WORLD CUP HOCKEY Australia thrashes N.Z. in play-off

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33791, 13 March 1975, Page 30

WORLD CUP HOCKEY Australia thrashes N.Z. in play-off

'By

DEREK ROUND,

N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent.)

KUALA LUMPUR. Australia hammered New Zealand, 5-0, in the World Cup hockey tournament at Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The match was one of a series of play-offs to decide the fifth to eighth place-getters.

New Zealand will now play Spain; the winner will he seventh in the tournament and the loser eighth. To decide the fifth and sixth places, Australia will play England, which beat Spain, 5-4. yesterday.

Australia. which trounced' Ghana. 9-0, in the opening game of the tournament and drew with India, now in the semi-finals, played like a machine, and the New Zealanders never looked like upsetting them.

“It was a complete disaster,” the New Zealand coach (Mr R. Gillespie) said after the game. The Australians made effective use of the centrehalf, Trevor Smith, playing him close to the forwards in virtually a 6-2-2 formation.

Australia’s win assures it of a place in the Montreal Olympic Games, and New Zealand is virtually assured of a place, too. New Zealand beat Australia in a replay at the Rome Olympic Games and drew with it in the first game at the Munich Games. The Australians, who beat New Zealand at the Christchurch international tournament last year, fielded their top team for yesterday’s game.

The first penalty corner went to Australia "min after the start when New Zealand was penalised for obstruction, but the inside-right. Richard Charlesworth, was

not able to stop the ball cleanly. The New Zealand goali keeper, Trevor Manning, 1 saved from a second penalty moments later, and Paul Ackeriey stopped the rebound flat on the ground with his (stick outstretched. Five minutes later, New Zealand was awarded a penalty corner when the leftwing. Arthur Parkin, was foot-stopped by an Australian defender. The New Zealanders lost the ball, and the Australians raced away for the leftwing, Steve Marshall, to score two minutes later when he took advantage of a gap in the New Zealand defence. New Zealand was awarded a penalty comer in the eighteenth minute after an Australian defender kicked the ball in the circle, and the inside-right, Alan Mclntyre, stopped it but lost possession. N.Z. on defence The left-half, Alan Chesney. got New Zealand out of trouble two minutes later when he saved a backstick shot by the Australian rightwing. David Bell. The New Zealanders attacked, and looked to have a chance from a penalty corner but the goal-keeper, Bob i Proctor, made a good save. Australia’s second goal came in the twenty-ninth I minute, when Charlesworth (scored from a melee in front of the New Zealand goal.

I Three minutes later the right full-back. Jim Irvine, (made it 3-0 when the ball was deflected off a defender’s stick from an Australian penalty corner. New Zealand was lucky Australia did not score again just before half-time when it was awarded a penalty stroke for obstruction by i Manning on the ground after he had saved a shot at goal. Hit post Smith took the stroke, but the ball hit the post. Rodger McHarg replaced Manning, who has had trouble with his knee, and David Appleby went on in place of Chris Maister, at centre-forward. The Australians kept New Zealand under pressure, and Irvine scored his second goal eight minutes into the second half to make it 4-0 to Australia after New Zealand had

been penalised for obstruct tion. Charlesworth scored again minutes later from a corner. With a commanding 5-0 lead. Australia replaced four of its players, and New Zealand sent the right wing, Bruce Mellor, on in place of Mohan Patel. Neil McLeod went on to replace Mclntyre, and Parkin moved to insideright. Goal disallowed New Zealand had a chance 15 minutes into the second half when Appleby nearly scored from a corner, but the goal was disallowed, and the New Zealanders were unable to take advantage of a penalty corner that followed. The Australian, David Bell, was given a yellow card and sent off temporarily when the umpire ruled that he had deliberately obstructed Parkin, who was racing for the ball. Australia missed from a corner and a penalty corner just before full-time. In the other play-off match yesterday, England was level, 4-4, with Spain from halftime, and extra time was needed to decide the winner. England’s fifth goal came in the first minute of this. The New Zealand team which played Australia was:

Tony Ineson (captain), Alan Mclntyre (Neil McLeod), Paul Ackerley. Arthur Borren. Alan Chesney. Greg Dayman. Chris Maister (David Appleby). Trevor Manning (Rodger McHargh Arthur Parkin. Mohan Patel (Bruce Mellor). Ramesh Patel.