Hockey: Men's team wilt under pressure in KL

By Terry Maddaford

The pace of the game, the heat and the demands of playing six games in a little over a week caught up with the New Zealand men's hockey team at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Kuala Lumpur.

Minutes after his team had lost the wooden spoon playoff 2-1 in overtime to host Malaysia on Saturday, Kiwi coach Robin Wilson admitted his team had struggled.

"It was about 30 degrees when we started at 8 am and a lot hotter by the time Malaysia scored the winning goal in sudden-death overtime," said Wilson. "Sure, the players found it difficult but ... we now know our players were not fit enough for these conditions."

New Zealand beat Canada, who are ranked eighth in the world, but conceding last-minute goals against Pakistan and Germany cost them the chance to play off for third and fourth on goal difference.

Pakistan beat South Korea 3-1 in the final to win the cup in their sixth attempt since 1983 and after being beaten by the Koreans twice in the past six months.

Despite the disappointment of finishing last in the six-nation tournament, Wilson does not foresee any changes for next month's three-match Oceania Olympic decider with Australia.

"This team is about winning," said Wilson. "I will talk it through with my fellow selectors but the only changes might be in adding the two extra players we are now allowed to do for international tournaments. We can name 18 but only put 16 on the teamsheet."

Wilson was reasonably happy with his team's 25 per cent success rate in scoring from penalty corners. He was not so happy with the number of goals they conceded from opposition penalty corners.

"We conceded five penalty corners - four in exactly the same area. Scott [New Zealand captain and goalkeeper Scott Anderson] let in three against Pakistan," said Wilson. "That has given him something to work on. But I must say, he played well in the last two games."

Wilson said the players had not talked about the new national league, which starts this weekend, but he was sure that once they have had a few days to recover from what had been a particularly arduous tournament they would be ready for whatever the new competition threw at them.

"They all need a few days' rest, that's for sure," said Wilson.

Against Malaysia, New Zealand went ahead after 30 minutes when Craig Russ hit home from the edge of the circle from a penalty corner. The home side equalised 12 minutes into the second spell and, while both teams had further scoring chances, the game went to overtime.

The hosts clinched victory about six minutes into the first seven-and-a-half-minute period when they pushed home from a melee in the circle.