KEY POINTS:
A hard-fought, come-from-behind 5-3 win over Chile in Whangarei yesterday sealed the series for the Black Sticks but left national men's coach Shane McLeod looking for more from his players.
"It was good experience in having to come back like that," said McLeod after the win which followed
6-0 and 3-0 victories in the opening matches of the series. "But we should not have been down in the first place."
Simon Child gave New Zealand the lead late in the first spell before the visitors hit back early in the second for 1-1. Child re-established the lead for the home side after 51 minutes but two quick Chilean goals had them 3-2 ahead with 15 minutes to play.
Child quickly completed his hat-trick for 3-3 and two goals, from North Harbour team-mates Dave Kosoof and Ben Collier, in the last six minutes got the Black Sticks home.
McLeod admitted his team have lost their way at times in the series, especially when playing without experienced defender Blair Hopping, who missed the first two matches of the series and was nursed through yesterday's game in continuing his recovery from a hamstring problem.
"Without Blair we are not as composed at the back," McLeod admitted. "But having said that, we are not going to take any risks with him [Hopping]. The only matches that matter are the Olympic qualifiers."
McLeod was pleased to see Child grab a hat-trick but again felt it was not a complete performance.
"We rested Phil Burrows to get more from the other strikers [including Bevan Hari who celebrated his 200th international on Saturday by scoring a goal]. Simon did not really turn it on until the second half which was a concern given the added responsibility he was given."
But McLeod was pleased with the efforts turned in by Hayden, Collier and Brad Shaw in their continuing progress on returning from injury.
Attention now turns to the remaining matches in the series in Pukekohe tomorrow and on Thursday with both matches scheduled for 6.30pm hit-offs.
McLeod will be looking for more from his team after being warned that next month's Olympic qualifiers on the North Shore might not be the two-horse race - New Zealand and Argentina - he might have expected, with Ireland considered a real threat.
Ireland recently beat Chile 6-0 and drew 0-0 with Argentina.