GERMANY GIVE ENGLAND A LIFELINE

A single 50th minute Alex Danson goal in their Women's Champions Trophy match against Germany in Amsterdam this afternoon gives England the face-saving opportunity to finish fifth, provided they can win their match against Australia tomorrow (Friday).

In other matches, China drew 2-2 against Australia, and Korea beat New Zealand 5-3.

The match between The Netherlands and Argentina is still in progress.

TalkHockeyRadio is in Amsterdam and will be reporting directly on the matches from tomorrow.

ZHANG CONDEMNS ENGLAND TO RELEGATION GROUP

Our apologies for the late posting of this report but we had a lightning storm in our area this afternoon which appears to have temporarily taken out our Broadband connection. I am glad to say that we are now back in service.

England's chances of escaping from the bottom half of Pool A in the Women's Champions Trophy in Amsterdam were thwarted by China's goalkeeper, Zhang Yimeng. England had been awarded a penalty stroke with approximately 10 minutes left to play but Zhang saved Helen Richardson's attempt, resulting in the match ending scoreless. On three points England finish third in Pool A, beneath Argentina and Korea.

England will now go into the relegation group with Australia, China and Germany and their next match will be against Germany on Thursday.

TalkHockeyRadio will be in Amsterdam from Friday onwards and will bring you direct reports and images from England's second relegation group match, which will be against Australia.

Today's results:
England 0 China 0
Australia 1 Germany 0
Argentina 1 Korea 1
Netherlands 0 New Zealand 0

Final standings after preliminary pools:
Pool A: 1 Argentina 7pts (+4), 2. Korea 3pts (+0), 3. England 2 pts (-1), 4. China 2 pts (-3).
Pool B: 1. Netherlands 7 pts (+4), 2. New Zealand 4 pts (+0), 3. Germany 3 pts (-1), 4. Australia 3 pts (-3).

HERBERT GOAL GIVES ENGLAND A DRAW

England took a second tumble in the Women's Champions Trophy in Amsterdam, coming away with only one point from a game they should have been expected to win.

Becky Herbert's 22^nd minute goal against Korea gave England a 1-0 lead at half time but Kim Da-Rae managed to equalise only three minutes into the second half. It was Kim that gave Korea the lead with only 10 minutes left on the clock. Herbert was England's saviour with an equaliser six minutes from time.

Having played two of their three Pool A matches in the new format tournament, England will have to face China on Tuesday in the hope of picking up some points and avoid the relegation pool.

Results in full:

Pool A
England 2 Korea 2
China 1 Argentina 4
Pool B
Australia 2 New Zealand 3
Germany 1 Netherlands 2

Positions after two matches:

Pool A: 1. Argentina 6 pts (+4), 2. Korea 2 pts (+0), 3. England 1 pt (-1), 4. China 1 pt (-3).

Pool B: 1. The Netherlands 6 pts (+4), 2. New Zealand 3 pts (+0), 3. Germany 3 pts (+0), Australia 0 pts (-4).

ENGLAND FACE TOUGH OPENER

England's opening match in the new-format Champions Trophy in Amsterdam saw them go down 1-0 to a 51st minute Luciana Aymar goal.

In other matches, the all far-East draw in Pool A saw China and Korea draw 2-2. England play their second match against Korea tomorrow morning (Sunday).

In Pool B Germany beat New Zealand 1-0 and The Netherlands overcame Australia 3-0.

TalkHockeyRadio will be in Amsterdam for the last three days of the tournament with daily blog updates and images on our www. HockeyImages.co.uk web site.

SILVER AND BRONZE FOR ENGLAND IN WASSENAAR from Peter Savage at the European Club Finals in Wassenaar.

The home club, HGC, walked away with the EuroHockey League title this afternoon in Wassenaar, winning by a single goal over Spain’s Club de Campo.

Earlier in the day Reading had established that Dutch clubs need not be feared. Playing in the bronze medal match they went down to a third minute goal from Oranje Zwart’s Bob de Voogd. But within minutes they had equalised thanks to a goal from Scotland international Stephen Dick.

Reading had the benefit of a 2-1 lead into half time after Richard Mantell worked his magic from a penalty corner. But hanging onto a one goal lead against the determined Dutch proved too difficult and Sander Baart equalised with 11 minutes of play left.

With extra time on the cards, it was down to another member of Reading’s Celtic fringe, former Wales captain Rhys Joyce, to restore the lead, with only two minutes remaining. And that it how it ended, with Reading earning England’s first EuroHockey League medal.

Leicester women come away from this weekend with a silver medal in the Women’s Club Champions Cup. Their opponents in the final, Den Bosch, were just too strong for them, despite Leicester starting the scoring thanks to a Crista Cullen penalty corner conversion. The final score was 3-1, but Leicester had shown flashes of class in a match against a side that has dominated European club hockey since 2000.

Images from today’s matches will appear on our www.hockeyimages.co.uk web site some time tomorrow (Monday).

BRONZE FOR READING IN WASSENAAR

Reading have won the third place in the EuroHockey League Finals in Wassenaar this morning. A full report will follow later.

QUIET NAOMI IS SLOUGH'S UNDOING by Peter Savage at the European club finals in Wassenaar, The Netherlands

These blogs are meant to be about what is happening on the pitch, and not about my troubles as a photographer, but it tells a lot about the game if I recount my personal experience of this afternoon's meeting between Slough and Laren in their 3rd/4th place match in the Women's European Club Champions Cup.

I positioned myself at the end that Slough were attacking and I was virtually undisturbed for 35 minutes, and could almost have occupied myself with a good novel. Laren took a 1-0 lead from Carlijn Welton and that was the score at half time.

I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in the changing rooms, because the second half was a whole different game. This time I was at the end that Slough were defending, and that novel would have come in handy. The most striking thing about the second half was Slough's ability to neutralise some of Laren's big name players, such as Kim Lammers, Julia Muller and Naomi Van As - particularly the latter, who had a remarkably quiet game.

Despite everything, it came as a complete surprise - not least to Laren - when Slough's Lauren Penny equalised with just over three minutes left on the clock.

So we were into silver goal extra time, which heartbreakingly lasted less than three minutes. Van As suddenly found the form for which she is famous, to slam the ball past a helpless Becky Duggan in the Slough goal. Duggan had played a major part in keeping Slough in the game, so it is tragic that she could have not taken more away from this encounter.

So Laren take the bronze and Slough go home empty handed, with not even the chance of a second crack next year - Reading and Leicester will be England's representatives. The sun made one of its rare appearances this weekend, but not a sunny finish for Slough for such a brave effort. Some had predicted a slaughter of the innocents and I had sympathy for that point of view. It really does underline how much English hockey has improved over the last few years.

Tomorrow's proceedings open with the EuroHockey League 3rd/4th place match between Reading and Oranje Zwart, whilst the final of the Club Champions Cup follows with Leicester facing the Dutch Champions, Den Bosch. The weekend's grand finale will be the EuroHockey League finals between Club de Campo and the host club, HGC.

We hope to get images from Slough's match onto our pictures web site (www.hockeyimages.co.uk) some time tomorrow (Sunday).

READING TO PLAY ORANJE ZWART.

Reading will play Oranje Zwart for the bronze medals tomorrow after the Dutch side were beaten 3-0 by the host club, HGC in the second EuroHockey League semi-final this afternoon.

Images from Reading's match against Club de Campo are now available to view at www.HockeyImages.co.uk.

A MISERABLE DAY IN WASSENAAR by Peter Savage at the EuroHockey League semi final.

It has been another wet and miserable day in Wassenaar today, although there are signs that the clouds may clear in time for the women's bronze medal match this evening.

Reading's semi final match against Spain's Club de Campo started promisingly, with Reading pressing hard and with some lively running by Simon Mantell. Reading got an early reward when the ball entered the Club de Campo net, but the goal was disallowed for a back stick following a video appeal.

As the first half progressed it became apparent that the balance of power was shifting gradually towards the Spanish, and the shift become more apparent when Juan Lainz scored in the 23rd minute to give Club de Campo a 1-0 lead at half time.

The steady drizzle which had spoiled the first half gave way to a more torrential rain in the second, causing uncommitted supporters to flee to the shelter of the club house and diminish the already surprisingly sparse crowd. Early in the half it was Club de Campo's turn to have a goal disallowed, and with the score still at 1-0 with seven minutes to play, Reading pressed hard to get an equaliser. As is often the case, they paid the price for pressing too hard, conceeding two goals in six minutes, the first from Koke Rodriguez and the second from Andres Mir.

Final score, 3-0 to Club de Campo. A disappointing result for sure, but Reading have done well to progress this far and are still in with a chance of a bronze medal.

Images from this match will appear at www.hockeyimages.co.uk later today.

Slough v Leicester (Women's Club Champions Cup)

Images from yesterday's match are available on our images web site at www.hockeyimages.co.uk.

Result of 2nd Semi Final

Den Bosch have beaten Laren 1-0 and will meet Leicester in the final on Sunday.

LEICESTER REACH EURO HOCKEY FINAL by Peter Savage in Wassenar

Leicester players celebrate Anne Panter's winning penalty shoot out goal.

It was a damp and miserable day in Wassenaar for the all-England semi final between Slough and Leicester in the Women's Club Champions Cup.

Even before the match started the black clouds started to form and the sound of thunder rolled around the ground. Eventually the thunder started to close in and TD Howard Pollard took the sensible decision to take the players off for their safety. It coincided with the heavens opening and the rain started to come down in proverbial stair rods. The few brave souls who had turned up to watch the match may have taken the break as a bit of light relief in what had until then being a match short on entertainment.

In the early encounters Leicester kept Slough pinned back in their own half but as the match progressed Slough became more assertive. But first blood went to Leicester's Katie Long after 15 minutes. Leicester managed to hold onto their lead until just before half time, thanks in part to some excellent play by their Maddie Hinch between the sticks. Slough's goal, when it came, was from a penalty corner conversion from Chloe Strong.

The rain returned for a thoroughly miserable second half. The two teams were too evenly matched and know each other too well to spring any surprises. So we reached full time and two periods of extra time with the score still at 1-1, and we were into a one-on-one shoot out decider, something of a new innovation in the women's game.

As the Women's Club Champions Cup is the poor relation of the EuroHockey League, we do not have the benefit of a stadium announcer, which is why we were all in the dark about Slough's opening attempt in the shoot-out. Was it a goal or wasn't it? It appears it wasn't and only Leicester's Chloe Rogers and Anne Panter were successful in the shoot-out, giving their side a 2-0 lead.

So Leicester qualify for Sunday's final, where things are likely to get a whole lot tougher. We are awaiting the result of the second semi-final between Den Bosch and Laren at the moment. Slough will still have a chance of a medal when they meet the losers of that match tomorrow.

Latest from Women's Club Champions Cup

Play has been suspended in the semi final match between Leicester and Slough in Wassenaar this evening due to weather conditions. The match was first suspended due to the proximity of a lightning storm, but torrential rain followed shortly after. We are hopeful that the match can be re-started after this weather passes over.