Hockey: Emphatic loss ruins Father's Day plans

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

New Zealand hockey captain Simon Towns wanted to give the coach a Father's Day present that did not involve spending money.

As he walked off the field yesterday after a 1-5 hiding from Olympic contenders Pakistan he had little to offer his dad, New Zealand coach Kevin Towns.

"I suppose I'll have to go to the shops now," he said. "I thought I could just give him a win."

No such luck. In the Towns' first test series together, their young New Zealand team came close three times - drawing one, losing 0-1 in the other two.

But yesterday the tiring Kiwis slowed down and Pakistan sped up, showing why they could win a medal in Sydney.

But the father-son, coach-captain combination were still happy. The new team had stood up to one of the world's best. And the Towns were still on talking terms.

"We actually have a very good relationship," Towns sen said. "We've talked for years about the game and we pretty much agree on everything."

During this series, and the three tests against Argentina starting tonight, the Towns have been saving their sport money by sleeping at their Auckland home.

But as part of their professional relationship, they go to and from games in separate cars.

"By the time I get home after a game, Simon is usually too knackered to talk about it," said Kevin Towns. "We get on like any coach and captain. But I guess he may want to be seen less with me, and more with the players."

Nepotism can't be blamed for the younger Towns' role in the team - he proved his worth over the four tests against Pakistan, controlling play from the centre of the field.

But yesterday the Pakistanis were on fire - tiny striker Atif Bashir and Muhammad Sarwar, a veteran of more than 170 tests, virtually unstoppable on the run.

New Zealand's one success came when they were already four goals down - Towns smashing the ball into the circle and Umesh Parag sneaking it under the goalie's legs.

"I think our guys will be disappointed," Kevin Towns said. "But I don't think many teams in the world could play a four-test series and stay with Pakistan all the way."

Pakistan head to Sydney today confident for what lies ahead.

Back here, the New Zealanders must today rally for their third test in three days against a totally different Olympic team.

The Argentine men's and women's sides will play the New Zealand men and women in Whangarei before double-headers in Albany on Wednesday and Pakuranga Thursday.