Hockey: Black Sticks women thrash Canada

The Black Sticks women have continued their dominance over Canada with a 6-0 thrashing in Hamilton today.

The two sides have clashed on six occasions over the last two years, with the Black Sticks winning by three goals or more on every occasion.

It was more of the same in the first of a two-test series in Hamilton, with the hosts overcoming a scrappy start to run away with the clash in the second half.

It took 24 minutes to open the scoring, and even that required some good fortune, with Olivia Merry's shot deflecting off a defender past stranded Canadian goalkeeper Kaitlyn Williams.

The Black Sticks were creating opportunities but lacking some clinical finishing in open play, but a penalty corner to Charlotte Harrison made it 2-0 at the half.

Canada couldn't keep up their performance in the second stanza, as the gulf in class between the world number four Black Sticks and 19th-ranked Canadians shone through.

A Liz Thompson penalty and Kayla Whitelock strike sealed the contest, before Harrison and Merry claimed doubles to finish the rout.

Black Sticks captain Sam Charlton said her side will be looking to put in a more fluent first quarter in the second match of the series.

"Canada came out hard and were more intense, it took us a bit too long to adjust but once we got our structure going and the ball moving quicker it started to work for us.

"We need to start a lot better tomorrow and come out with some fire, make sure we make those simple traps and passes and as we saw today the opportunities will come," said Charlton.

The two sides face off again at 3.00pm tomorrow, before taking part in the eight-team Hawke's Bay Cup, a tournament featuring five of the world's top ten sides.