Rebecca Sanders has put on a drag flicking show in game five of the six test series against Japan, scoring four goals in the Hockeyroos' 5-1 win.
With the series moving to Port Lincoln for the final two matches, the Hockeyroos looked incredibly slick, their ball control and movement across the pitch too good for the Japanese team.
And for the first time this series, they were able to dominate for the full 70 minutes, creating numerous opportunities on goal and converting five of them.
The first came in the eighth minute when Attard intercepted the ball in the midfield, dished off to Hollywood who took the ball into the circle and drew the foul. Sanders then stepped up and calmly slotted through her first of five.
The second came ten minutes later when a beautifully timed long ball from Halliday found Hollywood in the circle who worked hard over the ball and drew another penalty corner. In copy book fashion, Sanders' low flick made it 2-0 going into the break.
After half time the Hockeyroos continued to dominate, particularly through the midfield and in attack and when Megan Rivers drew another penalty corner in the 43rd minute and then Nikki Hudson did the same six minutes later, Sanders sent the ball into the backboard with a low flick.
Down 4-0, Japan got one back in the 52nd minute through a penalty corner of their own, but the lead was soon back out to four when Kate Hollywood scrambled a goal in the 60th minute after the Hockeyroos took a quick free hit outside the circle, working the ball around before it ended with Hollywood deflecting it past the keeper for a powerful 5-1 win.
"I was pretty pleased with tonight," said national coach, Frank Murray.
"It was a big improvement on our last game. We were able to open it up a lot with a lot of end to end stuff which created a lot of opportunities for us."
"Rebecca Sanders had a good game, with both her and Angie Lambert in penalty corners it gives us a dual pronged attack."
Source: Hockey Australia
