Kookaburras Protect World Ranking with Oceania Cup Win

The Australian Kookaburras have won the 2011 Oceania Cup after a dominant 6-1 win over New Zealand in the final and deciding match at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre in Hobart to take the trophy and retain their world number one ranking.

Threatened with losing their number one ranking if they did not win by four goals, the Kookaburras showed what a world class side they are playing out the match with real intensity and purpose.

The Kookaburras started at a frantic pace with Jamie Dwyer busy early earning the Australians a penalty corner in the first minute.

Local favourite Eddie Ockenden made no mistake of the variation, scoring a fine reverse stick deflection to give the Australians the perfect start.

The Kookaburras were playing with passion and fight and Mark Knowles was notably full of aggression as he glided through the middle of the park on several occasions.

Midfielder Matthew Butturini was too in full flight and it was through his great solo run which earned Australia a penalty stroke after a scramble in front of goals.

Simon Orchard made no mistake at the spot to give the Australians a two goal advantage in the 10th minute.

The Kookaburras continued to run the Blacksticks into the ground and their efforts going forward were continually rewarded.

Butturini again broke through the New Zealand defence and earned a penalty corner which Kieran Govers unleashed a rocket like drag flick in the 16th minute to increase the buffer.

Australia was dominant all over the park and was aggressive at every contest with Matthew Swann and AIS-WAIS athlete Fergus Kavanagh composed at the back and feeding their midfielders and forwards continuously.

New Zealand came out with more aggression in the second half and moved forward with more confidence than what they showed in the first half.

Australia was able to stay composed and stick to their game plan however and dealt the Blacksticks a blow when Glenn Turner was able to put away a clinical goal in the 42nd minute.

This fourth goal gave the Australians further confidence as they attacked the circle with pace and aggression consistently.

Jamie Dwyer was finding touch all over the park and he exquisitely supplied the ball to Glenn Turner, who was able to stay composed and drag the keeper and give the Kookaburras a five goal lead in the 55th minute.

Still dominating all over the field, the Kookaburras soon found the scoreboard again after a great solo, overlapping run by Matthew Swan resulted in Glenn Turner getting a hat-trick in the 60th minute.

New Zealand were able to score a late consolation goal through a controversial penalty stroke in the 66th minute through captain Phil Burrows but it was too little too late as the dominant Kookaburras took out the match and the Oceania Cup title.

Kookaburras coach Ric Charlesworth said today’s result was better than the previous matches and was pleased with his side’s ability to capitalise especially against an opponent who played hard, tough hockey.

However he noted there is a lot of work to be done in the preparation for the London Olympics next year.

“I think we have had a significant dip in form over the last few months and hopefully the players have been reminded about how much work there is to be done,” Charlesworth said.

“That said, we have also shown what we can do when we play at our best.”

Earlier:

Australia and New Zealand have played out an exciting 3-3 draw in game two of the Oceania Cup at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre in Hobart.

The draw means that the Australians must defeat the Blacksticks by more than three goals in the final match in order to take out the 2011 Oceania Cup.

The first half was an even contest and saw both sides have their chances up forward and with opposing goalkeepers forced to be amongst the action.

Australia was attacking with pace and purpose and they were able to put the early scoreboard pressure on after Mark Knowles put away a penalty corner rebound in the seventh minute to get the ball rolling for the Kookaburras.

From here on the opening half was an even mix of Australia looking dangerous through general possession and forward drive and New Zealand looking continually dangerous on the counter attack.

After the break it was New Zealand who came out with sparks flying and only forty seconds in, Simon Child was able to cut off an Australian pass out of defence to score a superb reverse stick goal from a tight angle to even things up in 36th minute.

The Kookaburras responded to the challenge thrown at them by the Blacksticks and were able to find the scoreboard two minutes later through a fluid build-up involving Matthew Butturini, Mark Knowles, Kieran Govers and Jamie Dwyer.

Dwyer was able to stay composed and squeeze the ball past the keeper in 38th minute to give the Kookaburras a 2-1 lead.

Both sides continued to press hard and there was fierce competition at every contest.

New Zealand forward Simon Childs was sparking alight the New Zealand forward line and his precise and powerful cross to Blair Hilton evened the game up once again at the 44th minute mark.

Kookaburra forward Jamie Dwyer was finding some touch in the midfield and a delicate deflection on his behalf set Australia into attack which resulted in a one on one between Russell Ford and the Blacksticks’ keeper.

Ford, receiving the ball on the top of the circle, dragged the ball onto his reverse and slotted the ball into the goals to give the Australians back the lead in the 48th minute.

The Blacksticks would not lie down and responded yet again after another classical build-up.

Blair Hopper trapped the ball magnificently on the run at left half and fed the ball to Phil Burrows who set up Nick Wilson on the spot, slapping the ball high into the net past the keeper to take the match to 3-3 in the 50th minute.

In a frantic final ten minutes, Jamie Dwyer continued to be lively up forward for Australia and Simon Child continued to look dangerous for the Blacksticks in their forward half.

It was end to end, entertaining hockey, with both sides attacking at pace but unable to break through with a winner.

Going right down to the wire, New Zealand earned a penalty corner with one minute to go but their attempt was saved by defender Mark Knowles.

Australia too had their chance and attacked the circle with 10 seconds to go but their effort went unrewarded and the game ended in a draw.

Kookaburras coach Ric Charlesworth was disappointed in his sides performance given they had the lead on several occasions.

‘We were in a position to win the match but simply were not good enough to do so,” Charlesworth said.

“We gave away a couple of soft goals and we need to finish better.”

“We are playing against a quality opposition and we are below par at the moment.”

– Hockey Australia