#Glasgow2014: Hockeyroos Make Winning Start

The Hockeyroos’ Commonwealth Games title defence has got off to a perfect start with a dominant 4-0 victory over Malaysia on day one of Glasgow 2014.

A three goal first half for the reigning champions set up the win over a determined Malaysian outfit, with their attacking options particularly from penalty corners, proving too much for their opponents.

Australia suffered a setback pre-match with WAIS athlete Ashleigh Nelson ruled out with a minor injury, however Jodie Kenny’s pin-point penalty corner drag flick into the top corner in the seventh minute gave the Aussie women the perfect start.

Kellie White doubled the advantage with a deft deflection midway through the half before Georgie Parker pulled off a textbook tomahawk to fire Australia 3-0 in front before the break.

Malaysia weathered a series of Australian penalty corners in the second half but could do little about Parker’s reverse stick strike that flew into the roof of the net with just over 20 minutes to go.

Prior to Kenny’s opener, both Emily Smith and Brooke Peris had looked bright as they teased the Malaysian defence early on. Kenny was a heroine at both ends of the pitch in a matter of moments, first converting a penalty corner high into the goal before clearing off the line at Malaysia’s only penalty corner of the match.

It was a dominant Australian performance with Malaysian goalkeeper Farah Ayuni Yahya one of the stars of the show as she pulled off a string of saves to deny Anna Flanagan, White and Parker in the second period.

Despite Nelson’s absence, WAIS was represented by Jayde Taylor through the match, with the 2012 Olympian slotting into the Hockeyroos’ defence.

The Australian women play Wales in their second match of the tournament at 2pm local time (9pm Perth time) on Friday.

-with HockeyAustralia