1937-12-15 — Page 19

THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 15, 1987.

CLUB HOCKEY TRIUMPH OVER ARMY

HALVES PLAY MAGNIFICENTLY IN THE SECOND HALF

Triangular Tournament

Encounter

CIVILIAN FORWARDS BRILLIANT

(By "STICKS")

LEADING at the interval by the odd goal in three,

the Club triumphed over the Army in their Triangular Tournament hockey encounter yester- day, on the Sookunpoo ground, by 3 goals to 1, bril- liant defensive tactics by their halves and backs, combined with a fine attacking formation paving the way to victory.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE CLUB RISE TO THE OCCASION AS YESTERDAY. THEY WERE SUPERB IN BOTH DEPART MENTS, AND GREAT CREDIT MUST GO TO W. A. REED, R. A. BATES AND FLT LT. WALLACE FOR THEIR WONDERFUL DISPLAYS IN THE SECOND-HALF, WHEN THE ARMY FOR- WARDS THRUST TIME AND AGAIN IN THE HOPE OF LEVELLING THE SCORES.

Divett made an admirable leader of the Club attack and received the fullest support from his remaining forwards, Fowler and Bond again shining on the right and left-wings, while Whitley and Bickford, in the inside-right and left berths, badly rattled the Army defence with their short passing and fine distribution to the wings.

The Army's weakest point was Pritam Nath, brilliant at times, in their intermediate line where might have saved the Army from all three halves worked hard, but, defeat had he been better support- oned by Gopal Ram, on the few occa more often than not tread each other's corns. Ritchie, at sions he made an attempt to break right-half commenced promis, through the Club defence, and once, ingly, but soon found the pace a when he brilliantly dribbled his way little too fast for his years, while through, his pass to his inside left Stapleton, in the centre, had the went abegging.

mortification of seeing the maj- NERAIN SINGH MISSED ority of his passes stopped by Gopal Ram may be good enough Willy Reed's superb stickwork. Austen, at left-half, unaccount for the Rajputana Rifles' regimental team, but I fear that he will bever ably experienced one of his very fit in with a representative Army rare off-day and the unfortunate side. There was no doubt that part of it was that he chose the Partab Singh missed the services wrong day for it!'

of his usual inside-colleague, Nerain Singh, and was forced to play a lone hand.

A WONDER

Stickling and Swanson were a pair of hard-working full-backs, but

The game had not been many found the opposition forwards too minutes old when a fine pass by -clever and were outpositioned time Bickford

3

saw

Divett dribble his a wonder way round Stibling and score the and again, and it was that the score was not doubled in opening goal of the match from just the opening minutes of the second inside the circle. The Club pressed right away from the bully-off. but half

Outstanding in the Army defence a breakaway on the left-wing by was Pie. Wilson, their goalkeeper, Fartab and a quick centre saw but for whom the score might well Pritam Nath equalise when Ben- have been trebled Accurate kicking well only partially cleared the

former's effort. and sound anticipation frustrated many a Club forward, while his ad- vances were always well timed to a nicety.

SHORT CORNER GOAL The Club, however, dominated the later exchanges and a series of brilliant attacking movements in LACKED COHESION The Army attack lacked cohe-which short passing was the order sion. It did not play as a body in of the day, featured play and it was spite of the fact that four of them not until about five minutes from were from the Rajputana Rifles, the interval that the Club again Shah Wali improved on his form of secured the lead, this time from a last Sunday, but not by much. He short corner. was often out of position for a pass

Bond took the hit, the ball was from Saval Khan and when he did stopped dead by Bickford, and as race away for a centre, there was the Army forwards and backs no one in position to convert it, surged forward, Divett netted his Saral Khan worked very hard at second goal with a rasping drive, inside-right, but found the atten-which passed between Wilson's trons of Potter and Reed a little toe right-foot and the right-unris

BATES IN LIMELIGHT much Potter rarely gave him an

The second half saw the Army opportunity to break through on a solo effort and clung to his heels pressing for the majority of the like a terrier,

period, but magnificent defensiv

·

G. E. R. Divett, above, captain of the Hong Kong Hockey Club, was in magnificent form yesterday against the Army in the Triangu lar Tournament. ("Maif photo).

TO-NIGHTS

BADMINTON PROGRAMME

This evening two matches will be decided in the "B" Division of the Men's Doubles Badminton League.

The following is the programme. Free Lances:

Recreio Chinese RC

St. John's

ARMY LEAGUE SOCCER FINAL TO-MORROW

The final of the Arm Footba League will be decided to-morrow at the Sookumpoo ground, commen- cing at 3 pm, between “A” Com- pany, Middlesex Regiment, and “A” Company, Seaforth Highlanders. At the conclusion of the game the prizes will be distributed.

the left saw a fine pass by Bickford reach Fowler after Swanson and Austen had both missed the ball the Club right-winger cutting in to place the issue beyond doubt a few minutes from time...

The game was witnessed by His Excellency the General Officer Commanding the Troops, Major- General A W. Bartholomew, who was attended by His A.D.C., Lieut. P. J. Howorth, R.A., and Lieut. J. A. M. Rice-Evans, H K Area Sports Board Secretary

Club-V. M. Benwell; Flt Lt Wal- lace and E-V-Reed, R. A. Bates, W. A. Reed and E Potter, S. A. Fowler, T Whitley, G. ER. Divett, B. L. Bickford and V Bond.

Army: Pte. Wilson (Seaforths); work by Bates, at right-half, where

Pte Stickling (Middlesex) and Spr he completely held the Gopal Ram Swanson (RE); Capt Bitchie (Sea- Partab Singh combination and in forths), Capt. Stapleton (Kumaons) the centre, where Reed was invin- and Sig. Austen (Signals): Shah Wali. cible against Pritam Nath, even-(Rajputs), Lieut. Saval Khan (Baj- tually saw the Army attack break pats), Lieut. Pritam Nath (Rajputs). Gopal Ram (Rajputs) and Partab down and a quick breakaway on Singh (Kumaons).

SIMONDS

MILK STOUT

Brewed and Bottled by

For Vitality and Stamina

H. & G. SIMONDS E READING —— ENGLAND

Sole Agentes

CALDBECK, MACGREGOR & CO.,

09

STOUL