Hockey: Towns anxious for swing in fortunes against hosts Malaysia

By TERRY MADDAFORD

New Zealand coach Kevin Towns is looking for a quick turnaround in the national men's team's fortunes when they play hosts Malaysia in the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament tonight.

Thumped 6-1 by Pakistan in their opening game in Ipoh, New Zealand must find something closer to their better form to have a chance in what Towns sees as a "must-win" game.

Looking back at perhaps the biggest loss in his time as coach, Towns remained philosophical.

"After being down 2-0 to a field goal - and even that might have been as the result of a deflection which caught our defence running the wrong way - and a straight flick from a penalty corner, we got ourselves back into the game at 2-1."

That goal, scored from a penalty corner by drag flick specialist Hayden Shaw 10 minutes before halftime, brought New Zealand back into the game.

"I thought when we went in at 2-1 at halftime it was a pretty fair indication," said Towns.

"But within four minutes we were in trouble. Dion Gosling was hit in the face with a stick. He lost a couple of teeth and needed some stitches in his mouth and was out of the rest of the game."

Towns said the entire squad had a run, which meant New Zealand at times had a relatively inexperienced team on the field.

"The Pakistanis starting bombing balls into the corners with long flicks and then forcing penalty corners. Their four second-half goals all came from corners - two from rebounds and two from drag flicks.

"From 25 to 25 we did reasonably well," said Towns. "But we were pretty poor in our back 25. While 3-1 would have been acceptable, 6-1 wasn't.

"Our guys have to look at themselves."

Towns said newcomer Casey Henwood had handled his step up well as had Lloyd Stephenson in his return to the international arena.

It was a huge turnaround from the result of their last meeting. In the semifinals at last year's Manchester Commonwealth Games New Zealand beat Pakistan 7-1 to ensure themselves of at least the silver medal.

Towns does not expect it to be any easier tonight.

The team trained well yesterday but he acknowledges the lack of match play - virtually since the Commonwealth Games - is showing.

"There has not been a lot of hockey. You can see that," said Towns.

"It is a case of tidying up at both ends and putting the opposition under pressure."

In the other game on the first day, Korea beat Malaysia 2-0.