Black Sticks beats down Germany’s Unicorn by 3-2 in the second practice match
Black Stick earned their second successive win over Germany’s Unicorn by 3-2 in the second practice match that was held yesterday, on July 10 at the Sports ground of the University of Westminster, in Chiswick, London.
These matches are being held in preparation for the upcoming London Cup, starting tomorrow, on July 12 in Chiswick that will follow a Four-Nation hockey tournament among the nations England, Korea, Belgium and New Zealand, to be played at the same venue.
In the first half, Black Sticks dominated the field with pace and control. With 14th minutes into the game, Black Sticks took an early lead when the team’s captain, Phil Borrows, swayed Stephen Jenness’s pass into the goal, opening the scores at 1-0.
In the next ten minutes, Shea McAleese from Black Sticks gave a reverse-stick dodge and won possession over the ball from Germany’s Unicorn. The ball was passed among the strike-line until it met the stick of Blair Hilton, who directed Jenness’s pass into the goal and increased the team’s lead to 2-0.
Even though the Black Sticks had their drag flicker, Andy Hayward, on rest due to illness, Shea McAleese came up to do the job in the penalty-corner, which was their second of the day, in the 28th minute of the first half. McAleese flipped the ball to the goal’s lower-corner, advancing their lead to a solitary 3-0. The first half closed with no more additions to the score-board.
In the second half, Germany’s Unicorn took over the game as they struggled hard for reducing their three-goal trail. Finally, the German David Beckett took up the potential chances and managed to score two back-to-back goals, reducing their trail to one at 3-2.
Conclusively, the match closed at 3-2 with New Zealand having their second successive win over the German men.
The winning team’s head coach was pleased with their game and said, “We are building well for the London Cup and I am pleased with the development of our structures and tactics as we head into next week’s London Cup. I am looking forward to our first match against Korea on Tuesday.”
The Black Stick men will be featuring in the opening match of the London Cup 2011 against Korea followed by an encounter against Belgium on July 14 and against England on July 16.
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