Hockey, 1949

We had a good and enjoyable hockey season. Except for a rather vital ten days in the middle of the season, the weather was kind, and there was considerable keenness for the game among all the boys who play it. Our great handicap was lack of adequate grounds; but, despite that, most boys had a reasonable amount of hockey and got great enjoyment from their games.

The arrangement and control of these games was thrown almost entirely on boys, and this was a very great advantage. A great deal can be learned by umpiring the junior games and watching other people's mistakes !

The School XI was, on the whole, a much improved side. Last year's experience was extremely valuable; but this year we were much more of a team. We were helped, of course, by playing on faster and firmer grounds, and profiting from a splendid lesson in fast hockey given us by York H.C., we improved steadily until we gained a good victory over Worksop, in the best game of the year, marred only by a lamentable failure in front of goal. Previously we had beaten Bootham on their ground, both sides playing much better than last year, and had drawn with Ashville College, Harrogate, in a snowstorm ! Thus we undertook the long, long trail to Trent with an unbeaten certificate in School matches and only one defeat in the term.

That the 'better side on the day's play won at Trent there is no shadow of doubt. Trent were faster on the ball and adapted themselves much more successfully than we did to a heavy, slow ground. Indeed, but for a very fine display of goalkeeping by Pringle the score against us might have been considerably larger than 4--1. We were doubtless travel-weary, and we certainly looked it. Our only regret about our deserved defeat is that Trent have no reason to believe us when we say we can play a great deal better than that.

The Second XI also thoroughly enjoyed their season. There was quite keen competition before the defence was settled, but there was a dearth of forwards and a paralysing lack of scoring-power. We must do something next year to put this right; though it seems a fairly common failing in Schools. Amos, in goal, the backs, and halves were the best part of the team, while Hodd and March showed distinct promise in the forward line.

CHARACTERS OF THE 1st XI

P. T. Baker. Centre forward. A thoroughly keen and encouraging Captain, who did a great deal for School hockey. As a centre forward he lacks the ability to keep the ball really close to his stick either in dribbling or in taking passes. He can shoot quite well at times, but needs more room and more time than is normally available. He was developing a very useful flick-shot at the end of the season. J. C. Griffiths. Right half. The most improved player on the side. He lacks speed, but he tackles well, and he—more than anyone—learned to tackle at arm's length. He fed his own wing very well indeed, and improved

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in the use of the cross-pass to the other wing. He was too inclined to wander into the centre of the field, but our defence owed a lot to his consistently good work. P. J. Dennis. Left half. At the start of the season he was playing very well indeed, and he uses the cross-pass well. But firmer grounds and faster hockey found out his tendency to be slow on his feet and occasionally with his stick. Always a real trier, he filled the most difficult position on the field with considerable credit. R. M. Hodgson. Inside right. A really promising young forward. He needs to develop quicker shooting ability, but his mid-field play is already good and steadily improving. He can feed his own wing and use the cross-pass, and when he learns to use the through pass as well he will be a dangerous. forward. He should be really good next year. R. J. Shardlow. Outside right. Moved from inside forward position, he improved enormously as a winger, overcoming his tendency to be clumsy.

He played some excellent games, centres well, and only needs some variation in his ways of drawing a defence and centreing to be a very good outside right. F. C. Slegg. Inside left. A really hard worker who tackles back and has so helped the defence more than is generally realised. He can shoot really well on occasions, but is slow to get a quickly moving ball under control. D. Thompson. Left back. Converted from a half back, he became a really very sound and good full back. He can clear cleanly and has a most useful flick-shot. He is not easily drawn out of position, and played consistently well. R. Parker. Centre half. Last season's goal-keeper became this season's centre half. He is not really quick enough with his stick to make a good half back and he has not mastered the art of passing quickly and hard. He is a hard worker and learned the theory of defence and so helped a lot to weld the defence together. R. B. Pringle. Goal-keeper. He is very plucky and usually sound. He does not always time his running out of goal well, and when he uses his stick he causes considerable apprehension. He ended the season very well indeed and deserved his place. A. N. C. Smith. Right back. Another "conversion"—from a forward—made us a young and promising full back. He hits very cleanly and well, and at times his tackling is admirable, even if he is still inclined to tackle "on the run". He must learn not to be drawn out of position and to rcover more quickly when he has been beaten by his forward. With more speed he should be good next year. K. M. Ratcliffe. Outside left. A young player who was made into an outside left. He has many of the necessary attributes. He can centre and has a very useful flick-shot. He became inclined to dribble too much, and it is quite possible that an inside forward position would suit him better. But he was well worth his place, and his enthusiasm is infectious.

SUMMARY OF RESULTS

1ST XI Played 7. Won 4. Drawn 1. Lost 2. Wed., 2nd Feb. R.A.F., Linton. Home. Won, 3-0. Sat., 5th Feb. Scarborough. Home. Scratched. Wed., 9th Feb. Styx H.C. Home. Scratched. Sat., 19th Feb. York H.C. Home. Lost, 1-5. Wed., 24th Feb. Phoenix H.C. Home. Won, 2-1. Wed., 2nd Mar. Bootham School. Away. Won, 3-2. Sat., 5th Mar. Ashville College, Harrogate. Away. Drawn, 4-4. Wed., 9th Mar. Worksop College. Home. Won, 2-1. Sat., 12th Mar. Trent College. Away. Lost, 1-4. 50

2ND XI Played 4. Won 1. Drawn 1. Lost 2. Wed.. 2nd Mar. Bootham School. Home. Drawn, 1—I. Sat.. 5th Mar. Ashville College, Harrogate. Away. Won, 1-0. Wed., 9th Mar. Worksop College. Home. Lost, 2-6. Sat., 12th Mar. Trent College. Away. Lost, 1-3.

1sT XI v. R.A.F., LINTON

At home, Wednesday, 2nd February. Result : Won, 3-0.

With the ground in better condition than ever it was last year, the School opened their season with a well-merited win over a side from the R.A.F. Station at Linton.

Perhaps because the ground was faster than usual the game in the beginning was very scrappy, with neither forward line threatening to score. But mid-way through the first half. Dennis effected a welljudged clearance which Slegg picked up and passed on to his wing, Warrington. This, the first real movement of the game, split the R.A.F. defence wide open, and when the ball was finally centred Hodgson was left with only the goalkeeper to beat and ended a good movement with a grand goal. After this goal the R.A.F. twice broke through and on one occasion were unlucky not to score when a rebound off Pringle's pads was flicked just wide of the post. Then the School scored again. Shardlow made ground on the right wing and from his centre, after Hodgson had shot unsuccessfully, Baker scored with a rather lucky reverse stick shot which the R.A.F. goalkeeper mistimed.

At the beginning of the second half the R.A.F. pressed hard, and only desperate defence by Parker, whose play was a feature of the game, Groves, and Pringle prevented them from scoring. Several times the School forwards broke away only to marr their work by being penalised for off-side; from one of these breakaways, however, Baker ran the ball into the net after cleverly tricking the R.A.F. goalkeeper. The game ended with a desperate melee in the School goalmouth, from which the R.A.F. were most unlucky not to score.

1sT XI v. YORK H.C.

At home, Saturday, 19th February. Result : Lost, 1-5.

The match against York H.C. was only the second of the season, for previously frost and snow had made the ground unplayable; but as if to make up for its earlier inclemency the weather on the day of the match was sunny and the ground in superlative condition.

Apart from a movement which started from the bully-off and ended with Baker's grand shot being saved on the goal line by a full back, York took complete charge of the game and, playing at a pace to which the School XI was unaccustomed, scored twice; the first goal was from a rebound off Pringle's pads and the second after a weak

clearance had been intercepted and passed inside the circle to Brockbank. Then Bellerby broke away and scored. After this goal the School suddenly became possessed of a new spirit and like a machine suddenly thrown into gear the team began to hold the York attack and even to initiate some movements of their own, from one of which Baker nearly scored after Shardlow had picked up an excellent pass from Hodgson and centred. Then, just before the half-time whistle blew, York went further ahead, scoring once again from a short corner.

In the second half the School XI played like a team inspired and gave as good as they took; in point of fact, although each side scored once, the School on several occasions were only prevented by the greater experience—and luck—of the York side. Soon after the resumption Parker, who played a very good game throughout, intercepted a weak clearance, pushed it into the circle and shot an excellent goal. Then Baker broke away and after beating the goalkeeper had the mortification of seeing his shot kicked off the goal line. Slegg also nearly scored. The high standard of the opposition undoubtedly brought out the best in the School XI, who played their best game of the season; the forwards combined very well, with Baker, Hodgson, and Shardlow outstanding, the halves all had a good game, . and the backs and goalkeeper were steady under pressure. Special mention must be made of Dennis, for few schoolboys could have marked a trial cap as he did Bellerby.

1ST XI v. PHOENIX H.C.

At home, Wednesday, 24th February. Result : Won, 2-1.

With Baker and Parker absent the 1st XI were rather thrown out of gear and never approached the standard they reached against York H.C. Mortimer took Parker's place at centre half and Slegg, moving to Baker's position at centre forward, made room for Hodd, who came into the team at inside left.

At half-time the School led •by a goal scored by Slegg; Griffiths had checked a Phoenix attack and slipped the :ball to Shardlow, who made ground before centring for Slegg to crack the ball into the net first time.

After the interval Phoenix drew level, only for Hodgson to score an excellent goal which was to prove the winner, for soon after it was scored the final whistle went.

Thompson played an exceedingly good game at back, and it was largely due to him and Griffiths that the Phoenix forwards were held in check. Hodgson and Shardlow combined well on the right wing, the former especially playing a very good game

1ST XI v. BOOTHAM SCHOOL.

Away, Wednesday, 2nd March. Result : Won, 3-2.

The first of .the School matches was played on the Bootham ground; the wet conditions and the fact that the pitch was some yards wider than that to which the team was used to combined to prevent the School ever settling down to their real form.

The first goal came when Baker broke through and placed a hard shot to the side of the goalkeeper, giving him no chance to save. Later Bootham, profiting by a mistake in the School defence, equalised; at half-time the scores were level, although both goals had several narrow escapes, Baker and Slegg being particularly unlucky not to score with well-judged flicks.

Immediately on the resumption Bootham broke away and scored, after their right wing had drawn the School defence out of position. This reverse put the School upon their mettle and for some time play remained in the Bootham half. Their intense pressure was rewarded when Slegg scored a goal in which all the forwards played their part, for by their swinging the ball from wing to wing the Bootham defence was split right open. Soon after the School 'had another success, when Hodgson dribbled the ball round the goalkeeper and into the net.

During 'the game 'the full backs, Smith and Thompson, played very well, never becoming flustered and clearing 'clearly and quickly; the forwards also combined well, with Baker and Hodgson outstanding, and Shardlow always appearing dangerous when he had the ball.

1st. XI v. ASHVILLE COLLEGE

Away, Saturday, 5th March. Result : Drawn, 4-4.

A draw was the best possible result for this match, which was ruined by the weather. When the game started, although snow was lying upon the ground, it was possible to play, but by half-time the ground was so covered and it was snowing so heavily that the conditions made anything approaching real hockey impossible Ratcliffe, Slegg (twice) and Parker scored for the School.

1sT XI v. WORKSOP

At home, Wednesday, 9th March. Result : Won, 2-1.

The match against Worksop was played in almost perfect conditions, for the weather was fine and sunny, whilst the field was fairly fast yet not too hard. By winning this game the School avenged their defeat of the previous year, when they were beaten at Worksop. Throughout the game both sides appeared to be well matched, and it was probably ground •advantage which allowed the School to win.

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In the first half the School took some time to settle down and had difficulty in accustoming themselves to the play of Crosby, the Worksop centre half and captain, who played an attacking game, coming far up the field behind his forwards before parting with the ball. Their right wing, Kent, was also always dangerous with his speed, and sent many fine centres across the School's goalmouth. For the School, Baker, Shardlow, and Slegg always threatened to score, whilst the full backs, Smith and Thompson, who had developed a fine understanding, and Griffiths and Parker played well.

After half-time play was still even, with neither side able to score, although Baker and Hodgson narrowly missed on several occasions. Shardlow appeared the most dangerous forward when he had the ball, but unfortunately he did not see as much of it as he might have done had he been better fed. Almost mid-way through the half Slegg gained control of the ball outside the circle, and, after beating his man, deflected the ball very cleverly past the goalkeeper as he rushed out. Soon after this Worksop equalised, but nearly ten minutes from the end Baker scored what proved to be the winning goal.

1ST XI v. TRENT COLLEGE

Away, Saturday, 12th March. Result : Lost, 1-4.

The away game against Trent College was played in very wet conditions to which the School took a long time to become accustomed; 4 in addition the long three-hour bus journey did not help the team to produce their best form in the last match of the reason.

From the bully-off the School attacked, and Shardlow, cutting in, narrowly missed scoring; soon after the School were •awarded a free hit on the twenty-five line, which Griffiths took and placed on to Slegg's stick for the inside left to score. Trent then attacked and were only prevented from scoring by Pringle giving away a corner. Again Trent 'attacked and scored. Soon after this Griffiths was unfortunately struck on the ankle and to all intents and purposes was a passenger for •the rest of the game. This completely disorganised the School's defence, for Trent had, in effect, an extra man in attack, and what promised to be a most even game became rather one-sided.

But despite this misfortune the School did not go down without a fight. Baker, Shardlow, Thompson, and Parker in particular played extremely well and indeed the whole team battled nobly to overcome their handicap. On several occasions only desperate defensive clearances 'prevented the School forwards from scoring, and Baker, Slegg, and Hodgson all put in some very good shots. The three goals Trent scored all came as a result of their extra man, but this does not belittle their attack, which was extremely strong, their captain and inside left playing particularly fine games.

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THE 2nd XI

The 2nd XI played four matches, beating Ashville College, drawing with Bootham and losing to Trent and Worksop. Enthusiasm was very high in the •team and much promising material was found, which will be of great use in future years. I. U. Warrington, C. D. Ryder, C. T. Groves, and S. H. Amos were awarded their 2nd XI Colours.

INTER-HOUSE HOCKEY First round Semi-finals Final

Manor 0 Rise 1 Grove 2 Grove 4 Grove 2

School House 2 School House 3 Temple 1

In the first round of the House Hockey Competition The Grove were drawn against The Manor. The Grove were expected to win, and win •they did—but only just ! The Manor put up a splendid fight and the score of 2-0 hardly reflects the run of the play. The team spirit and enthusiasm of The Manor offset the greater skill of The Grove to such an extent that the result was in doubt almost till the end, when Hodgson clinched the issue by scoring The Grove's second goal from a short corner.

In the first semi-final School House, the eventual winners, had a very exciting game with Temple Temple's strength lay in the speed of their centre forward, Slegg, and of the wings, Graham and Kershaw, backed up by enthusiastic halves and backs. School House, with five members of the 1st XI, were a' etter balanced team. The game was very even, with School House scoring early in the game, Temple equalising in the second half, and Baker scoring the winning goal almost at the end of the game. Temple were unlucky when they had a goal over-ruled for off-side.

In the other semi-final The Grove had an easy victory over The Rise by four goals to one—a vast improvement on their performance against The Manor. Their forwards, although faced by a defence stronger on paper than that of The Manor, combined excellently,

Hodgson at centre forward being outstanding. Their halves were tenacious and were stronger than their backs, the only possible weakness in what was a very strong team. For The Rise, Warrington on the left wing, Thompson at full back, and Amos in goal, played good games.

On paper the final had the makings of a very good game, for The Grove's strength lay in their well-balanced forward line, whilst that of School House lay in its defence, and the game fully lived up to its promise, both in excitement and skill. For ten minutes after the

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