KEY POINTS:
New Zealand held on for a rare 1-0 win over Australia yesterday to give Kevin Towns a perfect start in his job as national women's coach.
Canterbury defender Kate Saunders hammered in the match-winner in the 26th minute off a penalty corner at the McMillan Hockey Turf in Dunedin.
The Hockeyroos had several opportunities to score but Black Sticks keeper Beth Jurgeleit was heroic, making at least six sprawling saves, including denying drag flick specialist Angela Lambert three times.
It was the Black Sticks' first win over the Hockeyroos since October 2005 when they won 1-0 in the first test of the Oceania world cup qualifier in Auckland. Towns said there was plenty to work on for the next three tests, in Oamaru tomorrow and two in Christchurch at the weekend.
"We got broken open from their counter-attack and I think we have a little bit of work to do to recognise those situations and cut off those fast breaks."
The Black Sticks defended tenaciously for large chunks of the match and would have to offer more in attack, Towns said.
"There were spells when we were putting pressure on them but weren't able to put sustained pressure on them. So we just have to look at our passing choices. But it was good defence, great goalkeeping and some of our counter-attacks went the full length of the field."
Towns said his players defended well when under pressure from the Australians in the second half.
"That's one of the things I was very interested in - to see how they responded in those types of situations.
"Obviously, I've watched the girls play over the years but I've never been closely attached to the side and when you're not attached to the side you don't tend to see those details.
Blooding three newcomers - Northland defender Alana Millington, 18, North Harbour halfback Kimberley Green, 20, and Auckland's Kim Noakes, 24 - the eighth-ranked Black Sticks made an inspiring start to their campaign for next year's Beijing Olympics,
"Australia's the second-best team in the world at present and if you beat them it's something to be proud of," Hockey New Zealand high performance manager David Appleby said. "But we've got three more matches to go and some hard hockey."
Towns fielded a mixed team, with such players as Caryn Paewai, Lizzy Igasan and Meredith Orr coming back from various breaks.
Igasan has stayed out of the national side since last year's Commonwealth Games after a fallout with Towns' predecessor Ian Rutledge.
Orr captained the side yesterday.
Australia coach Frank Murray said poor execution let his side down.
"We had to do better with the opportunities we had up front and we didn't."
- OTAGO DAILY TIMES, NZPA
