HOCKEY: The final test in the series between Australia and Great Britain was held in front of a full capacity crowd of 5,000 at the Perth Hockey Stadium tonight, with Australia taking out the win 5 – 1 in the last game the Kookaburras will play in Australia before Rio 2016.
Jamie Dwyer started the game off in fine form scoring the first field goal of the match within minutes in his final game for the Kookaburras in Australia. Great Britain were quick to react, getting the ball down into their scoring circle to give Simon Mantell the opportunity to even the score with a swift field goal.
Jeremy Edwards followed up giving the Kookaburras a chance at a penalty corner. Gohdes injected, but the team narrowly missed the goal thanks to a great save from the visitors. A second chance at a penalty corner was shot well outside of goal and Great Britain took full advantage, flying the ball back up to their shooting circle but they were unable to convert the opportunity.
Simon Orchard gave Australia the lead right on the quarter time buzzer with a penalty corner from a deflection after the ball was injected by Aran Zalewski.
Into the second quarter and Blake Govers extended Australia’s lead to 3 - 1 thanks to a penalty corner swooping in above Great Britain’s goalkeeper.
Fourteen minutes into the third quarter and Captain Mark Knowles stretched Australia’s lead to 4 - 1 following a penalty stroke shot. Great Britain answered with their first penalty corner attempt of the game, but Australia’s defence was on point and they couldn’t convert the goal.
The fourth quarter saw Jamie Dwyer finish the game off with a penalty corner, nailing the victory for Australia with just a minute to go.
Post-match Dwyer commented: “It started off well with a goal in the first minute, I think it settled down my nerves a little bit. Overall we played a great game, especially defensively, and it was good to get a solid win against Great Britain.
“The amount of people that were here tonight was crazy, it was awesome and I was really happy to have my family here so we’ll celebrate tonight, but now I’m looking towards Rio.”
Head Coach Graham Reid said: “I was very happy with the second half of the game tonight. I thought we held the ball very well and played with a lot of sustained attacking pressure which we’re always trying to do, and that showed in the full time score.”
The Kookaburras will next play the Champions Trophy in London from 10 – 17 June.
Full series Results
Narrogin Game 1, 21 May: AUS 2 – 2 GBR
Narrogin Game 2, 22 May: AUS 4 – 3 GBR
Perth Game 3, 24 May: AUS 5 – 1 GBR
Kookaburras’ squad v Great Britain
Started
Kiel Brown (Toowoomba, QLD) 172/6
Chris Ciriello (Melbourne, VIC) 186/114
Tristan Clemons (Bunbury, WA) 26/0
Jeremy Edwards (Tasmania) 8/1
Jamie Dwyer (Rockhampton, QLD) 359/241
Jeremy Hayward (Darwin, NT) 54/17
Mark Knowles (Rockhampton, QLD) 285/24
Trent Mitton (Perth, WA) 88/33
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, Tasmania) 272/64
Flynn Ogilvie (Wollongong, NSW) 28/11
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River, WA) 87/10
Used Substitute
Andrew Charter (Canberra, ACT) 110/0
Timothy Deavin (Launceston, Tasmania) 126/6
Matthew Gohdes (Rockhampton, QLD) 153/51
Blake Govers (Wollongong, NSW) 26/24
Fergus Kavanagh (Geraldton, WA) 225/15
Simon Orchard (Maitland, NSW) 197/56
Matthew Swann (Mackay, QLD) 135/6
Hockey Australia
