SPAIN’s MEN GET OLYMPIC PLACE AFTER SA WITHDRAWS

The FIH has announced that Spain will be replacing South Africa as one of the automatic qualifiers for the 2012 Olympic Games men's hockey tournament. This follows the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee turning down their nation's direct entry into the games. They had originally qualified as a result of winning the Africa Cup.

In accordance with an agreement between the FIH and the IOC, the vacancy left by South Africa was offered to the highest ranking team that had not already qualified, namely Spain. Spain had been due to play in a qualification tournament in Japan in April.

The FIH has also announced that a number of nations have declined invitations to qualifying tournaments. There appears to be an error in the information currently released on this matter and we are seeking clarification from the FIH before publishing this.

BIRMINGHAM UNI, SOUTHGATE AND WOKING JOIN MAXIFUEL LEAGUE

Birmingham University have won the Midlands qualifying tournament to play in the Maxifuel National Indoor League, beating Khalsa in the final at Lilleshall.

The South's qualifying tournament, held in Croydon, sees former National Indoor Champions Southgate return to the Maxifuel League, along with Woking.

GB MAKE IT FIVE OUT OF FIVE

Great Britain's women return home with a 100% record from their five match series against the USA in San Diego.

Their final match, played yesterday (Sunday), ended 4-0 in GB's favour, with Wales' Sarah Thomas and Scotland's Vikki Bunce scoring two of the goals. The other goals came from England's Ashleigh Ball and Alex Danson, Danson scoring her sixth goal of the series.

GB WOMEN WIN AGAIN

Great Britain's women have decisively won the fourth match in their five match series against the USA in San Diego. After a goalless first half, Laura Unsworth opened the scoring for GB from a penalty corner, with a goal from Helen Richardson four minutes later giving the visitors a 2-0 lead. Kathleen Sharkey pulled one back for the Americans, but further GB goals from Becky Herbert, Hannah Macleod and Katie Long increased the lead to 5-1 before Caroline Nichols scored a goal for the USA in the closing minutes. Final score 5-2 to Great Britain.

GB play their final match in the series this afternoon (Sunday).

GB WOMEN WIN THE SERIES

Great Britain's women have won the five match series against the United States, with a 4-1 victory in their third match in San Diego. Although Michelle Kasold of the US opened the scoring, Alex Danson was quick to equalise for GB. A second half goal for Danson, and goals from Katie Long and Chloe Rogers, secured the win.

Great Britain play the final matches of the series on tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday.

GB WOMEN WIN SECOND OF SERIES

Great Britain's women won the second of their five match series against the USA in San Diego yesterday, despite a late rally by the home side. Katie Reinprecht gave the USA a first half lead which was cancelled out by two goals in less than a minute from Scotland's Laura Bartlett. Kate Walsh's second half penalty corner strike increased the lead to 3-1, and although Reinprecht scored her second in the dying minutes of the game, Great Britain emerged as the 3-2 victors.

On Sunday an Alex Danson hat-trick had given GB a 3-0 win in the first of the series. The second match was due to be played on Tuesday but was postponed until Saturday due to heavy rain. Other matches will be played today (Thursday) and Sunday.

GB CONDEMNED TO SIXTH PLACE

A single goal from Germany's Thilo Stralkowski condemned Great Britain to sixth place in the Champions Trophy in Aukland today, which means that GB do not automatically qualify for next year's edition of the tournament.

The final between Australia and Spain was won by Australia. Although not an entirely surprising outcome, it took Australia all of 59 minutes to break down the defence of this revitalised Spanish side, who seem to have come on leaps and bounds since the European Championships in August. The only goal of the match came from a penalty corner conversion by Eddie Ockenden.

The Netherlands take the bronze medal after defeating New Zealand 5-3.

Full results can be found on our main web site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk.

GB ARRIVE LATE AT THE PARTY

Great Britain arrived late at the party but took home all the presents as they played Korea in their second and final Pool D match in Auckland this afternoon.

GB were 0-2 down by the seventh minute of the second half, when James Tindall found the net to make the score 1-2. With ten minutes of play left Ashley Jackson equalised from a penalty corner, and Tindall scored his second a few minutes later to give England the lead. It was a short lived lead, as Nam Hyun-Woo scored from the penalty spot. An appeal to the video umpire failed to have the decision reversed after it appeared as if Hyun-Woo may have controlled the ball with his body as he entered the circle.

It was left to the oldest member of the team, 34 year old Mark Pearn, to clinch the match for Great Britain after a mix up in the Korean defence allowed Pearn time to control the ball and slot the ball home with the winner.

Final score, 4-3, and GB will play Germany for the fifth place tomorrow.

JAMIE DWYER, was awarded the FIH Player of the Year in Auckland this afternoon. The 32 year old Australian had previously won the award in 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2010 – more times than any other male player. The Young Player of the Year also went to an Australian, Matthew Swann. The women's awards will be announced at the Women's Champions Trophy in Rosario in February.

70th MINUTE HEARTBREAK FOR GREAT BRITAIN

A 70^th minute penalty corner goal by Germany's Jan-Marco Montag sealed Great Britain's fate as they battled it out in Pool D of the Men's Champions Trophy in Auckland.

The writing was on the wall as Martin Zwicker scored for Germany after only four minutes. But a 22^nd minute goal by Glenn Kirkham meant that GB could have come away with this match with some points, and it took Germany until the last seconds of the match to score their winner. Final score 2-1 to Germany.

Great Britain play Korea on Saturday in their second and final Pool D match. They are currently lying third in the pool on three points, behind Pakistan on goal difference. The teams finishing first and second in this pool play for fifth place on Sunday to guarantee an automatic invitation to next year's tournament.

Full results and tables can be found on our main web site at www.TalkHockeyRadio.co.uk.

GREAT BRITAIN IN SHELL SHOCK RESULT IN AUCKLAND

Great Britain manager Andy Halliday described his feelings after the match as 'shell shocked', and pundits will be reaching for their record books to see if his side's result against Spain in the Champions Trophy in Auckland has broken any records.

Barry Middleton's 23^rd minute goal for GB seemed a favourable enough start, but Spain managed to squeeze a shock reply between Middleton's goal and the half-time hooter. Eddie Tubau and Pau Quemada each managed to score in the space of a minute, and Santi Frexia and Gabriel Dabanch repeated the trick before the half ended.

George Pinner, playing his first ever Champions Trophy match and only his third GB cap, was subjected to a baptism of fire as Juan Fernandez increased Spain's lead early in the second half. But Great Britain's final indignity was yet to come. With five minutes left on the clock, Frexia scored his second and Spain's sixth. As the game moved into the dying minutes, James Tindall was sin-binned and Spain used the power play to net the ball twice more, both coming from Roc Oliva.

Final score 8-1 to Spain and GB finish Pool A in third place, above Pakistan. One crumb of comfort from the results is that GB go into the next round of matches in Pool D with points in hand from their Pool C match against Pakistan. They play their first Pool D match against Germany on Thursday. The other members of Pool D will be Korea and Pakistan.

Full results and tables are on our main web site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk.

MANTELL GIVES GB RAY OF HOPE.

A 55^th minute goal by Simon Mantell offered Great Britain a ray of hope in what was always going to be a difficult match in the Men's Champions Trophy in Auckland.

Playing Australia, GB went down to an early goal from Matthew Butturini and went into the second half with a 0-2 deficit after Matt Gohdes found the net. Although Australia continued to dominate the game, a ferocious shot by Mantell beat the Australian 'keeper to keep GB in the match.

Two minutes later the ever dangerous Jamie Dwyer restored the margin with a well taken goal and, in the dying minutes, penalty corner specialist Luke Doerner increased the lead to 4-1, which was the final score.

Great Britain slump to third in Pool A after Spain beat Pakistan 4-2 to move into second place.

As a result of Sunday's programme being postponed to today due to torrential rain, GB will now play their third game in three days when they meet Spain tomorrow, without the benefit of a rest day.

Full results and tables can be found on our main web site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk.

DECIMATED ‘GRINSTEAD TAKE THE POINTS

At TalkHockeyRadio we were curious to know how East Grinstead would fare in a Premier League match against Loughborough Students whilst their ranks were decimated by GB call-ups. EG have lost eight players, including South African international Gareth Carr.

Carr and the absent Ashley Jackson are 'Grinstead's usual penalty corner strike force, so it was with some surprise that their deputy had such an impact on the match. Loughborough Students, who are a good side but desperately in need of some points, went into the second half with the benefit of a goal from Sam Ward. But did not take long for Rick Gay to equalise from a penalty corner.

EG slipped behind seconds later when Chris Griffiths scored the Students' second. Some of the more experienced East Grinstead players are used to having the likes of Middleton, Jackson and Stott around them, and sometimes expected too much of their less experienced colleagues. But as the second half progressed they adapted to the conditions and, in the 59^th minute, Gay scored his second from a penalty corner to equalise.

It remained end-to-end stuff, and it looked as if the match was going to end in a draw – in some ways a fair result. However, a late penalty corner resulted in Gay scoring his hat-trick, and the match ended 3-2 to EG.

The result leaves the table positions of the two sides unchanged. This is more than could be said for the match between Bowdon and University of Exeter, which finished 4-3 in Bowdon's favour. This lifts Bowdon out of bottom place, which they have occupied since week four, into eighth. Their place is taken by the University. The result did not help Southgate who, despite an early Dan Shingles goal, went down 1-2 to Cannock. Southgate slip one place to ninth.

Some of the gloss seems to have gone off Beeston's season, with a 1-3 defeat at home to Reading. Their table positions were influenced by the result at Paddington Rec, where Hampstead & Westminster took the points in a 2-1 win over Surbiton. Reading climb to third place, two points behind Cannock, Beeston drop to fourth, and Surbiton slip down to fifth.

These are the last matches before the winter break. Hockey moves indoors next weekend.

Full results and tables can be found on our main web site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk. Images from the match will appear on our Pictures pages later.

RAIN HALTS PLAY IN AUCKLAND

There has been no play in the Champions Trophy in Auckland today (Sunday) due to torrential rain. All matches have been rescheduled for Monday, which had been a rest day.

Great Britain were due to play Australia today.

LAST GASP DANSON GOAL BRINGS READING THE POINTS

A 70^th minute penalty corner goal by Alex Danson allowed Reading to come away from their match against Clifton with maximum points when they met in the Investec Women's League this afternoon.

An Aileen Davis penalty corner conversion just before half time had allowed Clifton to take a 1-0 lead into the second half, but Danson scored shortly after the restart. Reading's Emma Thomas gave her side a brief lead, only to see Georgie Twigg equalise from a penalty corner. 29 minutes without further goals, finally saw Danson resolve the issue with her later winner. Final score 3-2.

Slough's results continue to be unpredictable, and they probably thought that they had this one in the bag when, at 1-1 against Sutton Coldfield, Alex Scott converted a 69^th minute penalty stroke. Less than a minute later Vicky Woolford equalised for Sutton from open play. Final score 2-2.

Olton & West Warwicks move up into fourth place after two goals in the last ten minutes robbed Bowdon Hightown of the points. The score there, 4-3 to Olton. University of Birmingham's woes continue as they lost 2-1 at Canterbury, thanks to two Jen Wilson goals. Things are worse at Cannock, who have failed to pick up a single point this season. They lost 0-5 at home to Leicester.

There was one other match in the Investec league today and that was the fixture between Liverpool Sefton and University of Durham, re-arranged from 5 November, which ended 7-1 to the students. They moved from fifth in the table to third. There are only four points separating the top five sides in the North Conference.

These are the last matches in the Investec league until after the winter break. The Premier Division of the indoor league commences next weekend.

GREAT BRITAIN START CHAMPIONS TROPHY WITH A WIN

Great Britain got off to the best of possible starts in the Men's Champion's Trophy in Auckland, New Zealand.

Playing Pakistan, GB went behind to a Muhammad Imran penalty corner late in the first half. But some excellent play by Mark Pearn, who threaded his way past the goalkeeper and two defenders, to equalise ten minutes into the second half, put GB back into the game. Simon Mantell gave Great Britain the winner when he shot the ball high into the Pakistan net in the follow up to a penalty corner strike in the last five minutes of the match.

Final score, 2-1 to Great Britain, who go into second place in Pool A behind Australia. Australia have the benefit of a higher goal scored tally as a result of their 3-2 win over Spain.

In Pool B, Germany beat New Zealand 2-1. The Netherlands 2-0 win over Korea puts them at the top of the Pool B table.

Great Britain's next match is against Australia tomorrow.

Great Britain squad against Pakistan: Adam Dixon (Beeston), James Fair (Cannock), Mark Cleghorne, Ashley Jackson, Glenn Kirkham, Iain Lewers, Barry Middleton, Mark Pearn and Niall Stott (all East Grinstead), Ben Hawes (Wimbledon), Iain Mackay, Richard Mantell and Simon Mantell (all Reading), Harry Martin (Old Loughtonians), Rob Moore and James Tindall (both Surbiton).

 

 

 

 

WILSON FLIES HOME FROM AUCKLAND

Beeston's Alistair Wilson has been forced to withdraw from the Champions Trophy in Auckland, which is due to start tomorrow.

Wilson has suffered a recurrence of tendonitis around the knee and will fly home from New Zealand to receive treatment. His place is taken by Surbiton defender Ken Forbes, who is already in Auckland training with the Great Britain squad preparing for the Champions Trophy, which starts on Saturday.

BARTLETT IS GB ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Scotland's Laura Bartlett has been named BOA Hockey Athlete of the Year. The 23 year old Scotland and Great Britain midfielder has had an outstanding year, taking a significant role in Scotland's bronze medal success in the Champions Challenge I, and winning gold in the European Nations Championships II.

The award is made to the top performing hockey athlete of the year and the winner is selected by Great Britain Hockey on behalf of the British Olympic Association.

Bartlett, who made her senior international debut in 2007, currently plays for English club Reading. She has 57 caps for Scotland and 22 Caps for Great Britain.