NETHERLANDS WIN IN CONVINCING MANNER by Peter Colwill at the Investec London Cup

The Netherlands won the tournament in convincing fashion. Maartje Paumen converted two penalty corners in her awesomely efficient manner and there were goals from Carlien Dirkse van de Heuvel and Kelly Jonker, who finished joint leading scorer with Paumen on five.  Australia‘s consolation goal was scored by Georgia Nanscawen when they were 3-0 down.

Germany won the third placed match.  After leading 2-1 at half time they overcame a tiring South Africa in the second half.  Janine Beermann scored twice in their 6-2 victory.

Great Britain saved their best performance for last producing an assured display to beat Ireland in the fifth place match 3-0 despite being further depleted by the absence of Helen Richardson who was injured.

Hannah Macleod gave Britain a dream start scoring twice in the first 15 minutes.  The first came from a quickly taken free hit by Laura Unsworth which enabled Susie Gilbert to provide the cross for Macleod to turn in.  The second goal was another simple tap in after Chloe Rogers had created the initial incursion.

Chances abounded.  “We should have had a cricket score,” claimed Danny Kerry the GB coach who was disappointed despite the result.  Anne Panter deflected a free hit wide.  Kerry Williams shot wide and Rebecca Herbert delayed too long when well placed.  It was left to Emily Maguire to score the third 11 minutes from time with a well-struck penalty corner their only conversion of the tournament.

IT’S AN AUSTRALIA – NETHERLANDS FINAL by Peter Colwill at the Investec London Cup

Australia will play the Netherlands in Sunday's final of the Investec London Cup, which both teams reached by an unconventional route.

The Netherlands reached the final by winning the penalty shoot out which was by far the most exciting part of a dull and poorly played 2-2 draw. "We weren't at the races in the first half" said Fabian Gregory, South Africa's assistant coach. Their defence was certainly missing in the third minute allowing Kelly Jonker to collect the ball and shoot unhindered to open the scoring. Seven minutes later Maartje Paumen converted her side's only penalty corner with her usual panache.

The Dutch became complacent and the match degenerated. South Africa came back into the game and Pietie Coetzee eluded three tackles to score just before the interval. In the second half Kitty van Male hit the crossbar for the Dutch but Coetzee scored a second from South Africa's second and final penalty corner to set up the shoot out.

Australia reached the final with the comeback of the tournament. Trailing 2-0 with 18 minutes left, they scored three times including the winner from the second penalty corner in overtime.

Germany had started impressively with Maike Stockel putting them ahead in the fifth minute with a well struck reverse stick shot. A broken down penalty corner gave Eileen Hoffman the opportunity to put them further ahead in the 13^th minute of the second half.

Emily Smith started the Australian revival and when Kobie McGurk blasted the ball from the edge of the circle between Kristina Reynolds legs with five minutes left for 2-2 a penalty shoot out loomed. It was not to be. Australia's fifth penalty corner and the second in overtime was rolled towards goal and chipped in by Anna Flanagan.

GB TO PLAY FOR FIFTH PLACE by Peter Colwill at the Investec London Cup

Great Britain will play Ireland for fifth place on Sunday morning whilst Saturday's semi finals feature the Netherlands against South Africa and Germany against Australia,

Britain dominated but Germany defended dourly. Danny Kerry, the GB coach, said he was "proud of his team's exceptional performance." Chloe Rogers and Helen Richardson were immense and Laura Unsworth gave another assured performance at sweeper.

Germany struck twice within two minutes just before half time. Janine Beemann dived full length to turn the ball into an empty goal and Hannah Kruger struck the second with a first time volley from a right wing cross. GB's only success came 11 minutes from time when Hannah Macleod had the last touch on a series of chances. The six penalty corners they failed to score from highlighted the absence of Crista Cullen and Kate Walsh.

Ireland held out for 31 minutes but were overcome by the Netherlands for whom Naomi van As and Eva de Goede excelled. Emma Gray had saved two penalty corners from de Goede and a spectacular save from Caia van Maasakker but was helpless when Kelly Jonker opened the scoring. Jonker went on to complete a hat trick with the other goals coming from Marilyn Agliotti and Ellen Hoog. Ireland's best effort came from their only penalty corner, Audrey O'Flynn's flick producing a very good save by Joyce Sombroek the Dutch goalkeeper.

GRAY CELEBRATES WITH STUNNING PERFORMANCE by Peter Colwill at the Investec London Cup

Emma Gray, the Irish goalkeeper, celebrated her 50th international cap with a stunning performance to keep an Australia side, which threatened to run riot, in check, Gray saved five penalty corners but could not prevent Australia going three goals ahead in the first 20 minutes through Fiona Boyce, Emily Smith and Jodie Schulz from a penalty corner.

Ireland playing their first match under new coach Denis Pritchard, and playing without five players released for the summer, clawed their way into the game. However, they went further behind 12 minutes into the second half when Casey Eastham's shot was deflected in by a defender. A consolation goal came 15 minutes from time when Nicola Daly turned in Anna O'Flanagan's free hit.

South Africa became the first side to qualify for Saturday's semi finals despite losing a scintillating match to Germany. The first 15 minutes were all South Arica but somehow Germany survived. "We did not play well but we defended well" was how Germany coach Michael Behrmann expressed it.

In the 30^th minute Eileen Hoffman scored the only goal with a deft deflection. Thereafter it was mostly South African pressure with an occasional German counter but the equaliser did not come.

Great Britain need to beat Germany on Thursday by a two goal margin to claim the other semi final place from this group.

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GREAT BRITAIN SUFFER UNEXPECTED DEFEAT by Peter Colwill at the Investec London Cup

Great Britain suffered an unexpected 3-1 defeat to South Africa in their opening match in the Investec London Cup at Chiswick. Missing both first choice central defenders (Kate Walsh and Crista Cullen), the defence was all at sea twice in the opening ten minutes.

An innocuous attack down the left deflected kindly for Sulette Damons whose open face shot from the back of the circle beat Beth Storry. The second came from a neat move from left to right which created an overlap for Bernadette Coston to finish impeccably.

Danny Kerry, GB coach, summed up South Africa's first half as "five circle penetrations three shots and two goals." Thereafter GB dominated but whether it was the slow pitch (the game was played in continuous heavy rain), the absence of a quarter of the selected Olympic squad (Sarah Thomas and Alex Danson are also out injured), or the resolute nature of South Africa's defence, there was no reward for British pressure and with 12 minutes left South Africa broke away to score through Jennifer Wilson who plays her hockey in England with the Canterbury club. With five minutes remaining GB scored at last. Helen Richardson drove down the right and her cross was swept in by Susannah Gilbert.

In the opening match in the other pool, a strangely subdued Netherlands beat Australia 2-1. Emily Smith put Australia ahead but Maartje Paumen equalised following up a Willemijn Bos penalty corner shot and scored the winner from a penalty stroke.

GB MEN FINISH OUTSIDE THE MEDALS IN MALAYSIA

Great Britain's men failed to medal as they played their final match in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia yesterday.

The tournament had brought mixed results for the GB side, with an early disappointing draw against the hosts, followed by a 3-2 win over India. The stand-out side from the tournament turned out to be Argentina, and Great Britain lost to them 2-3 in their third match.

Great Britain recorded a useful 2-1 win against the eventual champions, New Zealand, with goals from Ashley Jackson and Matt Daly, but they could only draw 1-1 against Korea after trailing for 28 minutes. Jonty Clarke was the scorer for GB. Great Britain found their winning form again when they played Pakistan. Second half goals from Harry Martin and Ashley Jackson reversed an early Pakistan lead, to enable GB to win the match 2-1.

Despite the mixed results, GB found themselves in the third/fourth place play off against India. The only score in the first half was an overtime penalty corner conversion by Ashley Jackson. But the second half was a different story. Shivendra Singh equalised after only seven minutes, and Sandeep Singh gave India a lead nine minutes later. The icing on the cake for India was a goal from Khandker Tushar, to give them a 3-1 victory.

The final, between New Zealand and Argentina, was won 1-0 by New Zealand.