CANNOCK AT HOME - CANTERBURY IN BERLIN. A THRILLING WEEKEND OF TOP CLASS HOCKEY by Peter Savage

This coming weekend will be a feast of national and international hockey. The weekend starts tomorrow (Thursday 1/6/06) when Premier Division champions Cannock host the European Club Championships. Their first pool match is at 16:00 against the Polish side, KS Pocztewiec. Cannock's sternest test is likely to be on Saturday when they play their third and final pool game against Atletic Terrassa from Spain. The final is due to be played at 16:30 on Sunday. Further details can be found at www.cannockhockey.org.

The women's version of the European Club Championships starts on Friday and sees Canterbury pitted against the Scots of Bonagrass Grove in their opening pool match. The final will be played on Monday, which is a public holiday in much of Europe. TalkHockeyRadio will be in Berlin following Canterbury's fortunes and a report will appear in our monthly programme, available to download from 8 June. Meanwhile, we will be posting regular bulletins, with photographs, to this blog over the weekend.

Elsewhere, Old Loughtonians will be in action at Wakefield this weekend in an effort to retain their Premier Division status. The club has found itself in the unusual position of having both its men's and women's teams playing in the play-offs. Hopefuls from Division One are University of Birmingham for the women and Beeston for the men. The teams play each other twice over the weekend and the winner is decided on the aggregate scores.

Just before the match between Guildford and Cannock, someone was heard to say that there were no bad sides in the men's Premier Division. That was a risky remark made about a team who remain unbeaten pitted against a side who could have been candidates for the play-off zone. Indeed, by half-time it was looking decidedly misplaced. Guildford had their chances - a bobbling mis-hit had given James Fair in the Cannock goal something to think about - but it was Cannock who opened the account when a ball was stopped on the line by a Guildford body and Simon Ramsden stepped up to convert the resulting penalty stroke. A penalty corner strike by Barry Middleton and two field goals by Andy Langlands had given Cannock a four goal lead when they went into the break. The old "game of two halves" cliche came into play in the second half. Both goalkeepers pulled off some stunning saves, but Guildford looked the side that might get the ball into the net. Two brilliantly struck goals by Guildford's Danny Hall made spectators start to wonder what would happen if the match lasted another twenty minutes. Unfortunately for them it didn't. Final score: 4-2 to Cannock. Cannock are now the first team to complete a national league season undefeated. At the other end of the table already relegated Chelmsford made a last ditch attempt to salvage some dignity from the season, going down to to East Grinstead by the astonishing score of 6-5, having been in the lead for much of the game. It would have been their first win this season. Also in the basement area, Canterbury drew 3-3 against Old Loughtonians, and so it is Loughtonians who go into the play-offs.

By an amazing coincidence, in the women's Premier Division, Canterbury were also playing Old Loughtonians, with the same outcome. A 2-2 draw put the Old Loughts women into the play-offs. Clifton, who had an escape route from relation if they beat 8th place Doncaster, got the victory they needed, but Old Lought's one point against Cantgerbury leaves Clifton still in bottom place.

CLIFTON ON THE EDGE - THIS WEEKEND'S PREVIEW by Peter Savage

Clifton women, who have been in the top flight of the national league since its inception in 1990, will need nothing short of a miracle to aoid the drop this weekend. In the final round of Premier Division matches this Saturday (27/5/06) they meet Doncaster, who themselves are perilously close to the play-off zone. A win for Clifton would put them on equal points with Old Loughtonians if the Essex side lose against second placed Canterbury. Even then, Clifton's goal difference of -44 would require some require some remarkable scores to catch up with Old Loughts difference of -24. In the men's Premier Division the men of Old Loughtonians find themselves in a similar position to their women. Currently occupying the play-off spot they find themselves pitted against fellow strugglers, Canterbury. Only a win can put them above Canterbury.

Our featured match this weekend is Saturday's clash between League Champions Cannock and seventh placed Guildford.

Some changes to the EHL regulations for next season have been announced by England Hockey. These include a minimum age for players (16 for boys and 15 for girls), a maximum number of player registrations of 28 outfield players and a minimum of three goalkeepers, a maximum of one foreign player (who does not meet existing exlusion catigories), and a ball patrol at Premier Division matches.

One unusual piece of international news is that the USA Field Hockey association has provided a supply of field hockey sticks to the US Forward Operating Base in Taji, Iraq. The equipment is being used by both male and female service personnel at the base and followed a request made by an NCO at the base. Iraq does not have a national hockey federation.

PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL TO MISS WORLD CUP

Pakistan international Tariq Aziz will miss both the Champions Trophy in Terrassa in July and the World Cup. A six month ban imposed by his national federation for an incident during the Commonwealth Games has been accepted by the International Hockey Federation. The suspension dates back to the gold medal match between Pakistan and Australia, during which Aziz received a red card for an off-the-ball incident involving Australia's Rob Hammond. Aziz had earlier been suspended for two matches during the tournament for a similar incident during the match against South Africa. Aziz did not play in last month's world cup qualifier in China as a result of the suspension being already imposed by the Pakistan Hockey Federation.

FIVE GOAL LEICESTER TAKE TITLE by Peter Savage

Leicester women have taken the EHL Premier League title in a weekend that saw them beat Slough 3-1 on Saturday and strugglers Old Lougtonians 5-0 the following day. Depite some impressive work by Natalie Goodhill in the Old Loughts goal, the Essex team never really seemed to be in the match and it only took nine minutes for Rebecca Herbert to open Leicester's account. Christa Cullen put the visitors two ahead with stinging penalty corner strike and scored a second when a hapless Julia Henry was sin-binned for tripping a Leicester player in the twenty-five yard area. The rain only seemed to add to Old Loughts misery as second half goals from Hannah McLeod and Vanessa Hawkins sealed their fate. The only comfort from this match may come from the fact that the demolition was not more comprehensive. It would seem that only a miracle can now save Old Loughtonians from relegation or a play-off place. Second place Canterbury only managed to come away with one point in their encounter against Doncaster on Sunday.

It is not just Old Loughtonian women who are lodged in the drop zone. Cannock, whose championship status has already been decided, saw off Old Lought's men 6-5. Chelmsford, who are now relegated, went down at home to the men from Guildford, whilst another team looking like candidates for a play-off spot, Canterbury, lost 4-6 to Surbiton.

With one game left to play, the EHL Premier men's table is currently, 1. Cannock (49pts), 2. Surbiton (40pts), 3. Reading (38pts), 4. Loughborough Students (35pts), 5. Hampstead (19pts), 6. East Grinstead (18pts), 7. Guildford (15 pts), 8. Canterbury (12 pts), 9. Old Loughtonians (11pts), 10. Chelmsford (4pts).

In the women's Premier Division, the current table is: 1. Leicester (41 pts), 2. Canterbury (34pts), 3. Olton (31pts), 4. Slough (29pts +15), 5. Bowdon Hightown (29pts +11), 6. Ipswich (29pts+10), 7. Chelmsford (26pts), 8. Doncaster (8pts), 9. Old Lougtonians (8pts), 10. Clifton (5pts).

BANGLADESH WIN FIRST INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT by Pat Rowley

Bangladesh beat Hong Kong 2-0 to finish top at the Asian Games Qualifier at Dhaka, the first time they have won.an international tournament or gone through such an event unbeaten. They would have done so in an Asian event at Kowloon in 2002 but lost their final game to Hong Kong. Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and Oman have qualifed for the round robin event for the Asian Games at Doha in December.

HILL ON TOP OF THE WORLD

It is not just the England teams who will be going to the World Cups in September. The FIH have confirmed that national league whistlers Hamish Jamson and Alison Hill (Alsion pictured right) have been appointed to the umpiring panel for their respective competitions. The photograph of Hill has featured on the TalkHockeyRadio home page since April. For further details of the World Cup go to the news pages of TalkHockeyRadio.

This weekend has a full programme of EHL matches in the Premier Division. TalkHockeyRadio will be at the women's match between Old Loughtonians and Leicester this Sunday and a report will appear on this blog later that day.

This weekend also sees the the finals of the men's and women's Trophy and Vase competitions, which are being held at East Grinstead hockey club on Saturday. On the Sunday the club hosts the women's veterans tournament, the Men's Vintage Plate and Cup Finals, and the Men's Veterans Plate and Cup Finals. For further details go to www.EnglandHockey.co.uk

ENGLAND FACE SUMMER HEALTH CHECK

After the successes of the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup qualifiers, England women face a real test on home soil in the run-up to the world cup in Madrid in September. England will be hosting two of the top women's sides when the England women's team play Australia on 29 June and 2 July, and Argentina on 3 July. All matches will be played at Reading. This is the first time that the resurgent England side have met one of the top nations since they played against Australia in the Commonwealth Games. It will be an excellent opportunity to judge whether the progress over the last few months has been real and substainable. Further particulars can be found at www.EnglandHockey.co.uk.

Meanwhile, the coach of the Irish national side has fallen casualty of their failure to qualify for the World Cup. Riet Kuper, who has been the women's coach since 1998, has decided to retire. Paul Varian, Chief Executive of the Irish Hockey Association said of her, "It is a credit to how far she has taken this team that we are now able to aim our targets for the women's team at the highest levels of international hockey, which includes qualification for the 2002 World Cup, an Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2004 and a best-ever European Nations Cahmpionships finish of 5th in Dublin last year. Kuper had some success in the World Cup qualifiers in Rome, managing to reach the 5th-8th play-off stage without losing a match, but eventually fell casualty to China by six clear goals.

ANOTHER FEAST OF GOALS FOR EHL SIDES by Peter Savage

For the second weekend in a row the national league has provided goals aplenty. Bowden Hightown put nine passed the women from Doncaster on Saturday, a feat repeated by the men from Loughborough students the following day when they met bottom of the table Chelsmford. Fellow strugglers Canterbury had played the 'Get out of gaol' card twice this weekend, having beaten Chelmsford 6-2 on Saturday and Guildford 4-3 the next day, with David Matthews scoring a hat-trick both days. Runaway leader Cannock were held to a surprise draw by Reading on Saturday, the first points they have dropped this season. Reading and Loughborough students now go ahead of Surbiton in the table. Canterburys two wins promote them one place.

East Grinstead had their game against Old Loughtonians postponed on Sunday due to the absence of an umpire, but on the previous day they went down at home in a tense struggle against Surbiton. Ben Payne opened the account for Grinstead in the 17th minute, but England capped players Tindall (2) Daly and Grice had put the visitors in a comanding position by the 46th minute. East Grinstead performed a bit of a revival in the last ten minutes, with Mark Pearn latching onto a rebound off Jon Ebsworth's pads from an Ashley Jackson strike. With two minutes left on the clock, Pearn scored a second in open play. Final score 4-3 to Surbiton.

In the women's Premier Division, Leicester have a five point lead over Canterbury, with Clifton holding up the division on 4 points.

SISTER ACT GETS ON BBC LOCAL RADIO

BBC Essex are broadcasting an hour long documentary on Spring Bank Holiday Monday (29/5/06) entitled "Essex Hockeyroos". The programme is scheduled to be broadcast at mid-day (BST) and takes a look at Chloe Rogers and Lisa Wooding's trip to Melbourne to play in the Commonwealth Games. The programme is narrated by BBC Essex Presenter, Oliver Rogers, Chloe's brother, who travelled out to Australia to watch his sister play. It includes first hand accounts from the two players, and contributions from their parents, as well as interview with spectators watching the England team play.

The programme can be heard on 103.5 & 95.3 FM or live online at www.bbc.co.uk/essex

THIS WEEKENDS HOCKEY

This weekend sees action in both the men's and women's Premier divisions of the English Hockey League. THR News Blog will be featuring Saturday's men's match between East Grinstead and Surbiton on this blog.

Also this weekend is the National Youth Hockey Festival, which takes place over the 12th, 13th, and 14th May at Highfields Hockey Centre. The event includes the u11 and u13 mini hockey finals, and on the Saturday there is a match between England and Wales u21 women. Sunday features Zone Hockey, a topic which we covered in the April edition of TalkHockeyRadio. More details are available from the England Hockey web site at www.englandhockey.co.uk

Goal Bonanza Greets Return of Premier Division Action, by Peter Savage

42 goals in five matches! The restart of the men’s EHL Premier Division after the break for the World Cup qualifiers saw a veritable barrage of balls hit the back of the net. Top score was at Surbiton, where they ran out winners against Old Loughtonians 9-4. Cannock put seven passed East Grinstead for a reply of two, whilst Hampstead and Westminster drew 4-4 with Chelmsford. Loughborough Students had the majority in an eight goal tussle against Guildford, winning 5-3. The most modest score of the day was at struggling Canterbury, where they entertained recent EH Cup Winners, Reading. Canterbury went into the break with a penalty corner goal by Stewart Keir, but it did not take long for Reading to re-establish themselves, with a penalty stroke from Jonty Clarke, and field goals by Andy Watts and Simon Mantell. Some magnificent goalkeeping by Canterbury’s Tom Sheridan kept the final scoreline under control but on this performance, against a star-studded side, Canterbury do not look like a team one off the bottom of the division. Final score 3-1 to Reading.

LUCILLA A WRIGHT HERO FOR ENGLAND.

43 minutes of deadlock in a closely fought game was only broken when Mi Seon Kim netted for Korea in the final of the women’s World Cup Qualifier in Rome this afternoon. The Koreans looked set to take the gold. But this revitalised England team under coach Danny Kerry (right) is showing some real fortitude and character. In the 59^th minute a pass from Helen Richardson was deflected into the goal by Rebecca Herbert, bringing the sides on even terms. With the clock ticking down towards golden-goal extra time, Lucilla Wright drilled a ball in from the top of the circle, beating Ju Young Lim in the Korean goal. For much of the remaining five minutes England pinned the Koreans back in their own half, giving the England 2-1 victory and the gold medal.

So England have qualified for the World Cup in Madrid, starting in September, and have done it in style. Although coach Danny Kerry is on record as saying that the timing of the Commonwealth Games was not good preparation for the qualifiers, many felt that winning their final match in Melbourne set the team up for the success of the last few days. In the June edition of TalkHockeyRadio we will be doing a retrospect on the women’s World Cup qualifiers, including interviews with some of those who were there.

Earlier today, Japan beat USA to take the bronze medal. China beat France and therefore take the fifth qualifying place for the World Cup.

KERRY GOLD SPREADS OPTIMISM FOR ENGLISH HOCKEY

It took England 85 minutes and a golden goal from Chloe Rogers to put England into the final of the women’s World Cup qualifier in Rome today (Thursday), but England have now won their sixth game in a row in this competition to qualify for the World Cup in Madrid in September. England will now play Korea for the gold medal on Saturday.

The transformation of England under coach Danny Kerry has been remarkable. The bonze medal in the Commonwealth Games seems to put the squad into a buoyant mood for this competition, and they have qualified from their pool without dropping a point. England’s qualifying place was assured when they topped their pool, and other qualifying places go to the United States, Japan, and Korea. The fifth and final qualifying place will be decided between China and France on Saturday morning.

www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk will soon be carrying information on its Web site in relation to both World Cup events, including details of where to buy tickets and the location of the grounds.

ENGLAND WOMEN PUT ICING ON CAKE

You almost have to pinch yourself. Five game, fifteeen points and a goal difference of plus twenty! England women had already qualified for the World Cup in Madrid in September, but in Rome this morning (2 May) they showed how much this team has developed by beating fellow pool leaders Japan 3-0. England stay at the top of Pool A and meet the second place team in Pool B, the USA, on on Thursday. Scorers against Japan were Alex Danson - winning her 50th cap - Crista Cullen (pictured above) and Jo Ellis. Coach, Danny Kerry, commented after the match, "In the 16 months since I have been involved with England, this was out most competetive performance. We had excellent shape, stucture and intestity of play."

The first four qualifying teams from the World Cup Qualifers in Rome are England, USA, Korea, and Japan. The fifth place will be decided from amongst China, France, and the two teams that finish third and fourth in Pool B.