Tamworth’s Isaac Farmilo and Ehren Hazell helped the Australian U21s defend their Sultan of Johor Cup title.

Turning around a two-goal loss to Great Britain in the pool stages, a much hungrier Aussies side won 2-nil.

Goals early in both halves from Joel Rintala and Nathan Ephraums were the difference as Burras claimed their second title in the seventh edition of the tournament.​

Rintala opened the scoring from a penalty corner after only four minutes to set the tone.

The match was locked at 1-0 until Ephraums doubled the Burras’ advantage in the 35th minute.

GAME FOUR v INDIA

Isaac Farmilo and Ehren Hazell’s Australian under 21s came back from a goal down to stop India’s march in the Sultan of Johor Cup with a 4-3 come-from-behind victory.

The defending champions moved to second on the standings behind leaders India despite sharing nine-equal points. 

“We knew in the first half we had the chances and created a lot of them. The players played according to the process. There was some problem in the penalty corner execution on the other end of the pitch as it was a bit bumpy,” Australian head coach Brent Livermore said.

Joel Rintala fired Australia ahead in the third minute from a penalty corner strike, Hazell having a shot in goal in the lead-up.

Not long after he and Workies team-mate Farmilo combined to set Liam Flynn up for a chance to double the Aussies advantage. From an intercept just outside the Indian circle, Farmilo sent a searching ball forward to find Hazell, who then cracked the ball across the face of the goal on the reverse for a diving Flynn. But the deflection just went wide.

India clawed their way back with goals from Sanjay in the ninth minute via a penalty corner conversion and Dilpreet Singh’s on the stroke of half-time.

India went into the third quarter leading 2-1 but the Australians turned on the heat through team captain Coby Green’s 36th minute field goal to level 2-2 before Jonathan Bretherton restored the Aussies lead via a penalty corner.

But the Indians were back on track just two minutes into the resumption of the fourth quarter. Dilpreet, the tournament’s most outstanding goal poacher, restored India’s pride with a well-placed shot past goalkeeper George McGeaoch to once again draw level at 3-3.

In a nail-biting finish, it was the Australians who took the opportunities well. Nathan Ephraum delivered the final blow from Australia’s seventh penalty corner of the match to stay on top of the reigning Junior World Cup champions.

The victory comes as a big boost in the Burras hopes of qualifying for Sunday’s final after suffering a shock 4-2 defeat against Great Britain 24 hours earlier.

They play hosts Malaysia in their final game.

GAME THREE v GREAT BRITAIN

Discipline and a lack of urgency hurt the Australian under 21s as they suffered their first defeat of the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia on Wednesday.

After a promising start to their title defence beating the USA (19-nil) and Japan (4-nil), Ehren Hazell, who was this week named in the NSW under 21 side to play at indoor national championships early next year, and Isaac Farmilo’s Burras side went down to Great Britain 4-2.

Australian head coach Brent Livermore was disappointed with the score and blamed his players for not following the process.

“Yes I am very disappointed. We lacked discipline and did not stick to the process. In one-on-one process we are mentally and physically fitter and stronger. We also lacked the urgency and Great Britain played very much the way we had expected them to play. Unfortunately we only played 50 per cent of our capacity,” Livermore said.

Both sides had several near-misses in the first quarter, but the defence was generally hard to penetrate.

Great Britain were first to score in the 25^th minute, but their time in front was short-lived as Lachlan Busiko hits straight back for the Burras. Nathan Ephraums extended the Aussies’ advantage a couple of minutes later with his seventh goal of the tournament.

Great Britain restored parity in the 41st minute and slotted a penalty corner two minutes before end of the third quarter for a 3-2 lead at the break.

Duncan Scott doubled their advantage in the 58^th minute and the Aussies were unable to make any inroads.

They face the undefeated India in their next game on Thursday (7.05pm AEST).

GAME TWO v JAPAN

Isaac Farmilo and Ehren Hazell’s Australian U21s side are two from two at the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia after defeating Japan 4-nil in their second game on Monday night.

The four goal shut-out followed a 19 goal hammering of the United States of America to start their title defence.

Nathan Ephraums once again came to the rescue of his side with the opening goal – his sixth in the tournament while Nathanael Stewart, Liam Flynn and Andrew Scanlon also found the back of the net.

Australian head coach Brent Livermore said it was a low par performance from the Burras.

“We only played a quarter of the four quarters and that too in the third quarter. Against a team like Malaysia, India and Great Britain it will not be good for us,” he said.

Neither side was able to find the back of the net in the first half, Ephraums breaking the deadlock in the 33^rd minute and sparking a rush of goals to see the Aussies take control of the contest.

The Burras next assignment is against the also unbeaten Great Britain on Wednesday (7.05pm AEST).

GAME ONE v USA

Tamworth’s Isaac Farmilo bagged a quartet as Australia began their Sultan Johor Cup defence with a 19-nil drubbing of the United States of America in Malaysia on Sunday night.

The Burras dominated from the outset earning their first penalty corner just over a minute into the game on their way to a 5-nil lead after the first quarter.

The pressure from the Aussies was relentless with entries into their attacking 25 rare for the USA.

Andrew Scanlon started the Aussie rampage in the sixth minute off a penalty corner.

Damon Steffens doubled their advantage minutes later in similar fashion, fellow Tamworthian Ehren Hazell injecting for the corner.

He and Farmilo both had some good touches as the Burras continued their attacking siege.

Nathan Ephraums top-scored with five goals while Joel Rintala jagged a hat-trick, and Scanlon and Damon Steffens doubles.