was in the visitors' favour. There was no further score, and Wairarapa thus won by two goals to nil. Mr ~S. A. Noble - Campbell was referee.

In the evening the visiting team were entertained in the Central Hotel by the Wairarapa Hockey Association, an excellent dinner being provided by Mr F. S. Cooper. The President of the Wairarapa Association, Mr A. C. Major, presided, and expressed pleasure at the visit of the Wanganui representatives. He considered that the exchange of visits between Hockey Associations tended towards the improvement of hockey. Mr A. 0. Cave, manager of the Wanganui team, replied on behalf of this team, and in doing so stated that the refereeing in the match was entirely satisfactory to both teams. Mr S. Noble-Campbell, the referee, also made a few remarks. Mr H. Hall contributed a number of comic songs, an encore being demanded on each occasion. Songs were also sung by Messrs G. Cullen, C. Carley, M. Goldsbery, H. Harris and J. Dunn, and Mr Winston played a mandolin solo. Mr S. Ballard presided at the piano. Cheers were given for the Wanganui and Wairarapa teams, the referee and theWanganui line umpire.