As a spectacle it was a credit to hockey. A packed stadium, electric atmosphere.... it was all you could ask for from one of the few hockey occasions that can be watched on BBC television. All that was missing was an England was a semi final victory in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi this afternoon.
The home crowd went wild as Saravenjit Singh put away a 20th minute penalty corner for India, but an overtime penalty corner, just as the half-time hooter sounded, was converted by Ashley Jackson and gave England some breathing space. Two more penalty corners in the space of five minutes early in the second half, the first converted by Jackson and the second by Simon Mantell, gave England a 3-1 lead.
Increasing Indian pressure took its toll, with James Fair being kept busy in the England goal, and first Vikram Pillay found the net, followed shortly after by a second from Saravenjit. With the score at 3-3 in ordinary time, two periods of golden goal extra time were not able to settle the issue, and so it went to penalty strokes.
Glenn Kirkham stepped up to take England's third stroke, with the tally at 2-2, and whilst his stroke was on target, and had some power behind it, it was a relatively easy save for Chetri in the Indian goal. Eventually, at 4-4, Shivendra Singh stepped up to take the last stroke, which he buried to give India the win and a place in the final.
India will meet Australia in the final. Australia beat New Zealand 6-2 in their semi-final match earlier today.
In the other place matches, Justin Reid- Ross was the hero for South Africa as he scored the winner in golden goal extra time to beat Pakistan 3-2 to take fifth place. The match between Malaysia and Canada for seventh place was also settled on a golden goal, giving the Canadians a 3-2 win. There was a little bit of comfort for Scotland as they avoided the wooden spoon by beating Trinidad & Tobago 7-0, with Niall Stott getting on the scoresheet for Scotland.
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