N.Z. Loses Hockey Tests

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32383, 24 August 1970, Page 22

N.Z. Loses Hockey Tests

(N‘Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) MELBOURNE. Australia made a clean sweep of the hockey-test series by beating New Zealand, 3-2, in the third test in Melbourne on Sunday. New Zealand has lost all three tests, and has thus been eliminated from the World Hockey Cup series to be played in Lahore, Pakistan, next February. Australia easily beat New Zealand, 4-1, in the second test on Saturday, and had won the first test, 4-3, last Thursday. I. Free gave New Zealand an early lead in Sunday’s match when he scored the first goal after 11 minutes. A. Patterson and G. Dayman kept Australia from scoring until near the end of the first half, when B. Rourke made a long run down the right wing and passed to Riley, who scored an equalising goal before halftime. In the second half, the New Zealand forwards applied pressure for the first 10

minutes, but were kept out by clever Australian goal-keep-ing. B. Maister moved across from left wing to inside right to score New Zealand’s second goal after 12 minutes of hard play. Australia had several corner penalties, before B. Glencross scored after 22 minutes; Then R. Riley performed remarkable man- ■ oeuvres in a 25-yard dash to score Australia’s third and i winning goal. 1 New Zealand’s best players I were Patterson, Christensen, t Archibald, and Maister. Although the New Zealand I manager (Mr R. Mackinlay) s was very disappointed that ! New Zealand could not win . a test, he said in a telephone t call to “The Press” yesterday I that the team had played , particularly well yesterday ; and was unfortunate to lose. I “Bad trapping let Australia I equalise after we had scored • the first goal early in the first half. Then after Maister had > netted beautifully to give I, New Zealand a 2-1 lead in the • second spell, some weak de-

fence in the halves enabled Australia to score twice and take the test,” he said. ' Yesterday’s match saw a reshuffle in the New Zealand forward-line, Maister playing on the left wing and Archibald joining Christensen and Borren in the forward line. “Bbth Archibald and Maister came through the match with honours,” said Mr Mackinlay. Mr Mackinlay had unlimited praise for the Australians Reilly ahd Smart. “They both played brilliantly. Reilly's effort in scoring eight of the 17 goals in the series speaks for itself.”

There were no excuses given for New Zealand’s 4-1 defeat on Saturday, Mr Mackinlay conceding that Australia was too good. A weakness in the halves, too loose a defence, and the failure of the goal-keeper to strike form were the main New Zealand faults Mr Mackinlay noticed throughout the three tests. However, he was pleased with the play of the forwards.