Hockey

The results of our four inter-school matches were as follows :-

3rd Feb. v. Ashville College. Lost, 1-2. 28th Feb. v. Bootham School. Drawn, 0-0. 7th Mar. v. Worksop College. Lost, 2-3. 10th Mar. v. Trent College. Won, 1-0.

That table of results shows very clearly where the weakness of this year's Hockey XI lay. We could not score goals : and however well a side may play in mid-field, it is goals that count. The forwards just could not seize their chances in the circle. This was due to a slowness in shooting, an apparent inability to hit the ball hard enough, and a lack of anticipation. Scoring goals is partly a matter of experience and practice; and inevitably we have not enough of the former, and bad weather is always liable to deprive us of the latter. Considering how wet February was, we were lucky to get as much hockey as we did : but even so, at the most critical stage of the season we had ten days completely blank.

We started the season with four old colours, and we really reduced that to three by deciding that Gunning should not keep goal, but try —with his quickness off the mark at Rugger in mind— to fill a gap at centre-forward : and he will certainly do that in time. That left us with Smith at full-back and Hodgson and Hodd at inside forward to build on.

We built our defence on the captain, A. N. C. Smith, at right back : and that defence became entirely adequate and at times very good indeed. Backs and halves knew their job and did it, and trusted the others to do theirs. Positional play was very good, and the only sides that looked likely to score many goals against us were Styx, who actually scored four and Worksop who outpaced us on foot and scored three.

The building of the forward line was not so successful, and yet there was much to admire in mid-field, and our passing was at times admirable. Hodgson and Hodd worked tremendously hard to get the line working together, but Hodgson has lost his shooting power, and Hodd never seemed quite to know where the goal was. We had to make an outside left, and after several experiments decided on Pullan who filled a difficult position very adequately and improved in every match. He has the makings of a good inside left, which may well be his position another year. At outside right the choice lay between Kershaw and Raylor, and Kershaw's superior speed won him the place, though he is not a natural hitter of a hockey ball.

Whatever results we may have achieved, everybody seemed to enjoy their hockey tremendously : and that is, after all, the primary object of playing any game.

The second eleven also enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and moreover showed considerable promise. They lost at Bootham and by the odd goal at Worksop : but beat Ashville College and Trent, playing their best game at the very end. Since the whole of this second eleven may well be back next year, we may face the future with some confidence in our ability to contrive to play good hockey and win a reasonable proportion of our inter-school matches. The limitation of the number of boys playing hockey and the abandoning of House matches (surely a very wise step) has meant further opportunities for those who do play hockey, and this should mean an improvement in our standards before very long. A final word of congratulation must go to A. N. C. Smith, who captained the side with quiet but admirable and encouraging efficiency. The defence in general owed more to Smith than it probably realised.

CHARACTERS

P. J. BLrNcoE, 1951 (Goal). He has entirely the right attitude for a goalkeeper, and he seemed to enjoy himself thoroughly. He kicks very well, and his only failing was in dealing with flick-shots from near at hand, even from difficult angles. The harder shots seldom found him wanting. *A. N. C. Starr% 1949-50-51 (Right Back). He is not a showy player and he sometimes fails to "catch the eye", but he is extremely sound and unselfish, marks his man admirably, and he has a really good understanding of the game. He never had the faster grounds which suit him best. As a captain he set an example of unassumingly skilful play. J. T. ANKERS, 1951 (Left Back). He improved consistently and very considerably in the course of the season. He still needs to be able to hit with greater quickness and greater power; but he developed a really good understanding with Smith, and played his best game of the season against

Trent, when the backs gave a very fine display. *J. M. BOOTH, 1951 (Right Half). The best hitter of a hockey ball on the side except for his captain. Despite some lack of speed he marked his outside efficiently and his passing to his forwards was admirable. He can use the cross-pass to an inside left extremely well, and has developed a most efficient lunge tackle. W. H. N. FAIRWEATHER, 1951 (Centre Half). An experimental choice and on the whole a successful one. Handicapped by being left-handed, he nevertheless developed a good push-shot, and he did a tremendous amount of work. When he learned to mark his centre forward he filled in a gap in the defence. He was always inclined to spoil some excellent work by hanging on to the ball too long. R. H. JACKSON, 1951 (Left Half). He was becoming a good half back when he had unfortunately to miss three weeks' hockey. He came back at the end of the season, but never quite recovered his earlier form. He knows the game and has the best flick-shot of anyone on the side. A promising player, but he is somewhat slow on his feet. M. E. KERSHAW, 1951 (Outside Right). His speed was a great asset to the side, and in mid-field he used it well. His centring was unreliable and he was inclined to wander inside too soon. But he never let us down and was always a trier.

*R. M. HODGSON, 1949-50-51 (Inside Right). He very largely recovered his best form, except for his shooting. He played with tremendous enthusiasm and would have been a very dangerous forward if he could have shot harder and more quickly. His passing improved enormously and in our last game he really showed us how to feed an outside right. A. N. WYATT-GUNNING, 1950-51 (Centre Forward). Inevitably he took some time to settle into an entirely strange place, but he improved very considerably. His failure at present is that he is inclined to get his stick and his feet all muddled up when he is dribbling. If he can improve this he should be a dangerous centre forward next year. *N. M. HODD, 1950-51 (Inside Left). He is a tremendous worker, and "tackles back" better than anyone. But he is not quick enough to recover his position in the forward line, and there was a gap in the centre at times because he was hanging back. He is a most useful forward, and a thoroughly enthusiastic player. G. B. PULLAN, 1951 (Outside Left). He learned to fill a most difficult position very adequately, and he improved considerably. A natural player, he should become a most useful forward. * Awarded Caps.

SCHOOL v. ASHVILLE COLLEGE, HARROGATE (away). Saturday, 3rd February. Lost 1-2.

We were handicapped by not having had any match at all prior to our visit to Harrogate, and when we were two goals down in five minutes we might have gone to pieces. As a fact, Ashville never scored again, and before half-time Gunning had reduced the lead. In the second half there was very little to chose between the teams. Each side missed some good opportunities of scoring, though how we missed on absolutely open goal must remain a mystery. Ashville just about deserved their win, on which we congratulate them. They were faster on the ball, and hit with greater certainty and precision on a very slow and difficult ground.

Team :—P. J. Blincoe (goal); A. N. C. Smith and J. T. Ankers (backs); J. M. Booth, 'W. H. N. Fairweather and R. H. Jackson (halves); M. E. Kershaw, R. N. Hodgson, A. N. Wyatt-Gunning, N. M. Hodd and G. B. Pullan (forwards).

SCHOOL v. SCARBOROUGH HOCKEY CLUB Played at home on Saturday, 10th February. Lost 0-2.

The School eleven were slow in developing anything like a dangerous attack but the defence was sound almost throughout the game. It was good to notice the assistance given to the defence by the inside forwards. Hodd and Hodgson; and Booth at right-half was moving the ball about with some really good hitting.

When the forwards began to show more life they were still failing to find the gaps in the Scarborough defence, and when the ball did 52

get through to the circle, there was too much time taken over shooting. But there were some good points in the forward play; Pullan looked dangerous once or twice on the left and Hodgson had bad luck to be disallowed his excellent shot at goal after working so hard for it.

On the whole it was not a bright game to watch, but it was played on a very heavy ground and it must have been difficult to do much with the ball.

Team :—Blincoe, Ankers, Smith, Booth, J. M., White, Jackson, R. H., Raylor, Hodgson, Wyatt-Gunning, Hodd, Pullan.

SCHOOL v. STYX HOCKEY CLUB. Played at home on Wednesday, 14th February. Lost 0-4.

From the bully-off, weather conditions became steadily worse, the second half being played in a steady downpour of rain and sleet.

The School were first in a position to score, when Hodd flicked a pass on to Hodgson's stick to see the shot go just wide of the post.

The Styx attack quickly settled down, and the two school fullbacks, Smith and Ankers, were kept very busy. Booth effectively stopped some dangerous left-wing movements. It was from one of these that the Styx first goal came, a centre flicked in by the speedy left-winger giving Blincoe no chance with the ensuing shot.

The two inside-forwards, Hodd and Hodgson, worked hard to get the School forward line moving. Their efforts bore fruit in the second half, but the Styx defence did not concede a goal. One movement engineered by Hodgson and Kershaw ended in a fine shot by Hodgson which missed by barely a foot.

In the second half, Smith, keeping a cool head under pressure from the Styx forward line, helped to prevent further goals from the visitors' inside men and managed to feed his own attack. Play, throughout the half alternated evenly between the two halves of the field, a fact which in itself gives credit to the School team.

SCHOOL v. YORK H.C. (away). Saturday, 24th February. Lost 0-2.

Owing to the condition of our own ground this game was played away; and though the York ground was wonderfully dry, it was a little rough, and the School found it difficult. Moreover, because of rain, we had not touched a hockey stick for ten days, and the side took the whole of the first half to find its feet. By that time, despite some very good goalkeeping by Blincoe, we were 2 goals down. In the 53

second half the School played much better hockey and were a little unlucky not to score at least once. Jackson was unable to play; but, after a shaky start, Fletcher fitted in very well and did a good job in marking Bellerby, the most dangerous of the York forwards.

Team :—P. J. Blincoe (goal); A. N. C. Smith, J. T. Ankers (backs); J. M. Booth, W. H. N. Fairweather and D. I. Fletcher (halves); M. E. Kershaw, R. M. Hodgson, A. N. Gunning, N. M. Hodd, G. B. Pullan (forwards).

SCHOOL v. BOOTHAM SCHOOL (away). Wednesday, 28th February. Draw 0-0.

This was a very pleasant game of hockey on a lovely afternoon; and the Bootham ground, considering all the rain there had been, was in very good condition. The School played very well. They were much quicker on the ball, and their passing was quicker and harder. In fact we could do most things except score goals, and perhaps Bootham were a little lucky to escape with a draw. But their defence was good, and their centre-half and left back both played very well. For the School, Smith in the first half was in his best form, though he fell away somewhat in the second half : Ankers was good all through and played his best game so far. Booth was the pick of the halves, and Hodd and Hodgson both played very well. If only they could get goals !

The Team was identical with that which played against York.

ST. PETER'S 1st XI v. O.P's Played at home on Saturday, 3rd March. Won 4-1

The match was played in perfect conditions on a ground which was well suited to the fast tactics employed by both teams.

The first twenty minutes were remarkable for the play of Steele, the O.P. centre-half, who repeatedly checked the School's attempts to feed their forwards by positioning himself to intercept their passes. Steele himself opened the scoring, but from that moment the School really settled down to their task. Gunning quicky scored for the School, and the score at half-time remained one all.

In the second half the School attack played good constructive hockey, and a good movement, started by Hodd, who had dropped back to help his defenders, ended by Pullan's centre being taken by Gunning, who shot on the turn, to score his second goal.

The O.P's then tried to force their way through the school defence, but the backs, Smith and Ankers, kept them out.

Again the school forwards increased the pressure and in spite of repeated checks and hard clearances by Chilman, Gunning completed a fine hat-trick. Hodd got the fourth goal, to finish the scoring. 54

The O.P. side was :—R. M. Garth (goal); J. F. W. Addey, K. G. Chilman (backs); R. G. M. Quarrie, F. F. Steele, W. B. Batterick (halves); K. R. G. Harper, C. Dryden, D. Anderson, A. T. H. Wright, I. U. Warrington (forwards).

Our thanks are due to P. M. Steele for organising the team. He himself was unfortunately unable to play owing to a damaged foot.

SCHOOL v. WORKSOP COLLEGE (home). Wednesday, 7th March. Lost 2-3.

Had we seized two easy scoring chances in the second half, we might well have won this match : and yet it would have been an unjust result if we had. Worksop deserved to win. They were faster, and their forwards, well led by their captain at inside left, played more penetrating hockey than we did. Their positional defence was good too, and our forwards never shook themselves free. Our backs and halves played well in defence, but the halves were generally not constructive enough in their passing. Blincoe could only be blamed possibly for our opponents' third goal, scored with a down flick-shot from an almost impossible angle : an angle that better positioning could have made quite impossible. It was a thoroughly good and enjoyable game of hockey, and the ground really played very well. This was a considerable achievement for Wallbank, because the ground had to absorb an unusual amount of water during the term. Our goals were both scored in the second half by Gunning and Kershaw.

SCHOOL v. TRENT COLLEGE (away). 10th March. Won 1-0.

Except inside the circle, this was our best display of the year; for inside the circle we were again terribly weak. But our defence was very good indeed, and Blincoe never had a real shot to stop. All the halves and the backs played well, and Ankers and Booth played their best games.

Hodd scored our goal by good following up within ten minutes of the start, and we hoped that might inspire the other forwards to get goals. But well though we played in mid-field, the Trent defence was good and sealed up all but the quickest opportunities, and these were too quick for our forwards. In the second half the same thing happened, and three glorious centres from Pullan went begging through lack of anticipation. The Trent captain at centre half and both the Trent backs defended stoutly : but their forwards were too well marked to make much headway. It was an extremely pleasant match on a faster ground than we have seen this year—and we appreciated that.

Team :—P. J. Blincoe (goal); A. N. C. Smith and J. T. Ankers (backs); J. M. Booth, W. H. N. Fairweather, R. H. Jackson (halves); M. E. Kershaw, R. M. Hodgson, A. N. Gunning, N. M. Hodd, G. B. Pullan (forwards.

SCHOOL MATCHES SUMMARY OF MATCHES 1st XI

3rd Feb. v. Ashville College, Harrogate •• • Away Lost — 10th Feb. v. Scarborough H.C. • • • Home Lost 0— 14th Feb. v. Styx H.C. ... • • • Home Lost 17th Feb. v. Phoenix H.C. ... Scratched 24th Feb. v. York H.C. • • • Away Lost 0-- 28th Feb. v. Bootham School . • • Away Drawn 0- 3rd Mar. v. O.P.s ... • • • Home Won 4- 7th Mar. v. Worksop College • • • Home Lost 2- 10th Mar. v. Trent College ... • • • Away Won 1 2nd XI 3rd Feb. v. Ashville College, Harrogate Away Won 6— 24th Feb. v. Railway Institute ... Away Lost 2— 28th Feb. v. Bootham School Away Lost 0— 7th Mar. v. Worksop College Home Lost 1— 10th Mar. v. Trent College ... ... ... Away Won 3— The 2nd XI team was :—R. D. Palframan (Goal); J. J. Youll, D. W.

McDougle (Backs); D. H. Gudgeon, S. J. White (Capt.), D. I. Fletche (Halves); J. M. Raylor, H. W. J. Rigg, J. E. Fawcett, M. J. Wood, P. D. F.

James (Forwards). 2nd XI Colours were awarded to :—S. J. White, D. I. Fletcher, J. E. Fawcett,

J. M. Raylor, D. W. H. McDougle.

BRITISH SHIP ADOPTION SOCIETY

The Easter term almost coincided with the "Mountpark's" passage home from Cairns, Queensland.

After completion of discharging at Bluff, New Zealand, the ship proceeded to Sydney for bunkers and then went on to Cairns to load sugar. This was in December, and Christmas was spent at Cairns, where the temperature was about 85 deg. F. Loading lasted until 18th January and in the early morning of the 19th the ship weighed anchor. After calling at Singapore for oil (1st Feb.) she passed through the Suez Canal during the night 20/21, and arrived at Gibraltar, where bunkers were filled again, on 1st March. The passage to Liverpool was completed on 7th March, when the ship had steamed 11,116 miles according to the log and had been at sea, except for fuelling, for 45 days.

Our correspondent, Mr. Ellis, left the ship at Liverpool, and will be on leave till July. Except for two short spells at home, he has been at sea in the "Mountpark" for five years—in fact, since she set off on her maiden voyage. She has been our "adopted" ship for the same period, but in accordance with the policy of the British Ship Adoption Society our link now comes to an end, and we shall have a "new" ship when Mr Ellis goes to sea again.

During the term we have received several bundles of newspapers from the ship, some have been put in the Library, and all were avail- 56