(Photo: © FIH / Photosport / Hockey New Zealand)

Australia booked a double victory over New Zealand in the preliminary round of the Oceania Cup in Invercargill, New Zealand. The Hockeyroos defeated their opponents 2-1, while the Kookaburras booked a 5-2 victory.

Women: Australia-New Zealand 2:1 (2:1)

Goal scorers: New Zealand – Charlotte Harrison. Australia – Nicole Arrold, Ashleigh Nelson

A shocker start cost the Black Sticks Women in their first match up with Australia in the Oceania Cup today in Invercargill.

New Zealand suffered a nervous start and found themselves two goals down in the space of four minutes.

Nicole Arrold deflected a Casey Estham penalty corner strike for the first goal in the 2nd minute and  Ashleigh Nelson  touched home a Hope Munro shot from the right for the second in the fourth minute

The Black Sticks did well to gather themselves back into the game to reply with a goal of their own in the 14th minute.  Charlotte Harrison guided home a good penalty corner strike from Clarissa Eshuis to the right post.

From there the New Zealanders gained confidence and competed well for equal territory and possession.

In the second half neither side could score again, and the Black Sticks would have lamented their poor start.

One a positive note the New Zealand defence weathered nine Australian penalty corners, conceding only one goal.

Emily Naylor was the pick of the New Zealand defenders and Beth Jurgeleit made some good saves in goal.

Up front the New Zealand forwards looked dangerous, but missed a couple of close opportunities in the circle. Katie Glynn played confidently.

Men: Australia-New Zealand 5:2 (2:2)

Goal scorers – New Zealand – Phil Burrows, Arun Panchia.  Australia – Luke Doerner 2 , Jamie Dwyer 2, Desmond Abbott.

Australia stepped up their goal scoring machine in the second half against the Black Sticks Men at the Oceania Cup today Invercargill, to take out the match 5 – 2. 

The two sides went into half time tied up at 2 – 2, but Australia showed their class after the break to put result out of dispute.

New Zealand was first to score in the first half  when a fine run by Simon Child was finished by Phil Burrows at close range, in the 19th minute.

Australia responded in the 22nd minute when Luke Doerner hurled a lethal drag flick past the New Zealand defence.

New Zealand re-took the lead in the minute when Arun Panchia was on hand for a rebound penalty corner ball and used a tomahawk shot to finish close to half time. Australia equalised with a fine angled reverse shot from the left by Jamie Dwyer two minutes from half time.

In the second half a finely placed penalty corner strike by Desmond Abbott just clipped the top of the backboard over the top of prone keeper Kyle Pontifex to put the Kookaburras back in the lead, 3 – 2.  Doerner added another drag flick bullet, this time low to the right hand corner for a 4 -  2 lead.  Seconds before full time  Jamie Dwyer added a field goal to take the Kookaburras out to what was probably a flattering 5 – 2 final score.

Source: Hockey New Zealand