Kookaburras Too Good for Belgium
WAIS hockey scholarship holders Kiel Brown and Fergus Kavanagh have helped guide Australia to a series win over Belgium with 7-1 and 10-0 wins in the final two matches of the three test series in Canberra.
Having suffered a shock 4-4 draw with the Belgians in the first match of the series, Coach Ric Charlesworth recalled Beijing Olympian Brown – who had been rested – to add some much needed steel to the Kookaburras defensive structure.
It was a move the paid immediate dividends for the hosts as Brown looked composed in the back third and set up regular attacking raids for the Australians at the other end. Teammate Fergus Kavanagh was on hand to capitalize, scoring two goals in Australia’s 7-1 win on Saturday, converting field goals in the seventh and 68th minute of play.
The back to back schedule proved too much for the Belgians on Sunday with Australia running out 10-0 victors in a lopsided contest in the nation’s capital.
Des Abbott starred for the Kookaburras with a hat-trick whilst the win was made more impressive with Jamie Dwyer, Mark Knowles and Rob Hammond all missing from the squad.
Overall seven players have debuted for the Kookaburras during the last two series’, creating an exciting build up to the 2009 Men’s Champions Trophy which will be held in Melbourne from November 28-December 6.
Charlesworth was pleased with his side’s defensive effort having witnessed his team giving up a 4-1 lead in the first match of the series.
“We have the capacity to score a lot of goals. We aren’t defending as well as we could and that’s an area that needs some attention, but I’m delighted to have zero goals against for my first time in seven matches and that is something that we want to become the rule and not the exception,” said Charlesworth.
