HOCKEY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 6, 11 August 1909, Page 11

HOCKEY.

Auckland v. Taranaki. The interprovincial hockey match between AucKiand and Tarauaxi was played on Saturday, on the Devonport Domain. Tne ground was very sloppy, as a result of the heavy rain which had fallen during the past two days. The weather was bleak and wintry, and during the progress of the game showers intermitted with sunshine. Despite this, the great interest taken in the game of hockey was amply tsstified by the large crowd, numbering fully two thousand, which followed the fortunes of the contending teams. The victory undoubtedly fell to the better side, Mr B. E. Madden gave every satisfaction as referee.

The following were the respective teams: Taranaki: Goal, L. Curtis; full backs, K. 18. Anderson. E. Avery; half backs, W. D. Anderson, W. P. Nieoll, Emery; forwards, H. E. Welham, N. Perry, Nixon, C. Sage, JV. Wood. Auckland: Goal, W. Allen; full backs, F. S. Shirriffs, H. D. Speight; half backs, J. R. C. Badham, D. K. Porter, V. C. Kavanagh; forwards, N. R. Jacobsen, R. W. Barry, F. R. Mason, A. E. Murdoch, 11. Mather. The teams entered the field at 3.20 p.m. Auckland won the toss and defended the southern goal. Perry and Mason bullied off, and Auckland were first away, Jacobsen and Barry carrying the game into the Taranaki circle. Anderson cleared with a good hit, and sent the play to the Auckland half. A free hit against Welham carried the play into the Taranaki twenty-five. Mason and Kavanagh exchanged hits, and play returned to mid field. A good centre by Murdoch looked dangerous, but Avery stopped and cleared. Good work by Jacobsen and Barry took the play to midfield, and Kavanagh sent the ball to Murdoch, who centred, and the ball crossed the Taranaki goal line.

Another penalty against Welham resulted in a free hit going out at the Taranaki 25. Wood and Sage then carried the ball well into the Auckland territory. Fine dribbling by Kavanagh returned the play to half way. Perry and Moon broke away, but Shirrift’s relieved the pressure with a fine hit into Taranaki territory. Good work by Mason and Barry kept up the pressure. Jacobsen centred nicely, and a flying shot by Barry just missed the goal. Auckland now attacked fiercely, Mason and Mather playing prominently. Emery cleared. Jacobsen returned, and Taranaki conceded a corner. Porter and Jacobsen were now instrumental in carrying the play to the Taranaki circle. The Taranaki vanguard broke away, and Shirriffs hit out into midfield. The Taranaki forwards now attacked Auckland, and Welham put a fine centre. Mason, Mather, and Murdoch removed the danger. Avery saved a sudden Auckland onslaught, and good work by Mather blocked Anderson’s return. Taranaki hit out into the Auckland 25. The Auckland vanguard then carried the play into Taranaki territory. Emery, breaking nway, dribbled up the field, and sent the ball to the forwards. Shirriffs saved brilliantly. Jacobsen centred, and the whole line missed the shot. Jacobsen again centred hard, and Mason, taking the ball on the fly, scored Auckland’s first goal. Auckland 1 Taranaki 0

Auckland still kept up the attack, but Avery brought relief with a good hit. Badham started his forwards, Barry and Jacobsen again carrying the play to the Taranaki twenty-five. Taranaki broke jaway, but Speight sent them back again. The Taranaki vanguard cleared and invaded the Auckland goal, but a free hit brought relief to the whites. Auckland still kept up the attack, and play hovered round the Taranaki goal. Nixon now put in some good work, which carried the play to the Auckland half. The Auckland van returned again, Murdoch and Mather patting in some good work. A free hit against Auckland brought relief to Taranaki. Welham broke away, but Kavanagh stopped him finely. An exchange of hits between Porter and Anderson brought the play out into Taranaki’s twenty-five. Murdoch was instrumental in carrying play to the circle, where Barry and Jacobsen bombarded the Taranaki citaCel, Shirriffa stopped a dangerous rush,

and the ball returned to the Taranaki territory. Welham now ran through half the Auckland team from his own twenty-five, but Speight stopped him nicely. Mason gained control aud sailed for the circle, passing to Barry, whose shot just missed, Auckland now set up another tierce attack in the Taranaki circle, where Barry put in a clinking shot. Auckland 2 Taranaki O From the cross off, Taranaki, putting some vim into their play, had invaded Auckland territory, when half-time was called. Auckland were first away from the re-start, Barry and Jacobsen carried the ball well iuside their opponents’ twentyfive. The latter centred, but Mason just missed the post. Perry aud Nixon played into the Auckland territory, but the home backs cleared. Mather and Murdoch kept up the attack, aud play took place near the Taranaki line. By line play, the visitors returned to the half-way. Badham returned but a free hit brought relief to Taranaki. Porter returned, and a tine centre by Murdoch gave Mason an opportunity, without the desired result. Anderson now shifted the play to Auckland territory with a fine Irive. Welham carried to the circle but our backs spoiled the shot, aud a free hit brought them relief. Good work by Kavanagh now changed the play to the other end, out Anderson again cleared, Kavanagh and Badham bringing the play back again to the Taranaki circle, where Curtis conceded a corner to Auckland. From the line, a surprise hit by Mason almost resulted in a score. Wood cleared with a run along the line, but a fierce onslaught by the Auckland vanguard returned play to Taranaki territory. A strong attack was well cleared by Curtis, and the Taranaki forwards put in a fine combined run, Perry, Wood, and Sage being prominent, whilst Emery stopped a fine run of the Auckland forwards just in the nick of time. The Auckland van were away again, and Mason hit out to Jacobsen, who put a last centre in, Mather banging into the net. Auckland 3 Taranaki O The play of Auckland now showed much better combination than in the first half. From the bully, Taranaki broke away temporarily, aud Auckland were again goal hunting. Taranaki saved with a line hit. From a scramble Taranaki invaded the Auckland circle, and an excellent shot went high. Following upon this a little give and take play resulted in the ball going out in Auckland’s 25. Mason and Mathers put in a good run, but were well stopped by Anderson. The Taranaki forwards now broke away from the half line, with perhaps the best piece of work of the day, going like a flash into the Auckland circle. Welham’s shot hit the bar, and sailed right over. Some fine hitting by both sides followed, and the game began to get much faster, more combination being shown. From a throw-in the Taranaki forwards attacked. Welham centred nicely, aml the moment was a critical one for Auckland, but Welham’s centre was not taken advantage of, and Auckland cleared. Jacobsen broke away, and centring, Mason put another into the net. Auckland 4 Taranaki 0 Auckland were away again, and the ball see-sawed across the circle, without any result. Auckland now had the game well in hand, and kept up a constant attack upon the Taranaki citadel, to which a free hit brought relief. Auckland had returned the play, when time was called. The match ended— Auckland 4 Taranaki 0 Rangatira v. Moana, Great interest was centred in this match, which was played prior to the shield fixture. Rangatira opened the attack, and immediately invaded the seasiders’ territory. Moana’s defence was sound, anti eventually cleared their citadel. After some give and take play Moana took a turn at the offensive, and, through the agency of a free hit. Miss P. Goude steered the ball into the net amidst great enthusiasm. For the remainder of the spell play was very even, and the ball vacillated between the two goal lines without any further score. In the second half Rangatira were first away, and maintained the attack almost throughout the spell. Stubborn defence by the Moana backs kept them nt bay for some time. At last Rangatira’s efforts attained the desired result. Miss Kenny scoring from a determined onslaught. Keeping up the pressure Rangatira endeavoured to secure the lead, but each attack was repulsed by the Moana rear guard, and the game ended in a draw. Mr Hay refereed. During the progress of the game the ball disappeared, having found a resting place in the Moana’s goalkeeper’s underskirt. The manner in which the young lady returned the ball to play caused considerable amusement to the onlookers. Southern Matches. In the ladies’ hockey match, Canterbury (5 goals) beat Otago (nil). The scorers were the Misses Pearce (1). Rhodes (3), Mason (1). The visitors outclassed the local players all round. OTAGO REPRESENTATIVE TEAM. The folio-wing hockey players have been selected to represent Otago against Southland at Dunedin, on Saturday next: —Goal, G. Austin; full-backs, Johnstone, Ryburn; halves, Thompson, Moore and Chalmers; forwards, Moodie, Calder, Sledeberg, Gower, Rutherford. Emergencies: Back, Slater; forward, Adams. CANTERBURY V. WEDDINGTON. Canterbury beat Welington by 2 goals to nil