Drawn hockey match puts N.Z. third

Press, 14 October 1985, Page 48

Drawn hockey match puts N.Z. third

NZPA staff correspondent London The New Zealand men’s hockey team drew, 1-1, with Argentina at the World Cup qualifying tournament in Barcelona on Saturday, and now lies third in its pool behind Ireland and Poland. Team officials remain confident, however, that New Zealand will justify its top tournament seeding and gain the top five placing it needs to make next year’s World Cup in London. The manager, Mr Ross Goulding, said the one point

New Zealand earned on Saturday was valuable, as the team regarded Argentina as its toughest opponent in the pool, which also includes Zimbabwe and South Korea.

The coach, Mr Trevor Blake, said: “Tournament play always contains upsets—the second seed, Spain, was toppled yesterday (on Friday) and it’s the team which lasts the distance and plays consistently which comes out on top.

“At the moment, we haven’t lost, and that’s the main thing—though the old heart was in the mouth at

times today (Saturday),” he said. The New Zealanders, fresh from an 8-0 win over Zimbabwe on Friday, made a terrible start. Argentina broke clear in the first minute and moved the ball up the right-hand touch line before sending it across in front of the goal. The keeper, John Melhuish, padded the ball away but it was intercepted and hit home by the Argentine centre forward. “We were still fast asleep,” Mr Goulding said. The New Zealanders

quickly awoke, and after 12 minutes a move built on a good run by Peter Miskimmin ended with Peter Daji driving the ball past the Argentine keeper to level the score. “We would have liked to win and probably we could have done but we didn’t play too badly today,” Mr Blake said. “I was quite pleased with the performance. Certainly we had more sparkle and more zip than we’ve had up to now.” Like Goulding, Mr Blake said his team should move

up the standings before section play ends on Wednesday. “Ireland haven’t struck us, Argentina or Poland yet, so they haven’t been truly tested. Poland doesn’t look that impressive, though it’s ‘ getting the results it needs. We must be in with a chance of beating these sides.” The New Zealand team was: John Melhuish, Robin Wilson, Grant McLeod, Jeff Archibald (capt), Stuart Grimshaw, Chris Brown, Peter Miskimmin, Jamie Smith, Peter Daji, Laurie Gallen, Chris Leslie. (Sub: Jon Tanner, 60min).