3rd Hockey Test: Late Williams goal helps Australia hold South Korea 3-3

Rookie Matt Williams scored a late goal to spare Australia’s blushes as they held South Korea to a 3-3 draw in the third men’s hockey Test at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth.

Williams, who made his senior international debut in the ongoing four-match Test series, rattled the Korean cage three minutes from the final hooter to save his side escape a defeat.

Earlier, South Korea came out firing after a 2-5 defeat in the second Test and struck early. Yoon Sung Hoon scored a fine field goal in the 3^rd minute.

The Kookaburras responded strongly to the early strike and neutralized the Korean advantage through Russell Ford in the 11^th minute.

South Korea again pulled ahead in the 28^th minute when the Aussies leaked an own goal after goalkeeper George Bazeley led the ball roll over through his pads to go into the break with a 2-1 lead.

The hosts were put under pressure in the second half when Lee Seung Hoon sounded the Australian board in the 40^th minute.

Needing two goals to restore parity, Australia had to summon desperate measures and Russell Ford facilitated that midway through the second half – pulling off the margin reducer off a Trent Milton pass in the 54^th minute his second goal for the day.

The Koreans had sixteen minutes to defend their lead and they almost looked like achieving that before Matt Willis poured cold water on their hopes with his 67^th minute strike.

Earlier, in the second Test, Australia rode on a brilliant hat-trick by local boy Trent Milton to ride roughshod over the Asian giants. But it was the South Koreans who seemed to wrest the initiative with a third minute goal by Yoon Sung Hoon. The green-and-gold brigade equalised through Trent Milton’s penalty corner in the 18^th minute and helped his side take the lead four minutes later.

South Korea drew level through Nam Hyun Woo before the Kookaburras struck twice through Jake Whetton and Josh Miller. Trent Milton completed the misery, scoring the fifth goal in the 52^nd minute – in the process completing a superb hat-trick.

South Korea had won the first Test 4-1 in penalty shootout after both teams were locked goalless in regulation time.

It may be worth recalling that the Perth Hockey Stadium had recently hosted the four-match Test series between the South Korea and Australian women. The series ended with both team sharing the honours winning two matches apiece.

The Hockeyroos won the opening Test 4-2 before the South Koreans won the second Test 2-1.

Australia clinched the third Test 6-0 before South Korea won the final Test 3-1.