Hockey favourites Australia win second pool match

27 July 2002

Australia booked top spot in Pool 1 for the women’s hockey semi-finals, thanks to a first-half display, which saw them score three times in five minutes.

Australia's Melanie Twitt races past a downed RSA player

After Brooke Morrison, Australia had poked home a left wing cross in the fourth minute, her team mate Louise Dobson displayed her prowess from set pieces, converting a penalty flick in the 26th minute, followed by a strongly struck, low hit from a penalty corner two minutes later.

Australian Julie Towers and Nikki Hudson continued to combine well up front, Towers converting a free hit four minutes before half-time.

South Africa will take consolation from a stronger second half performance, and will consider themselves unlucky not to have added to Pietie Coetzee’s early strike.

The 23-year-old Coetzee continued a stern examination of Australia’s evolving back-line with half a dozen other goal attempts as Australia eased up in the second-half.

Australia’s Melanie Twitt was given a yellow card in the 60th minute.

After the game Australia’s Captain Katrina Powell said: “After the second half against South Africa we’ve got a few things to look at, otherwise Malaysia will be tough for us."

"If we play like we did in the first half then we shouldn’t have any problems,” she added.

Barring an unlikely upset in their final game against Malaysia on Monday, Australia will progress in the winner’s berth, while South Africa and Scotland remain evenly poised to battle for qualification positions.

Info News Service/gd/dm/tb