Hockey: Charlotte not ready to go home yet

Just as well Dad is in Melbourne watching his 16-year-old daughter in her first Commonwealth Games tournament.

Otherwise he would be getting regular updates on Charlotte Harrison's text messaging bill.

Harrison is one of the star turns in the Black Sticks New Zealand women's hockey tournament playing in Melbourne, playing a vital role as they kicked off their tournament with a hard fought win over Scotland at the State Hockey Centre last night.

But shortly after attacking the Scots with her pacy brand of full speed hockey, she was furiously attacking her cellphone, thumbing in another message to her mates at Whangarei Girls High School filling them in on the real oil from inside the Games Village.

"I haven't checked the cellphone bill lately, but I think it might be getting up there. Just as well Dad is here watching me. I'm sure it will be a nice surprise when he gets home, because it all goes on his account," Harrison said.

"I have been texting heaps. Life in the Games Village is just awesome. It is a great place to be. We spend heaps of time checking out the other athletes trying to guess where they are from," she said.

"I'm definitely not ready to go home yet, so I hope we make the final."

She had plenty to text home about last night too after the Black Sticks were taken to the wire by a fired up Scottish team and the New Zealanders had endured an emotional build up to the match after one of their team, Kayla Sharland, lost an uncle three days ago.

Wearing black arm bands in support of their team mate, Harrison said she felt relieved they had bagged a victory first up, weathering a late resurgence from the Scots after blowing several goal scoring chances in the first half.

Anchored by Lizzie Igasan at the back and provided with plenty of attacking options through the speed and skill of attacking Harrison, Stacey Carr, Honor Dillon and Michelle Hollands, the Black Sticks started strong and maintained a tidy tempo against the Scots from the outset.

Sharland marked the occasion with a goal midway through the second half, a score that secured the victory.

But while happy with the win, the Black Sticks failed to capitalise on a variety of scoring chances, and could have put Scotland to the sword with a more efficient conversion rate.

They then conceded a late goal and were forced to dig deep to hold a resurgent Scottish side out.

In a sometimes testy encounter, and in front of a crowd loaded with Australians keen to see the Kiwis tripped up, Scotland managed to frustrate the New Zealanders for long periods.

Twice Scotland were unlucky not equalise in the first 40 minutes of the game, Igasan's robust defence the saviour.

After showing their attacking prowess in the opening moments, Dillon provided the first goal scoring opportunity for the Black Sticks, driving into the circle in virtually the first attacking movement of the match.

On the second subsequent penalty corner attempt Lizzie Igasan whacked in the opening goal of their campaign, deflecting it past a stranded Scottish goal keeper.

That was just eight minutes into the match.

The chances kept coming at regular intervals for the New Zealanders with only dogged and sometimes desperate Scottish defence keeping them at bay.

Not that Scotland were bereft of attacking enterprise, with Samantha Judge and veteran Rhona Simpson the key playmakers early on. Judge then scored late in the match to enliven Scottish hopes.

But with a heavy reliance on the overhead pass from Louise Carroll, a tactic that became repetitive, Scotland were unable to sustain any pressure against a fired up Black Sticks unit.

In other games Malaysia beat Nigeria 4-0 and Canada beat Barbados 4-0. The Blacks Sticks' next match is against Barbados today.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)