Joan Borland plays hockey for Southland A to win Mills Cup in 1956........

M. Smith (Ashburton captain) tries to stop M. Smith (Southland) during the Mills Cup final. Joan Borland (Southland) is in support. J. Myers and M. McQueen are the other two players. The game ended with a 3-1 win to Southland.

It was 1956 and the K Cup women's hockey tournament was held in Invercargill.   Eastern Southland shared the honours with Otago when they met in the final for a 2-2 draw.  It was the first time in 21 years that a Southland team had won the tournament. 

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The final between Eastern Southland and Otago was played at a furious pace, but the game was marred by too many penalties.  Eastern was the culprit with a count of 105 to Otago's 39.
There was a lot of frustration in the game and this showed with the half time score at 0-0.  
It was Otago that started the second  half the better team and scored two good team goals, but they then tend to go to sleep and let Eastern into the game, where they scored 12 minutes from full time. L. Sanson socred the goal and this seemed to rattle Otago, N. Collins came close to scoring straight after but could not find support.   It was five minutes to go when Irene Sanson made a great break, beat the defence, and slammed the ball into the net.
Otago were the superior team on the day with its fast and accurate passing and good tight defence by their full back, I. Clearwater.
M. Ives for Otago was well marked by Eastern so could not play her usual dominant game. But when given the opportunity did manage to beat the defence.   
L. Sanson (Southland) played a very assertive game, which drew a lot of the penalties. 

Southland A managed to win the Mills Cup by beating Ashburton 3-1.  The Southland forwards were a lot more aggressive and found gaps.  The game was pretty lacklustre with both teams trying to defend the score instead of attacking.  The hitting of the ball was too soft and Ashburton were not the usual confident team.
J. Myers was the first to score for Southland, and there was a couple of chances that went begging when the ball was either hit too hard or too soft to find the goal. S. Menlove then managed to make it 2-0 with a good individual run.
Joan Borland sent in a hard ball into the net making the score 3-0.

The teams were:
Eastern Southland - Mr O. B. Dey (Manager), N. Collins, S. Stevenson, D. Kerr, M. Webb, C. Lush, J. Horrell, P. Collins, M. Mulligan, I. Clearwater, I. Sanson, L. Sanson, C. Horrell, G. Sutherland, J. Shallard.

Otago - Mrs H. Bardwell (Manageress), N. Blackie, T. Foster, I. Harry, A. Davison, J. Doull, J. Silver, A. McGregor, H. McGettigan, J. Smith, M. Valentine, A. Mitchell, A. Denniston, R. Rea, M. Ives. Mrs R. Scott (chaperon).

Eastern Southland

Otago