SUPER SUNDAY OF HOCKEY AT WEMBLEY from Peter Savage and Antonia Richards at the Maxifuel Super Sixes Finals

Singer Katy Shotter came onto the pitch and as she started to sing it became apparent that her microphone wasn't working. That turned out to be one of the only dud moments in a super afternoon of hockey at the Wembley Arena. At least it proved that she was not miming, and she's actually quite a good singer.

The women's final, despite the dearth of goals, was actually a very good match, something we've not always been able to say in the past. Both goalkeepers, Sarah Ellis for Reading and Maddie Hinch for Leicester, were in fine form, and Reading's Sam Quek and Emma Thomas had cracking games. The only goal in the match came from Leicester's Lauren Turner in the 36^th minute. It was a shame that there had to be a loser.

Reading gave East Grinstead a run for their money in the first of the two men's semi finals, with Reading pegging back their opponent's lead to have a 4-3 advantage midway through the second half. East Grinstead re-took the lead with goals from Barry Middleton and Ashley Jackson, but Jonty Clarke's last gasp equaliser took the match into penalty strokes. With all square after the first barrage, it went to sudden death, but after Richard Potton saved off Simon Mantell, it only remained for East Grinstead's Iain Lewers to pop in the winner.

Beeston were far too good for Bowdon in the second semi-final, with the Nottingham side emerging 11-3 winners. Out of that tally, Beeston's Paddy Schmidt accounted for five and guesting Timothy Davenport three.

With that sort of background the final was surprisingly one-sided, with most of the damage done by East Grinstead in a six minute golden spell, when they found the net six times, courtesy of Messrs De Prez (2), Koschyk (2), Jackson and Ashdown. In fact two of Beeston's five goals were not scored until the dying seconds when it was all too late. Final score, 8-5 to East Grinstead. East Grinstead are off to the European Clubs Championships in Hamburg in two weeks time and will be buoyed up by that emphatic win.

Images from the match are available to view at our pictures site at www.HockeyImages.co.uk. The February edition of our on-line magazine, HockeyTalk, has pictures and articles about the Maxifuel Finals and the European Indoor Nations Championships. This can be found at www.TalkHockeyRadio.co.uk.

ENGLAND WIN PROMOTION IN DENMARK by Peter Savage at the Women's Indoor Championships in Slagelse

It says something about the improved state of women's hockey that this nation of ours can effectively raise two - no, correct that - three quads to play simultaneously in international competition.

The fact that England have managed their second promotion on the bounce in European indoor competition whilst the GB squad is in Argentina is something of an achievement. And I say 'three squads' because there was even something in it for our friends North of the Border.  That is not to say that England has found it's last two matches in the European Indoor Champions II in Slagelse easy.  The defeat at the hands of France yesterday - a combination of a good French side and England not playing their best hockey - was a serious wobble on the road to promotion, and England looked uncomfortable on occasions against the Swiss in their final match this afternoon.

It was the Swiss who took first blood when Stephanie Walti scored early in the match. But Katie Long, who has had a quite outstanding tournament, was able to redress the balance, and Emma Thomas put England ahead early in the second half. Denise Marston-Smith increased the lead to 3-1 from a penalty corner two minutes later.

From that point the Swiss looked increasingly dangerous, with Maddie Hinch in the England goal having to work hard for her keep.  Saskia Muller, the Swiss captain, was rewarded for her side's pressure when she converted a penalty corner to pull the score back to 3-2.  We were then treated to 14 minutes of nail biting play, much of it in the England half of the court, but eventually the final hooter sounded and England emerged as the winners.

Where England finished in the final table depended on the outcome of the final match in the promotion pool, between France and Lithuania.  Although Lithuania surprisingly won this game, they failed to inflict sufficient damage with their 2-1 win to bite into France's goal difference. As a result France win the Championships II and England are runners-up.

You have to shed a tear for our hosts, Denmark. After an improvement in form yesterday, they found the Slovak Republic too strong for them. The final score, 5-2, means that Denmark is relegated to Championship III in 2014.  They will be joined there by Russia, who were beaten today 4-2 by Scotland. Only a day earlier there had been some gloom in the Scot's camp at finding themselves in the Relegation Pool, but they were eventually the only side to take full points from the final pools and they finish in a respectable fifth.

Full results and tables are on our main web site.

ENGLAND'S GOOD DAY FINISHES BADLY. Round up of today's play in the EuroHockey Indoor Championships in Slagesle, Denmark.

England finished their Pool A matches in top position this morning and the squad went into the afternoon with the knowledge that relegation was no longer an issue.  But the morning's news was not all good.  Abi Harper turned her ankle in the match against Lithuania and will remain unfit for the rest of the tournament.

England's first opponents in the promotion pool were France, the nation that came second when England won promotion in Rouen two years ago. France had performed well, but England had the edge when the two sides met in 2010.  This afternoon, however, was the first time in this tournament that it was apparent that England were not fielding a first choice team. The French have had an outstanding tournament so far in Slagelse, with their Peggy Bergere being the danger woman in front of goal.

There were early signs that England might be in trouble when Sam Quek stopped a penalty corner flick at waist height with her stick in the opening minutes of the match to keep the score at 1-1.  Bergere showed her goal scoring prowess by finding the net twice in as many minutes shortly after.

Although England tried to compose themselves and take control of the match in the second half, the French skipper, Emilie Begue, gave her side their third. Sam Quek's 38th minute penalty corner for England was little more than a consolation goal and the match ended at 3-1.

England will have to calm their nerves when they play their final match of this tournament against the Swiss tomorrow. In theory, all four teams in the promotion pool can finish in the top two (and thereby gain promotion), but it is most likely that the second place will hinge on the England v Switzerland match.

The hosts, Denmark, have had a difficult tournament and lost there final Pool A match to Switzerland 6-1 this morning. So there was something of a cup final win atmosphere when they beat Russia 6-3 in the first of their relegation pool matches.  They have been excellent hosts and it would be a shame to see them relegated. And it should not be forgotten that the were promoted to the Championships II four years ago when they beat England.

Scotland's hopes of survival rose when they played their first relegation pool match.  After losing their last Pool A match 4-3 to France this morning, they went on to beat the Slovak Republic 3-2 to give them a lifeline to stay in the second tier tournament.

In the other promotion pool match, Lithuania started with promise against Switzerland, and they were leading until the final two minutes when Switzerland's Stephanie Walti scored twice from penalty corners.

Up to date scores and tables are available at our main web site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk.

ENGLAND REACH PROMOTION POOL by Peter Savage at the Women's Indoor Championships in Slagelse

It was a win and a double whammy to boot.  Not only did England beat the overnight leaders in Pool B, the three points earned against Lithuania will be carried over to the promotion pool which plays its first matches this afternoon.

England were magnificent.  Any sign of nerves - and this was an important match - were not apparent as England came out fighting. They got onto the scoresheet early when Denise Marston-Smith converted a fifth minute penalty stroke. A minute later, Katie Long made it two with a long ranging run which ended with the ball in the back of the Lithuanian net.

There was a wobbly moment early in the second half when Ina Kenstaviciute scored twice in less than a minute to equalise, and English fans were on the edge of their seats for five minutes until Long found the net again.  But overall, a brilliant performance against one of the better teams here.  The mixture of experience and youth seems to have brought home the goods for England.

The final score of 3-2 puts England on top of Pool B.  Details of the promotion pool matches will appear later.

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








 

ENGLAND CAN MAKE PROMOTION POOL. A round up of today's play in the EuroHockey Women's Nations Championships in Slagelse, Denmark

It snowed this afternoon in Slagelse but events inside the Antvorskov Hall were too gripping for the weather outside to concern us.

Having picked up four points from today's matches (see earlier reports), and with a healthy goal difference, England can make it into the promotion pool tomorrow. They have one more match to play in Pool B and and that is against the stand-out side in the pool, Lithuania.  We believe that England can win this game, which would mean that they would head the table.  Even if they lose, England still remain in with a chance unless they let the Lithuanians chip too deeply into their goal difference and/or the Russians go on a goal scoring spree against the Slovak Republic.

In Pool A the situation is similar for Scotland, albeit that they have a thinner goal margin. Scotland play France tomorrow in what could be a titanic battle.  The French, who were promoted alongside England in 2010, have looked very sharp.  The Danes, who deprived England of promotion back in 2008, have had a difficult tournament, having lost to both Scotland and France. They cannot now escape the relegation pool and will have to hope that their form improves in the last two matches of the tournament.

Full results are available on our main web site.

ENGLAND DRAW SECOND MATCH by Peter Savage in Slagelse

Despite peppering the Russian goal than more shots than I could keep count of, England were unable to find the target.  Playing in their second match of the European Indoor Championships II, it was Katie Long who was again the star of the show, finding the net five minutes into the second half.  But Tatiana Voronina's goal canceled out the English goal and the match ended at 1-1.

The Russian's were much improved over the side that lost to Lithuania earlier today and, although England played well, they had lost some of the bite they had shown against the Slovaks this morning.  They will face their sternest test tomorrow when they play the very capable looking Lithuanian side.

ENGLAND WIN FIRST MATCH IN SLAGELSE by Peter Savage at the Indoor Championships II

England's women got off to a fine start in their opening match in the European Indoor Nations Championships here in Salgelse this morning.

 With England contributing the major part of the Great Britain squad in Argentina, the indoor squad here in Denmark consisted of experience plus a number of senior hopefuls.  Calling them a makeshift squad however, would hardly be fair in mind of the performance they put in. Forty minutes of consistent pressure on the Slovak Republic took its time to get any result, and there were only two penalty corner goals as a reward, both from Denise Marston-Smith.

England's fitness at international level is almost becoming legendary, and when England players swamped their opponents, they were swiftly back to cover any danger caused.  Katie Long, often to be found on the left, was constantly pressurising the Slovak defence, and after Sam Quek had made it three for England, Long was rewarded with two goals. 

The icing on the cake came when Emma Thomas scored England's sixth, leaving the final score 6-1 in England's favour.

Earlier Lithuania beat a rather naive Russian side 9-2 in the other Pool B match.

TEST EVENT LINE UP ANNOUNCED AT THE WRITERS’ AWARDS

LOCOG has announced the line up for the Olympic Test Event to be held at the Riverbank Stadium at the Olympic Park this May.

Invited to take part in the Men's Tournament are Australia, India and Germany, as well as Great Britain. Only India, from that group, has not yet qualified for the Olympics. Taking part in the women's tournament will be Argentina, China, Korea and Great Britain, all of which have already qualified.

The tournament starts on Wednesday 2 May and finishes on Sunday 6 May. Friday 4 May will be a rest day.

The Riverbank Stadium is the new name for the Olympic Hockey Centre. The change reflects the fact that the stadium will not be exclusively for hockey. It will also host the Paralympic 5 and 7-aside football tournaments.

Further details of the Test Event will appear in the next edition of our on-line magazine, HockeyTalk, which will be available to download on 26 January 2012.

The announcement was made at the Hockey Writers Club Awards in London's Knightsbridge, where East Grinstead's Mark Pearn won the Men's UK Player of the Year Award. The women's award went to Reading's Alex Danson.

The other awards were the Higgins Youth Awards, which went to Joanne Leigh of Clifton and Joe Sharp of Belper. The Higgins Junior Awards went to Martha Baker of Beeston and James Albery of Old Loughtonians.

VICTORY BUT RELEGATION FOR ENGLAND

England's final match in the European Indoor Championships has ended in victory but resulted in relegation.

Russia's 3-2 win over Switzerland in the preceding match left a glimmer of hope for the England side as they took on Spain in the relegation pool. With the Russians on four points, with a goal difference of +0, they could be overtaken if England could win by a substantial goal difference. That would have meant sixth place and a return to the tournament when it is next held in two years time.

Despite a first half penalty stroke conversion by Ashley Jackson, England looked like heading for a defeat as the final seconds of the match ticked away. With Spain leading 2-1, and with two minutes left, Jackson found the net again, this time from open play, to equalise. Moments later Nick Catlin scored the winner for England.

The result puts England on four points, the same as Russia, but with a goal difference of only one separating them. As a result, England finish seventh and are relegated along with Switzerland who finished eighth. Both will play in the EuroHockey Indoor Championships II in 2014.

The final was won by Germany who beat the Czech Republic 4-0 in the final. The bronze was won by Austria.

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

TalkHockeyRadio will be in Denmark for the Women's EuroHockey Indoor Championships II next weekend.

ENGLAND NOW LOOKED DOOMED INDOORS. The latest from Leipzig.

With one match left to play, England's chances of staying in the top division of the European Indoor Championships were looking slim after today's games. Spain's opponents this afternoon were Russia, whose 3-2 defeat means that Spain now tops the relegation pool with 6 pts. England will now have to beat Spain by a healthy margin tomorrow and hope that the match between Switzerland and Russia ends in a draw or a narrow victory for the Russians.

The semi finals between Austria and the Czech Republic, and Germany and The Netherlands take place this evening. The winners play each other in the final tomorrow.

Full results are on our main web site.

JACKSON GOAL BLITZ FAILS TO RESCUE ENGLAND FROM BOTTOM PLACE. Report on the European Indoor Nations Championships in Leipzig

The match against the Czechs was the first of two drawn matches, the second being a remarkable 8-8 draw against Russia this morning (Saturday). The match was remarkable for the fact that Ashley Jackson almost single handedly rescued the day for England at 8-3 down with a five goal blitz in almost as many minutes, with four of the five coming from penalty corners. Jackson's remarkable feat makes him the top scorer in the tournament at the end of the preliminary pools. He seems to be in his element in Leipzig, scoring three of England's five in their 5-7 defeat against The Netherlands yesterday.

Unfortunately, the draw leaves England at the bottom on Pool B, and they play the first of their relegation pool matches later this afternoon when they meet Switzerland. The second will be tomorrow against Spain.

Germany finish top of Pool A, with Austria in second place.

Full results and tables can be found on our main web site.