CWG Hockey: Athletic New Zealand hold off fighting South Africa

NEW DELHI - In an action-packed match marked by amazing athleticism, New Zealand held off a fighting South Africa 4-2 to gain their second set of full points in pool B of men’s hockey competition at the Commonwealth Games, here Wednesday.

Having scored four times in the first-half through Hayden Shaw, Phil Burrows, Stephen Jennes and Nick Wilson, the Kiwis raised visions of a rout, but the South Africans were in no mood to relent.

Goals by Lloyd Norris-Jones and Justin Reid-Ross on either side of the break put the Proteas within sight of the Kiwis who then closed shop to bag three more points while the South Africans suffered their first loss in two matches.

New Zealand team head coach Shane McLeod was happy at the outcome though there was an element of luck in their victory.

“I am happy with our position and everything is going according to our plans,” said McLeod reflecting on his teams six points.

South African team captain Austin Smith gave all credit to the Kiwis though he felt his team always fancied its chances before letting in two goals in quick succession that virtually sealed their fate.

Shaw and Burrows put the Kiwis 2-0 up by the 10th minute with back-to-back strikes, but the South Africans pulled one back in the 16th as Norris-Jones drove home a pass from Austin Smith.

However, New Zealand regained the two-goal margin the very next minute when Jennes got a lucky touch to an otherwise harmless ball from Wilson who went on to score the fourth off a Burrows pass.

The score-line stayed at 4-1 until the 65th minute when Reid-Ross converted a penalty corner, but that was about as far that the South Africans went to stretch the Kiwis.