Potent Kookaburras put seven past Black Sticks

The Kookaburras have put on a scoring exhibition, winning a 7-3 goal fest against New Zealand in their FIH Pro League match at Perth Hockey Stadium.

A double from Jeremy Hayward plus goals from Flynn Ogilvie, Trent Mitton, Blake Govers, Tim Brand and Jake Whetton saw the home side run away with victory in front of a parochial crowd.

With both sides largely fielding their teams that will line up for the Tokyo Olympics in under a month, the Kookaburras were made to work in their first international on Australian soil since 7 March last year.

The Black Sticks had their opportunities, showing marked improvement from the recent Trans-Tasman Series, but the Kookaburras had all the answers when it counted.

Blake Govers tested Black Sticks goalkeeper Leon Hayward with an on target drag flick in the game’s first real chance, before Jeremy Hayward brought the best out of his brother moments later with another powerful shot.

New Zealand had a couple of unsuccessful consecutive penalty corners attempts before the Kookaburras struck.

Dylan Martin sent a purposeful long ball into the circle where Ogilvie snuck in front of the Black Sticks defender, getting the deftest of touches to guide the ball into the backboard.

Mitton doubled the advantage six minutes later. Lachlan Sharp did well on the base line, the ball spilling out to Mitton who had enough power behind his shot to get it past Leon Hayward.

A superbly executed Kookaburras penalty corner finished off by a Jeremy Hayward drag flick made it 3-0 in the 20th minute.

Kookaburras goalkeeper Andrew Charter produced a fine reflex save from a Sam Lane drag flick but the Black Sticks forward would not be denied when given a second opportunity as he converted from another penalty corner battery.

Brand went narrowly wide from adding a fourth before Charter was called into action again with another sharp save from a Black Sticks counter attack to end the first half.

Four minutes into the second half the Black Sticks cut the deficit to one when Stephen Jenness positioned himself perfectly at the back post to pounce on a swift New Zealand counter.

Govers unleashed an unstoppable rocket into the roof of the net from a trademark penalty corner, before Brand squared a ball to Matt Dawson in the circle who laid it off to Hayward to add a fifth.

New Zealand’s Nick Wilson made it 5-3 when he got the final touch in a goalmouth scramble.

The goal spurred the Kookaburras into another gear as Govers was denied his second by an outstretched Hayward.

But the Black Sticks keeper could not prevent a Whetton shot from sneaking between his legs to make it 6-3.

Brand then hit the post on the reverse, going inches from extending the lead, with Charter saving from Kane Russell at the other end.

With four minutes to play Brand did cap off a fine attacking display for the world number one Kookaburras as he found the back of the net.

“It’s great being back playing international hockey again. Great weather, an amazing crowd and the game was really good,” said Player of the Match and Western Australian local Aran Zalewski, who was playing his first international in almost 16 months.

“Ten goals in the game is exciting for the fans. We would have like a little less go into our net, but it was a good game overall.”

The teams will meet again at the same time tomorrow in their final match before heading to Tokyo.

Match Details
Kookaburras 7 (Ogilvie 11’, Mitton 17’, Hayward 20’/40’, Govers 38’, Whetton 52’, Brand 56’)
New Zealand 3 (Lane 21’, Jenness 34’, Wilson 41’)  
@ Perth Hockey Stadium

Kookaburras: 1.Lachlan Sharp, 5.Tom Wickham, 6.Matthew Dawson, 11.Eddie Ockenden (c), 12.Jake Whetton, 13.Blake Govers, 14.Dylan Martin, 15.Josh Simmonds, 16.Tim Howard, 17.Aran Zalewski, 22.Flynn Ogilvie, 23.Daniel Beale, 25.Trent Mitton, 29.Tim Brand, 30.Andrew Charter (gk), 32.Jeremy Hayward
Unused Substitutes: 7.Nathan Ephraums, 8.Johan Durst (gk)

New Zealand: 3.David Brydon, 4.Dane Lett, 7.Nick Ross, 12.Sam Lane, 14.Jared Panchia, 16.Aidan Sarikaya, 21.Kane Russell, 22.Blair Tarrant (c), 23.Dylan Thomas, 24.Sean Findlay, 25.Shea McAleese, 27.Stephen Jenness, 29.Hugo Inglis, 30.George Muir, 31.Steve Edwards, 32.Nick Wilson, 34.Leon Hayward (gk)
Unused Substitutes: 15.George Enersen (gk)