Men and Women Australian Country Teams remain unimpressive
The Men's and Women's Australian Country Teams (Under-21) both played maturely against Midland U-21 Men's and Women's squads on Thursday, April 14 at the Gallagher Hockey Centre, Hamilton. However, the two teams could not maintain their momentum, as Australian
Men's Team lost to Midland U-21, while Women's Team managed a draw against Midland U-21 Women.
Australian Men's XI versus Midland U-21
The Midland U-21 Men started the game quite confidently against Australian team. The hosts were quite vigorous on the field and carried out back-to-back attacks against the visiting side. With minutes into the game, Midland U-21 scored first goal of the
day and established their first dominance in the game.
The forward men were constantly attacking the visiting side. However, the Aussie troika of Jordan Thorneycroft, Paul Blenkiron and Tristan Hunt displayed a disciplined defence, while the attackers gradually started to get impetus.
The strikers of Midland again pass through the Country Team defence-line to double the tally. Apart from taking plenty of forward moves, Aussie U-21 Men's were trailing by two points at the half-time.
In the second half action, the players of Country Team cranked up their offence and played the game more aggressively. Todd Harmsworth, while taking advantage of the free-hit, scored the first goal for Australia and brought back them into the game.
In the later time, the Country Team earned many short-corners, but failed to capitalise them. The Midlanders deflected the strikes successfully and won the game by one goal, as the final horn sounded. It is vital to mention here that the Australian Country
Team Men won the first game by one goal against the Capitals.
Australian Country Team Women versus Midland U-21 Women
Likewise the other gender game, the match between Australian Country Women and Midland U-21 Women was also fought hardly. The host women put Australian Country Team on defence through a penalty-corner goal in the very first minutes of the game.
The Aussie women after conceding a goal showed a more disciplined game. They missed a penalty-corner, but Christie Underwood in the later time managed to take the ball inside the circle and scored the first goal of the game through a powerful flicking shot.
The ball remained most of the time under the sticks of the Australian Country Team, but they failed to break the defence. The two sides held 1-1 dead-lock with them to the sidelines at the half-time.
The pace of the game sped up in the second half action, as both squads were struggling to get a go-ahead goal. Janessa Donnolley getting a pass from Shelley Stevenson pushed the ball into the Midland's goal-post and took a lead in the game. However, the
Midlanders tied the knots in the very next minutes and had it all even at 2-2.
Tara Picker, the goalie of Australian Country Team, shifted to hospital after she received a knee injury. The Aussie women played the remaining game without any custodian, but could not allow any of the Midlanders to score a goal in the game. The game ended
with a 2-2 draw. The next game between Men's and Women's Australian Country Teams and Men's and Women's New Zealand Maoris will be played on April 16, 2011.
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