Hockey: Double delight for NZ hockey

By TERRY MADDAFORD

New Zealand hockey players were last night celebrating a double success with victories over the Olympic-bound Argentine men's and women's teams in Auckland.

The men set the standard with their first win over the South Americans, a 4-2 triumph, while the women clinched their three-test series with a well-deserved 3-1 victory.

Anna Lawrence, still not fully recovered from a virus which has hampered her this week, opened the scoring after five minutes. She got through the first half before being rested by coach Jan Borren.

Five minutes before halftime Mandy Smith doubled that lead with a great solo goal, and 10 minutes into the second spell, she was again at her brilliant best, capping another solo effort with a superb reverse stick shot.

At 3-0, the home side were cruising. The visitors got one back 15 minutes from time when Agustina Garcia scored, but it was too little too late as the New Zealanders held on for their deserved victory.

New Zealand won the first international, lost the second but bounced back last night to give themselves the perfect going-away present ahead of their Sunday departure for Sydney.

Smith, at right wing, Tina Bell-Kake, in her customary centre-half role, and centre-forward Kate Trolove showed out in a solid effort from a New Zealand side who head to Australia determined to continue their chase for an Olympic medal.

"It was a great night for our hockey," said New Zealand Hockey Federation chief executive Ramesh Patel.

"Both teams played their best hockey of the series. The Argentine women had a couple of other chances to score, but they were denied by a solid defensive effort."

In the men's game, New Zealand had to fight back from 0-2 for their first win of the series.

The Argentines did not help their cause with an ill-disciplined display which at one stage had them reduced to just eight players.

Trailing by those two goals after 20 minutes, the home side closed the gap before halftime when Craig Reynolds scored following a solo dribbling run by Ryan Archibald.

A penalty stroke, after the visiting goalkeeper had been sent off, from Hymie Gill, playing his 50th international, levelled the scores at 2-2.

Bevan Hari put the Kiwis ahead for only the second time in the series before Mitesh Patel completed the victory.

New Zealand could have stretched their lead, but they were unable to convert from a penalty corner.