Australia-A vs. France - Four Test Series – Second Test Match Recap
Australia-A team trounced France’s Women hockey team 3-0 in the second test match held on March 1 in the Perth Hockey Stadium.
As compared to their previous match performance against France with a single score lead 1-0, Australia succeeded in raising the level of competency of these test series for France.
The match seemed to be quite much like the former one but the scenario became different in the last fifteen minutes of the match when the one score lead got raised to three, making it even harder to be chased.
The opening goal was delivered by Renee Trost in the sixth minute of the match. It was the only goal scored in the first half of the match despite trying hard to build up pressure on the score board for France.
During the second half, the Australian Women were found to be very focused and belligerent throughout the match with intention not to let France join in to the play on scoreboard. The heat could be felt on both the extremes confronting each other in the
field.
No scores were to be found until the last fifteen minutes of the match when in the 58th minute the veteran Hollie Webster scored the second goal of the match, putting the score at 2-0.
In the next four minutes another goal was shot by the Australian side, skilfully slotted by Claire Messent in the 62nd minute of the match ascending their lead to 3-0.
France’s Women were left helpless and powerless with their eyes stuck on the clock ticking the last minutes of the match. At the end, the final whistle blew and Australia proved their dominance over the opposing team by sealing victory on a 3-0 score lead.
All three goals were played by forwards single-handedly without any aid of a penalty corner. Australia’s best players for the day were announced as Stacia Joseph, Holly Evans, Hollie Webster and Georgie Parker.
The Australian Women coach Neil Hawgood was happy on their improvements respective to their last performance that he quoted required more work on holding the ball and the attack side.
The coach recalled their last weaknesses and pointed out the progress found in the team by saying, “We were able to maintain pressure on the opposition for long periods of the game which resulted in more controlled time spent in the oppositions half.”
There are two more test matches to be played between the two teams that has been scheduled as follows:
March 3 at Perth Hockey Stadium
March 4 at Perth Hockey Stadium
The third match is to be played today and Australia is with the desire to win the series undefeated.
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