Hockey: New Zealand need a win to stay in hunt

By TERRY MADDAFORD

A win over bottom-placed England tomorrow morning will keep New Zealand's Champions Challenge gold medal hopes alive.

In beating hosts South Africa 2-1 in their penultimate pool match yesterday, New Zealand moved into fourth place.

Victory over England, who lost 2-1 to Korea yesterday, would take New Zealand to eight points. They would then need Korea to do no better than a draw with Malaysia and Spain to beat South Africa to win through to the final against Spain.

"The boys set themselves a target of winning a medal here," said stand-in coach Charlie Oscroft from Randburg. "If we beat England we will be assured of that opportunity."

The winner of this tournament will qualify for next years Champions Trophy, a tournament New Zealand have not played in since 1984.

Against South Africa, New Zealand started slowly. They went a goal down after three minutes when Justin King scored from a penalty corner to notch his fourth goal of the tournament.

"South Africa were going to die for the cause," said Oscroft. "We allowed them to dominate early on. We turned the ball over and struggled. Towards the end of the first half we got control of the ball and eventually the control of the game."

A minute before halftime, from one of the six penalty corners New Zealand won, Hayden Shaw's attempt was blocked but the ball fell to Bevan Hari who scored.

New Zealand continued to press and hit the front in the 45th minute.

Shaw, celebrated his return to the side from injury, with a goal from a penalty corner after he had had another drag flick saved on the line.

"Unlike the game against Spain when we played the last couple of minutes on defence, we took it to the South Africans and kept the ball at the end we wanted," said Oscroft. "You could see the pressure building after the first 20 minutes as we controlled things."

Oscroft singled out Mitesh Patel and replacement Casey Henwood as players to show out.

In the other game Spain beat Malaysia 3-2. All games on the fourth day decided by just one goal. New Zealand, who have the best defensive record at the tournament, play England at 12.30am tomorrow.