HOCKEY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 119, 23 May 1932, Page 4

HOCKEY

WANGANUI ASSOCIATION MEN’S SENIOR GAMES. EVI-;NLY- MATCHED TEAMS. Easily the best senior men’s hockey game this season was played on Gonville Park on Saturday, when Hinemoa defeated Old Boys by two goals to nil in a hard, bustling game that kept its I pace from start to finish. Smarter work in the circle was responsible for the difference in the goal score. Wesley had little difficulty in registering a win in their game with Y.M.C.A., the final score being 5 to 1 in their favour. Hinemoa and Old Boys. At the opening of the Hinemoa—Old Boys game, the Hinemoa men worked close to the Old Boys’ goal, but Le Brun cleared and Mclntyre took up the runing to send the ball on to Harrison, but he had overshot his ground and was not on side. Hinemoa secured and Bannin transferred to ConnclL Old Boys went down the field in a forward rush, but a penalty corner held up the attack. Mclntyre had a shot. It was countered. Pull cleared for the Hinemoa team and Le Brun sent the ball back to the circle again. Hinemoa retaliated with a wing thrust, and obstruction on the left, wing held up the attack. Old Boys took possession, and S. Hughes stopped the advance. After a short spell of scrambling Hinemoa worked close enough for Uonnell to try for the goal. The shot was not successful. Old Boys went, away for a solid rush at the continuation of play, but Howatson, playing on the left, stopped their advance.

Shortly after, Old Boys used their left wing to good effect and Mclntyre sent to Rich, but an infringement stopped a good chance of scoring. Mclntyre had a shot which failed. Play was transferred to the other end, Bannin commencing the move and passing on to Hughes, who centred. Play did not open out for a moment and then Connell went into the circle with a lightning rush and shot a good goal.—Hinemoa 1; Old Boys 0. Rich figured in a rush which took play to tho Hinemoa end, and following one or two short moves Mclntyre had a shot which did not alter the score. Old Boys kept on the attack, and the Hinemoa goalie was called upon to show what he could do. The score remained unaltered until halftime.

Old BoyK took charge early in the second spell and swept through to the circle, but play hinged on Howatson, at back, when he cleared down the line and paved the way for a Hinemoa offensive. Old Boys gained possession and again returned to the Hinemoa twenty-five and, in a hot melee, with the circle filled, Jardine gonled for Old Boys to make the score: Hinemqa 1; Old Boys 1.

Followed a period of strenuous play when the Old Boys ended a vigorous attack in reaching the circle. Even in the midst of the two melees the Hinemoa men kept the Old Boys out of the actual goal-mouth, although it was touch and go for them on both occasions. Tho ball came away and R. Howatson was instrumental in clearing the play up the field. Old Boys were having the better of the game, and soon had the ball back at the Hinemoa circle. Harrison transferred to Mclntyre, who returned to Harrison, who centred again when opposite the circle. The shot, which McIntyre took, missed. Pull broke away down the left wing, and the goalie came out to meet him and stop tho rush. Hinemoa kept up the pressure and had the Old Boys thinking and working hard in their own twenty-five. Rich gathered in the ball and started a mid-field rish, but a penalty hel dup the attempt, and the play went out to the Hinemoa right wing, where that player was warned for deliberate obstruction in the open Old Boys did not maSe any appreciable ground from the free hit and Hinemoa had the game in their hands. Old Boys passed out to their left wing, but he was slow in centering, and the move was spoiled. D. Howatson gathered in the ball and used his left, wing to gain a good deal of ground. Rich

secqrcd and took the ball to the Hinemoa twenty-five, from which point they advanced with no definite moves to tho edge of the Hinemoa circle. Although Old Boys tried hard they could not polish off the movement that would have meant a goal. R. Hughes passed out to Pull, who sent the ball out of play well up field and thus effectively broke the attack. Jardine stopped tho next Hinemoa thrust, and shortly after Connell found his chance when several of tho players were bunched in tho Old Boys’ goal. His shot was sharp, and it hit a defender’s boot to glance off into tho goal.—Hinemoa 2; Old Boys 1. From the bully Old Boys took tho play up the field, but Hinemoa worked down to tho other end, and the final whistle went with the Hinemoa men at the Old Boys’ twenty-five. Messrs. R. Tizard and R. Spurdie ably controlled the game. Wesley and Y.M.C.A. Wesley were definitely superior to tho Y.M.C.A. team, the final score being Wesley 5; Y.M.C.A. 1. Tn the first half of tho game tho play was more even than in the second Y.M.C.A. were the first to get close, but Thrush countered by transferring to Warden, who made ground before Howatson gained possession and returned play to the Wesley twenty-five. Russell tried for the net but was not successful, Westbrook saving. N. Bar low and Thrush worked together to take the ball well up the field, but. after a throw-in Russell and Patterson took play down the line. A melee in tho circle followed but Westbrook was again instrumental in saving for Wesley. Wesley followed up, and L. Barlow on the left wing and Thrush worked in close. Thrush shooting. Oldridge saved without trouble. Thrush had another shot but the ball

went wide. Play continued about the Y.M.C.A. circle, and Patterson tried to break away, but the Wesley players had the Y.M.C.A. defence effectively stifled for a period. Howatson cleared play from the danger zone, sending down the line to Patterson, who continued until ho encountered Whyman. He effectively stopped the attack. Y.M.C.A. threatened the Wesley circle, but play went to the opposite end and Manley saved for the Y.M.C.A. team. L. Barlow had a chance for d shot, but the attempt went wide. L. Barlow again took the ball in for a shot but Oldridge saw that there was no score. Again Barlow secourod in a good position and made no mistake.—Wesley 1; Y.M.C.A. 0. Y.M.C.A. broke away and matters looked dangerous for tho Wesley goal, but Whyman returned the ball to halfway for N. Barlow to continue the move. Linaker brought off a number of saves for Y.MC.A., Thrush doing the bulk of the shooting. L. Barlow came in and tested Oldridge. who saved. Oldridge’s being out of goal gave Warden a chance and he scored the second goal for the Wesley team. Following goals were scored by Whyman, Greenfield, and L. Barlow, one each for Wesley; while Russell scored for Y.M.C.A. Messrs. Hartnell and Smith were the referees.