Hockeyroos Edged in London Test Final
The Hockeyroos were unable to repeat their semi-final heroics when they lost 4-1 to Holland in the final of the Investec London Cup overnight.
The Australians won their semi-final against Germany after coming back from two goals down but were left questioning their inability to put the Dutch away when they had them on the rack.
“I was disappointed with the result but I was encouraged with our level of play in the first half particularly,” Coach Adam Commens said.
“We need to be more clinical in the attacking circle but the tournament has been useful and the next six weeks will be about getting the details right so we don’t make the soft errors we made here.”
With Ash Nelson (AIS-WAIS) still suffering the after-effects of food poisoning and Fiona Boyce (AIS-WAIS) out with an injured shoulder, Commens had only 14 outfield players to choose from and after their sterling efforts from the previous day, his team struggled to press for 70 minutes.
“It was hard to maintain the work-rate,” Captain Madonna Blyth said, who spent much of the second period limping after getting a whack on the knee. “There were other reasons that it didn’t go our way but it was hard to keep the intensity.”
At the start of the contest the Australians put the world’s top team under constant pressure and were able to carve half a dozen decent chances as a result.
The best of those fell to Hope Munro whose strike hit the crossbar, while Anna Flanagan’s corner flick just whistled over the bar.
When the Dutch were able to escape from their half they looked dangerous and Hockeyroos’ keeper Toni Cronk had to be alert to keep out efforts from Ellen Hoog and Naomi van As.
The Hockeyroos managed 25 minutes of high intensity and high quality play before the Dutch were able to turn the tables.
The Australians lost possession carelessly in midfield and were punished in the 28th minute when Carlien Dirkse van de Heuvel showed how to finish with a roofed shot which gave Cronk no chance.
After the break Cronk was kept busy and made two good stops but was beaten by Maartje Paumen, Holland’s lethal weapon, whose corner flick powered home in the 44th minute.
To make matters worse, the Hockeyroos were then caught napping two minutes later when Kronk was beaten at her near post by Kelly Jonker, which made the score 3-0.
However, the industry of teenagers Emily Smith and Georgia Nanscawen did not go unrewarded when Smith’s steal was turned in by Nanscawen, who managed to hook the ball over the line on the reverse while at full stretch.
Any thoughts of another extraordinary fight-back were dashed when Paumen swept home Holland’s fourth corner with 14 minutes to go.
There was still time for Munro to conjure up a couple of good shots but the Dutch closed out the contest showing that they will be the favourites when the Games begin.
Germany came third after beating South Africa 6-2 while Great Britain claimed a 3-0 victory over Ireland to avoid the wooden spoon.
Australia will play Germany in two training matches at the Olympic Park next week.
– Hockey Australia
