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News for 16 February 2019

All the news for Saturday 16 February 2019


2019 FIH Pro League (Men) - 16 February

15 Feb 2019 11:00 (GMT +1)     ESP v NED (RR)    3  -  3 (Shoot out 3/5 - 1/4)    Estadio Betero, Valencia

15 Feb 2019 19:00 (GMT +13)    NZL v GER (RR)     1 - 2    Nga Puna Wai Hockey Stadium, Christchurch    
16 Feb 2019 15:30 (GMT +8)     AUS v GBR (RR)     -     Perth Hockey Stadium, Perth

Live streaming on https://fih.live (Geo blocked if there is TV coverage)

Unofficial Pool standings

Rank Team Played Wins Win Draws Loss Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points Percent
1 Belgium 4 2 1 1 0 14 9 5 9 75.0
2 Great Britain 2 2 0 0 0 12 7 5 6 100.0
3 Netherlands 3 1 1 1 0 12 11 1 6 66.7
4 Australia 3 1 0 1 1 10 11 -1 4 44.4
5 Spain 3 0 2 0 1 10 11 -1 4 44.4
6 New Zealand 3 0 0 1 2 9 14 -5 1 11.1
7 Germany 1 0 0 0 1 2 4 -2 0 0.0
7 Argentina 1 0 0 0 1 2 4 -2 0 0.0

The FIH inexplicably and confusingly use a system not used in any other sports League in the World, of making the Percentage more important than Points until the end of the League when they will revert to Points only. Fieldhockey.com prefers to use the conventional Points and so the Unofficial Pool Standings on this site are reflected in this manner.

FIH Match Centre



2019 FIH Pro League (Women) - 16 February

15 Feb 2019 17:00 (GMT +13)     NZL v GER (RR)    1 - 3     Nga Puna Wai Hockey Stadium, Christchurch    

16 Feb 2019 17:30 (GMT +8)     AUS v GBR (RR)     -     Perth Hockey Stadium, Perth
16 Feb 2019 19:00 (GMT -5)    USA v NED (RR)     -     Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem
17 Feb 2019 17:30 (GMT +13)     NZL v CHN (RR)     -     Nga Puna Wai Hockey Stadium, Christchurch    

Live streaming on https://fih.live (Geo blocked if there is TV coverage)

Unofficial Pool standings

Rank Team Played Wins Win Draws Loss Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points Percent
1 Australia 4 2 1 0 1 8 7 1 8 66.7
2 Belgium 3 2 0 0 1 3 3 0 6 66.7
3 Argentina 2 1 1 0 0 4 2 2 5 83.3
4 Germany 2 1 0 1 0 5 3 2 4 66.7
5 New Zealand 4 1 0 0 3 6 6 0 3 25.0
6 Netherlands 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 3 50.0
7 United States 1 0 0 1 0 2 2 0 1 33.3
8 China 1 0 0 0 1 3 4 -1 0 0.0
9 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 1 1 5 -4 0 0.0

The FIH inexplicably and confusingly use a system not used in any other sports League in the World, of making the Percentage more important than Points until the end of the League when they will revert to Points only. Fieldhockey.com prefers to use the conventional Points and so the Unofficial Pool Standings on this site are reflected in this manner.

FIH Match Centre



Germany teams win in New Zealand while Spain men produce epic fightback against Netherlands



Match Day 11 of the FIH Pro League featured two matches in New Zealand and one in Spain, with Germany’s international women’s and men’s teams claiming victories over the Black Sticks in Christchurch while Spain men fought back from 3-0 down to claim a shoot-out triumph over the Netherlands in Valencia.

The day’s action began at the Naga Puna Wai Hockey Stadium in Christchurch as New Zealand hosted the international teams of Germany. The women’s teams were first in action, with Commonwealth Games gold medallists New Zealand looking to build on last weekend’s outstanding 5-1 win over Olympic champions Great Britain.

The Black Sticks (FIH World Ranking: 6) made the perfect start when Amy Robinson opened the scoring with a tap-in inside the first minute after Germany lost possession in their own territory, but it was Die Danas (WR:5) who dominated the latter stages of the opening quarter before turning the contest on its head in the second period. Brilliant Germany forward Charlotte Stapenhorst levelled the scores with a classy flicked finish over the shoulder of onrushing Black Sticks goalkeeper Sally Rutherford before Pia Maertens forced home a close range penalty corner after the initial strike was blocked on the goal-line.

Germany were well worth their lead at half time but found themselves under pressure from the determined hosts for much of the third quarter. However, the Europeans - who fell to a narrow shoot-out defeat against Australia last weekend in Hobart - weathered the storm and added to their lead through Hannah Gablac, who crashed home a penalty corner rebound following a solid save from replacement Black Sticks goalkeeper Grace O’Hanlon.

Influential midfielder Stacey Michelsen, who returned to action after missing last weekend’s matches through injury, had New Zealand’s best chance in the final quarter when she crashed a shot into the pads of Germany goalkeeper Nathalie Kubalski. However, it was Germany who emerged as deserving 3-1 winners away from home to climb up to fourth in the FIH Pro League table with 66.7 percent. To view the current standings in the women’s FIH Pro League table, please click here.

“It was a quick start from New Zealand, but we got back into the game really quickly”, said Player of the Charlotte Stapenhorst of Germany. “We did our job when we were defending, we got our chances and luckily we scored from them. We are going to Argentina now, leaving tomorrow with a long flight, so we need to make sure that we prepare really well and hope that the crowd is as good here.”


The meeting between the two nations’ men’s teams was even in the opening quarter, with both sides guilty of making errors in the early battle for on-pitch supremacy. Germany (WR:6) midfielder Mats Grambusch flashed a backhand shot wide of the target late in an opening period short on scoring opportunities, with New Zealand (WR:8) goalkeeper Richard Joyce made a double save from a Germany penalty corner towards the end of the second quarter.

Having enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the first two quarters, Germany took complete control in a third period in which they opened up a 2-0 lead. Marco Miltkau showed his striker’s instinct with a close range finish after a brilliant save from New Zealand’s replacement goalkeeper George Enersen, before Niklas Wellen slapped home a second from a perfectly executed penalty corner routine.

Black Sticks captain Blair Tarrant scored a rare goal when he finished off a fine passing move to reduce the deficit at the start of the fourth quarter. However, a moment of brilliance from Florian Fuchs sealed a 3-1 triumph for Germany, evading numerous tackles on a mazy run before setting up the simplest of finishes for Miltkau to score his second of the match. 

“We are very happy to get our first win in this competition”, said Player of the Match Mathias Müller of Germany. “We had a really bad third quarter against Australia [last week], so we had to really focus on the third quarter in this game.”

New Zealand captain Blair Tarrant said: “It was nice to get a goal, but unfortunately we were not good enough today. I think it is just about being clinical at both ends and we need to improve in those areas.”

The FIH Pro League action moved from New Zealand to Spain for the day's final game, as a packed Estadio Betero in Valencia played host to the men of Spain (WR:9) and Netherlands (WR:3). The Dutch - back on European soil after a successful trip to Oceania where they beat New Zealand and claimed a shoot-out victory over Australia - opened up a 2-0 advantage in a fast-paced, end-to-end first quarter. Thierry Brinkman was on hand to finish off some fine work from Terrance Pieters before Mirco Pruijser smashed home an opportunistic effort on his backhand after the Red Sticks defence were caught in possession.


The Oranje continued to look the more dangerous team throughout the second and third quarters, with their hard work eventually being rewarded when Jelle Galema guided a perfect deflection past Spain goalkeeper Quico Cortes to put the World Cup finalists 3-0 up. It was a goal that sparked a reaction from Spain, with Xavi Lleonart hitting the post before veteran attacker Pau Quemada pulled a goal back with a close range strike just before the end of the third quarter.


Spanish hopes of a comeback further increased with nine minutes remaining thanks to Albert Beltran, who produced a stunning deflection into the roof of the Dutch goal to make it 3-2 and set up a thrilling finish. The Red Sticks won a trio of penalty corners at the end of the game, the third of which was fired home by Marc Serrahima to tie the match at 3-3 and force a shoot-out in dramatic fashion.

Serrahima’s late equaliser had guaranteed Spain at least one point from the contest, but things were to get even better for the home favourites thanks largely to shot-stopper Cortes, who did enough to stop Pruijser, Brinkman and Pieters as the Red Sticks triumphed 3-1 in the shoot-out to claim a valuable bonus point.

“It was an amazing game”, said Man of the Match Alvaro Iglesias of Spain. “The first half was 100 percent for them [Netherlands], they had a lot of chances and we had a few, but we were not that sharp. In the second half we made our chances, we fought and finally we made it 3-3 and beat them in the shoot-outs.”

Despite missing out on the bonus point, the Netherlands remain third in the men’s FIH Pro League standings, with Germany in fourth, Spain in sixth and New Zealand in seventh position. To view the current standings, please click here.


The FIH Pro League continues on Saturday 16 February with Australia hosting the Great Britain men’s and women’s teams in Perth before USA make their home debut against world champions the Netherlands at North Carolina’s Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem.

FIH Pro League - Match Day 11

15 February 2019

Christchurch, New Zealand

Result: Women’s Match 10
New Zealand 1, Germany 3
Player of the Match: Charlotte Stapenhorst (GER)

Result: Men’s Match 10
New Zealand 1, Germany 3
Player of the Match: Mathias Müller (GER)

Valencia, Spain

Result: Men’s Match 11

Spain 3, Netherlands 3 (3-1 After Shoot-Out)
Player of the Match: Alvaro Iglesias (ESP)

#FIHProLeague

Official FIH Pro League Site



It’s Pr-olé hockey for Spain in epic Dutch comeback

by The Hockey Paper


Spain continue to excite in inaugural Pro League PIC: FIH.Live

Incredible. ‘Epic’ and ‘Comeback ‘in extremis” rang the Spanish headlines, too.

Any more of this and those young Spanish fans in Valencia will demanding more late morning fiesta hockey. For this was yet another Pr-olé League encounter to cherish for the home fans, who have made these early schedule matches ones to remember for the potential fan base which has already been locked in thanks to the entertainment on offer.

Having already seen 15 goals in two morning games, Spain men came from 3-0 down on Friday to earn a last second draw against the Netherlands.

And they then usurped the Dutch in the extra shoot-out to top it all off and leave all and sundry, commentators too, catching their breathe.

Crazy endings now have been the forte to Spain’s three home Pro League matches.

This was no different as Spain scored three times in 16 minutes, the last of which came courtesy of another set of at-the-death penalty corners before Marc Serrahima managed to get a touch from a direct hit which initially bobbled at the top of the circle.

Then it was down to Quico Cortes in the Spanish goal to deny a beleaguered Dutch outfit and claim an extra bonus point for the hosts, thanks to a 3-1 win.

“It was an amazing game”, key man Alvaro Iglesias said afterwards. “

The first half was 100 percent for them [Netherlands], they had a lot of chances and we had a few, but we were not that sharp.

“In the second half we made our chances, we fought and finally we made it 3-3 and beat them in the shoot-outs.”

Meanwhile Germany’s women and men claimed victories over the Black Sticks in Christchurch. Both teams won 3-1.

Weekend FIH Pro League matches

On Saturday, Australia host the Great Britain men’s and women’s teams in Perth and USA women make their home debut against world champions the Netherlands in Winston-Salem. On Sunday, New Zealand women play China.

The Hockey Paper



Masters Indoor World Cup - Day 2

The Masters Indoor World Cup got under way in Hong Kong on Thursday. Find all the results by clicking here



Masters Indoor World Cup Day 1: USA Opens with Three Wins and Two Ties


Images Taken by ICNIA Fotobroadcast & Doug Hetzler

HONG KONG - Competition started yesterday in Hong Kong at the second-edition of the World Masters Hockey (WMH) Masters Indoor World Cup and USA came away with three wins and two ties over eight games played. The U.S. O-40 Men's Masters Team started strong with a 3-2 win over Hong Kong Dragons before dropping their second game 2-3 in the final 30 seconds to Hong Kong. Their final game of the opening day saw them tie England 2-2. The U.S. O-50 Men's Masters Team struggled to score in their first two games, falling to Germany 0-8 and Australia 0-6. They rebounded in their third contest, defeating Canada 4-0. Lastly, the U.S. O-40 Women's Masters beat The Netherlands 4-3 in their first game and tied Hong Kong 2-2 in their second.

U.S. O-40 Men's Masters Team

USA 3 - Hong Kong Dragons 2
The U.S. O-40 Men's Masters Team started the event playing at the Shek Kip Mei Park Sports Centre with a dramatic 3-2 win, off a penalty corner by Pat Cota (Menlo Park, Calif.) with no time left, to secure the win over Hong Kong Dragons. USA's other two goals were scored by Shawn Hindy (Moorpark, Calif.) and Lee Swinscoe (Jarretsville, Md.), both on penalty corners.

USA 2 - Hong Kong 3

USA's second game was a tight contest with Hong Kong, that ended in a 3-4 loss for USA on a late goal with under a minute. USA goalkeeper David Eddie (Cambridge, Mass.) had some excellent play and USA's goals were scored by Jaime Rodriguez (Springfield, Mass.), Hindy and Cota.

USA 2 - England 2
USA’s best game of the tournament was their final on the first day, resulting in a 2-2 tie with England. Swinscoe scored both goals, one on a penalty corner and the other on a stroke. Goalkeeper Eddie once again played superior in goal, preserving the draw.



U.S. O-50 Men's Masters Team

USA 0 - Germany 8
The U.S. O-50 Men's Masters opened the tournament playing at the main venue, Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC), against No. 1 Germany. The first two goals of the game were scored almost immediately after the start of the game by the German captain Ulrich Mayer followed by two more goals by their opponents before the end of the first half. At the half, U.S. O-50 Men's Masters Head Coach Luke Govia stressed the importance of maintaining calmness, composure, regrouping and using the defensive tactics learned at practice sessions. The second half started with a more composed USA team. The powerful Germany side ended up scoring four more goals before the end of the game. USA Goalkeeper Jon O'Haire (Columbus, Ohio) and the defensive line played an excellent game making several outstanding saves holding Germany to only 8 goals.

USA 0 - Australia 6
The second match was another tough game for USA, but they played with much more composure, made some excellent passes and took several shots against the opponents goal throughout the game. USA truly showed their professionalism and experience during the first half holding Australia to a deadlocked 0-0 score. O'Haire once against, had excellent goalkeeping and he made some tough saves against the talented Australia team. The USA defensive line consisting of Manny Morales (Miami, Fla.), Peter Jones (Stamford, Conn.) and Alex Rooks (Belmont, Mass.) were flawless during the first half controlling the back by keeping Australia out of scoring position. The second half, Australia came out showing that they are a team to deal with scoring almost immediately. Australia with much talent and experience ended up scoring 5 more goals.

USA 4 - Canada 0
After two tough games and a long rest period, USA came back ready, healthy and fired up to face their northern neighbors, Canada. Both teams were ready to battle it out. USA, coming out of two earlier losses, was eager for a win. Once again the defensive line stood their ground, holding Canada to a scoreless game. The offensive line was hungry for goals, scoring four by the end of the match. Goal scorers were Jonathan Drucker (Coral Gables, Fla.) (6:00),  Morales (17:00), Greg Pereira (Fulton, Md.) (27:00) and Fernando Diez de Onate (Key Biscayne, Fla.) (33:00).



U.S. O-40 Women's Masters Team

USA 4 - Netherlands 3
The U.S. O-40 Women's Masters Team started strong in the 2019 Masters Indoor World Cup campaign, defeating The Netherlands 4-3 in the first game at the Island East Sports Centre. During this thrilling match, USA scored early in the first half with a goal from Sue Elliott (Fountainville, Pa.) and an assist by Sophie Etienne (Belmont, Mass.). The Netherlands answered with a goal, but USA continued to generate offense with a second goal by Rachel Barger (Sydney, Australia) with an assist by Denise Zelenak (Wilmington, Del.). Each time the Netherlands scored, USA answered with a goal. The red, white and blue took the lead 3-2 with a goal on a penalty corner when Zelenak passed the ball to Christine Sommerfield (Rumfield, R.I.), who put the ball between the goal posts. In the second half The Netherlands tied the game 3-3, but USA took the lead and victory with a pass from Zelenak to Eitienne inside the circle to net the winning goal. USA played strong defense with great saves by both goalkeepers, Maria Keesling (Downington, Pa.) and Jen Anderson (Owings Mill, Md.), and solid defensive play by Kelly Goodsell (Harrisburg, Pa.) and Sommerfield.

USA 2 - Hong Kong 2
In their second game, USA netted a 2-2 tie in an exciting match against Hong Kong, with both USA goals came from penalty strokes. USA earned their first stroke in the first half when Hong Kong’s goalkeeper lost part of her equipment during play as USA attacked in the scoring circle. Goodsell put the ball in the net to convert the first goal of the game. Hong Kong scored their first goal during the first half to tie it at 1-1. In the second half, Hong Kong took the lead 2-1 and both teams continued to battle for possession of the ball throughout the second half. USA earned a second penalty stroke when a Hong Kong defender used her foot to stop a shot on goal by Elliott. Again, Goodsell converted to tie the game at 2-2. With solid defensive play, USA halted scoring attempts by Hong Kong but was unable to capitalize on several scoring opportunities in the final minutes of the game. At the conclusion of the first day of competition USA’s record is 1-0-1.



For more information regarding the WMH Masters Indoor World Cup, including the full schedule, results, rosters and more, check out the official event page by clicking here.

USFHA media release



Masters Indoor World Cup Australian Match Results - Day 2

By Ren Thompson



Australia Men’s Over 40 - 4 drew with Canada Men’s Over 45 - 4

Day two began with the Men’s Over 40 side tying with the Canadian side 4-all in a hotly contested match-up. Both teams had their chances to score the winner but their defences were too strong and had to settle for the tie in an entertaining contest.

Australia Men’s Over 40 - 4 def. by Hong Kong Men’s Over 40 - 6

In their second contest of the day, the Over 40s side suffered a tough loss at the hands of the Hong Kong side, 6-4, at the Island East Sports Centre. In an exhilarating indoor match, there was lots of attacking waves and a high score in an appeasing match for the home crowd. Our team played their heart out but couldn’t come away with the win.

Australia Men’s Over 40 - 3 def. USA Men’s Over 40 - 2

The Over 40s side secured a hard fought victory the United States, 3-2, in one of the matches of the tournament so far. Both sides played excellent team games, but the Aussies proved to be the better side in this one, finishing the day on a high by qualifying for the semi-finals.

Finishing the pool games with three wins, a draw, and 10 points, good for third place. The Over 40s side will face Hong Kong Men’s Over 40 side in the semi-final.

Australia Men’s Over 50 - 4 def. Italy Men’s Over 55 - 0

The Over 50s side opens day two with another commanding performance in defeating Italy Over 55s side 4-0. From the opening of the match, the Australian side proved to be too strong for the Italian men and ran away with the victory.

Australia Men’s Over 50 - 6 def. Canada Men’s Over 50 - 3

Second game and a second win for the Over 50s side, defeating Canada, 6-3. With the win the Australian side moves to an impressive four wins from five matches good for third place in the standings. But with only the top two sides advancing to the Gold Medal match, the Australians will need a big win over the England side in the final game Sunday morning, to be in contention for the final.

Australia Ladies’ Over 40 - 0 def. by Netherland Ladies’ Over 40 - 5

The Australian Ladies Over 40s suffered a tough defeat to an impressive Netherlands side, 5-0, to open day two. The Dutch side enjoyed a strong opening to the match, and the Aussies could not match them and went down in the contest. But the team were still jovial and are still in the hunt for the Gold Medal.

Australia Ladies’ Over 40 - 6 def. USA Ladies’ Over 40 - 0

Quickly rebounding after the morning contest, the Over 40s side dominated the USA side to record a massive 6-0 victory. Showing the excellent team play and their superb skill, the Aussie women were never challenged in the match.

Finishing in third place at the end of group play, the Over 40s side will take on Netherlands in a qualifying final Sunday morning to see who they play in the semi-final. The Gold Medal is still a realistic chance for this fast finishing side.

Australia Ladies’ Over 45 - 4 drew with Germany Ladies’ Over 50 - 4

A challenging game to open day two for the Over 45s side tying with Germany Over 50s 4-all at the Hong Kong Football Club. Neither side could wrestle the ascendancy in the contest, and a draw at full-time was a fitting result for the enthralling match-up.

Australia Ladies’ Over 45 - 2 def. Canada Ladies’ Over 45 - 1

Finishing off day two, the Over 45s side finished with a victory over Canada 2-1. The Aussie side played some stellar hockey and moved the ball with ease and the side look in harmony heading into the final day.

With a final game to go, the Over 45s side currently are in fourth place, and will be looking to knock off their compatriots to remain in the medal hunt.

Australia Ladies’ Over 50 - 0 def. by Germany Ladies’ Over 45 - 5

The Over 50s side were defeated by Germany 5-0 to open day two. The Germans overpowered the Aussies with their attacking gameplan, and the Aussies could not recover. But it didn’t stop them having a blast playing together and enjoying their play in Hong Kong.

Australia Ladies’ Over 50 - 1 def. by Hong Kong Dragons Ladies’ Over 45 - 8

Another tough result to end day two for the Over 50s side, going down 8-1 to the Hong Kong Dragons Ladies’ Over 45 side. The home side was buoyed by the home crowd cheering and the Aussies couldn’t make an impact in the contest.

With a sole match remaining against the Australian Over 45s side, the Over 50s side will miss out on the medal matches, but will remember the experience of playing at the World Cup.

Hockey Australia media release



Tough opening day for Clydesdale Western in Vienna



It was a tough opening day of EuroHockey Indoor Club Trophy in Vienna for Clydesdale Western with two defeats against Hahk Mladost of Croatia, and SK Slavia Prague of Czech Republic

CLYDESDALE WESTERN 3-5 HAHK MLADOST (CROATIA)

A set piece hat-trick by Margery Justice was not enough to prevent Clydesdale Western from going down 5-3 to Croatian champions HAHK Mladost in the opening pool match at the women`s indoor European Club Trophy in Vienna.

The catalyst was losing a goal at the start of each half, in only three minutes Marijana Franic put the Croatians in front. Justice levelled from her first penalty corner and that is how the score stood at half-time.

Within two minutes of the restart Marina Abramovic put Mladost 2-1 ahead. The Croatians proceeded to dominate the rest of the half with further strikes by Abramovic from the spot and then Ivona Makar from open play for a comfortable 4-1 lead.

There followed a crazy last two minutes, Western`s Francis Lonergan was sent to the sin bin and almost immediately Abramovic added another from a penalty corner for 5-1.

Then up stepped Justice to score two quick-fire strikes, the first from the spot and almost immediately after another at a penalty corner to bring the score line back to 5-3, but it also had the consolation of earning Western a bonus point for a narrow defeat.

CLYDESDALE WESTERN 2-4 SLAVIA PRAGUE (CZECH REPUBLIC)

Clydesdale Western are off to a tough start after losing 4-2 to Czech champions Slavia Prague in their second pool match at the women`s indoor European Club Trophy in Vienna this evening.

Both Western and Italian side Lorenzoni Bra are rooted to the bottom of the pool table, but the Glasgow side have the benefit of an additional point.

Again the Scots were caught with an early killer punch, Natailie Hajkova opened the scoring in the first minute for the Czech champions.

However, six minutes later the Scots were level when Susie Gillman scored from open play. But parity did not survive to the interval with a penalty corner conversion by Slavia`s Adela Lehovcova.

Three minutes into the second half Margery Justice gave Western a glimmer of hope with a penalty corner strike, but the result was sealed when Slavia`s Tereza Mejzlikova added the fourth from another set piece to claim the points.

Scottish Hockey Union media release



Tenaga whip Thunderbolt but keeper Kumar injures thigh

By Aftar Singh


One-sided match: TNB Thunderbolt’s Muhammad Azrai Aizah Abu Kamal (right) clearing the ball as Tenaga’s Muhamad Izham Azhar charges in during their MHL match yesterday. — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional trounced hapless TNB Thunderbolt 8-0 in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) match, but they are not in the mood to celebrate.

Tenaga goalkeeper S. Kumar suffered an injury on his thigh in the second quarter and was replaced by reserve keeper Che Shahrul Azmi Che Saupi.

Coach Nor Saiful Zaini is worried about Kumar’s injury.

“I hope his injury is not serious as he’s the country’s top keeper and we need his services in the league,” said Nor Saiful.

“I will know how bad his injury is after he goes for a medical check-up tomorrow.”

He added that his players did not give their best against Thunderbolt.

“My players only gave 70% in the match and this is not good for us as we have two more tough matches to play against Maybank and Tereng­ganu,” said Nor Saiful.

“My players were not serious in their game. I want them to take every match seriously in the MHL.”

Youngsters Mohd Akhimullah Anuar Esook (11th, 60th) and Muhammad Amirul Hamizan Azahar (57th, 58th) each scored a brace for Tenaga at the Tun Razak Hockey Stadium in Jalan Duta yesterday.

Norshafiq Sumantri (8th), Faiz Helmi Jali (30th), Muhammad Noor Firdaus Rosdi (38th) and Nik Muhammad Aiman Nik Rozemi (51st) contributed the other goals for Tenaga.

Tenaga, who won the Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup last month, are second in the Premier Division standings with 24 points from eight wins and two defeats.

Powered by nine national players, Tenaga have two more matches to play against Maybank at Tengku Abdullah Hockey Stadium in Bangi tomorrow before they wrap up the fixtures against last year’s league champions Terengganu on Feb 22.

Meanwhile, Terengganu registered their sixth win by outplaying Maybank 5-2 at the Batu Buruk Hockey Stadium in Kuala Tereng­ganu.

The East Coast team are third with 19 points from 10 matches.

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) clinched their second win by edging Nur Insafi 1-0 at the USM pitch in Penang to move up to fifth spot.

The all-important goal was scored by Kamaruddin Kodir Beraheng in the 40th minute.

The Star of Malaysia



Terengganu Ladies want to keep coveted trophy in Malaysian hands

By Jugjet Singh

KUALA LUMPUR: Terengganu Ladies Hockey Team (TLHT) will attempt to keep the Vivian May Soars Trophy in Malaysian hands when they take on Liaoning Infinite Space Hockey Club from China in the final at the Tun Razak Stadium tomorrow (Saturday).

This is the first time that a foreign team has been allowed to compete in the Women’s Malaysia Hockey League (MHL), and Liaoning did well for themselves by finishing third in the League, which leaves them out of contention for the title.

For the record, in the League, Terengganu Ladies won the first encounter 4-2 and then narrowly lost 1-0 in the second round of matches to Liaoning.

However Terengganu Ladies did emerge as the League champions, winning the RM50,000 prize purse, and will now be going for the Overall title which comes with RM25,000 in prize money.

Terengganu Ladies are a formidable side who boast having five national players in their ranks, namely Wan Norfaiezah Saiuti, Siti Noor Amarina Ruhani, Juliani Din, Nur Syafiqah Zain and Fatin Shafika Sukri. They also have five foreign imports, of which three are from India, and two from Kazakhstan.

India’s Jaspreet Kaur is Terengganu Ladies top-scorer with eight goals, seven of which came via penalty corners and one off a penalty stroke.

As for Liaoning, Sui Qiaomeng is their top scorer with seven field goals and two penalty corners.

“There is very little which separates both teams, so I believe it will be a very tight game that can swing either way. For us, it’s just not about winning the title, but keeping it the coveted trophy here in Malaysia as well,” said Terengganu coach K. Gobinathan.

Meanwhile, in the Men’s MHL earlier today (Friday), Tenaga Nasional hammered TNB Thunderbolts 8-0 to keep the heat on league leaders Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL).

Tenaga’s goals were scored by Norshafiq Sumantri (eighth minute), Akhimullah Anuar Esook (11th, 60th minutes), Faiz Helmi Jali (30th minute), Noor Firdaus Rosdi (38th minute), Nik Aiman Nik Rozemi (51st minute) and Amirul Hamizan Azahar (57th, 58th minutes).

MEN’S STANDINGS

P W D L F A Pts

UNIKL 9 8 1 0 37 10 25
TENAGA 10 8 0 2 51 14 24
TERENGGANU HT 10 6 1 3 35 22 19
MAYBANK 9 5 0 4 25 28 15
UiTM 9 2 0 7 9 31 6
TNB THUNDER 9 1 1 7 9 33 4
NURINSAFI 10 1 1 8 15 43 4

RESULTS – Men’s: NurInsafi 0 UiTM 1, Terengganu HT 5 Maybank 2, Tenaga Nasional 8 TNB Thunderbolts 0.

TODAY – Vivian May Soars Trophy: Liaoning Infinite Space HC v Terengganu Ladies Hockey Team (TLHT) (Tun Razak Stadium, 5pm); Third-Fourth Placing: Police Blue Warriors vs PKS-Uniten (Tun Razak Stadium, 3pm).

New Straits Times



Pembroke EYHL credentials continue to rise as Garvey come visiting


Pembroke’s Cody Thomas. Pic: Adrian Boehm

Pembroke Wanderers’ credentials as a potential men’s EY Irish Hockey League playoff contender will be further put to the test on Saturday when they face Lisnagarvey on Saturday at Serpentine Avenue.

The Ballsbridge club had been expected to have a transitional season with Olympians Kirk Shimmins and Alan Sothern – as well as international goalkeeper Mark Ingram – heading for professional clubs in Europe.

But they have defied the odds to date, most recently beating reigning Champions Trophy holders Three Rock Rovers in midweek 3-1 with Matthew Treacy, Cody Thomas and Cian Murphy getting the goals.

It bolstered their place in third, three points off leaders Banbridge with coach Paudie Carley creating an incredible team belief to pick up four wins from losing positions.

One of those came on opening day at Garvey when goalkeeper Simon Thornton was outstanding and he will need to do more of the same to keep Matthew Nelson at bay.

Rovers, for their part, continue their busy schedule with a home tie against Banbridge at Grange Road, getting little time to bask in their European indoor success as the EYHL ramps up.

Bann come visiting with Eddie Rowe emerging as a star in the making with a Eugene Magee-esque upright backhand goal last weekend against Cookstown a highlight.

The other key tie is at the bottom when YMCA will hope to land their first win in the EYHL when they host Cookstown. The Y suffered a chastening 7-1 defeat in Co Tyrone in September but have improved markedly since then and are only three points off safety.

Grant Glutz is equal top of their goalscoring charts, showing they always have a threat while Cookstown lost by an aggregate 11-2 in two games last weekend to give YM plenty to draw upon.

Cork C of I will be interested to hear the result from that tie while they aim to get their first win of the campaign from a trip to the only unbeaten side thus far, Glenanne.

Ties between the two have been very tight, though, since the inception of the EYHL and the last two meetings have been draws so this one could go close.

Former Monkstown man Peter Caruth leads Annadale at Strathearn against his former charges in a meeting between two sides eyeing a shot at fourth spot. Dale have added a diamond in Ryan Burgess from Bangor this season, the drag-flicker sharing top spot in EYHL goals this term and he will be a key threat.

EYHL2 returns for the second half of the group stages with UCD and Railway Union both welcoming back lots of players after a wealth of absentees. For Railway, only David McCarthy is still out while UCD were without several key players last weekend but coach Rudi Wortmann anticipates many will be around for this key tie.

These two occupy the playoff places at the moment; Bandon and Bangor will need a win from their tie to keep alive their chances.

In Pool 2, should Corinthian run a fourth successive win from their game with Kilkeel they will be through to the semi-finals with two games to spare. The reds have played some of their best stuff in this competition, netting 15 times already. Should UCC fail to win against Instonians, they will be eliminated.

In midweek in Leinster, Clontarf moved back above Rathgar with a 3-1 win at Mount Temple. After a scoreless, relatively even first half, Gar went in front from a corner rebound with 25 minutes to go.

The Bulls, though, went on to control the game from there and apply the pressure. The first goal was well worked when they prospered from a fortunate mistrap eventually creating the chance for Kev Murray.

It was his first appearance since November when he displaced his shoulder in a tie against Trinity. The second came when Robert Forrest pressed the centre back, stole the ball and finished nicely on his reverse from top D.

And Alan O’Malley scored the clincher with 15 minutes to go from the penalty spot after he was fouled when one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

Men’s fixtures (Saturday unless stated)
EY Hockey League
Wednesday: Pembroke 3 (M Treacy, C Thomas, C Murphy) Three Rock Rovers 1 (R Nair)
Saturday: Annadale v Monkstown, Strathearn School, 2.30pm; Glenanne v Cork C of I, St. Andrews College, 3pm; Pembroke v Lisnagarvey, Serpentine Avenue, 3pm; Three Rock Rovers v Banbridge, 3pm, Grange Road; YMCA v Cookstown, Wesley College, 3.15pm
Sunday: Lisnagarvey v Monkstown, Comber Road, 3pm

EYHL Division 2, Pool 1: Bandon v Bangor, Bandon GS, 2pm; UCD v Railway Union, Belfield, 2.50pm
Pool 2: Corinthian v Kilkeel, Whitechurch Park, 3pm; UCC v Instonians, Mardyke, 1pm

Leinster Division One (Thursday): Clontarf 3 (K Murray, R Forrest, A O’Malley) Rathgar 1

Munster Charity Cup: Catholic Institute v Cork C of I B, Rosbrien, 12.30pm; Cork Harlequins v Ashton, Farmers’ Cross, 3.15pm

The Hook



Race for women’s Champions Trophy tickets hots up



The dicing for fourth position in the Irish women’s EYHL goes into full effect on Saturday with six sides currently covered by just four points at the halfway stage of the campaign.

Crucial among the ties is the battle between Belfast Harlequins and Railway Union with the former on 13 points and Railway one back on 12. The sides shared a high quality 2-2 draw in the first half of the season and there are plenty of key match-ups on the cards with the rising star Amy Elliott potentially facing off against the master Lizzie Colvin in midfield.

In Milltown, Old Alex host Cork Harlequins hoping to record a double for the season but will be wary of the Munster side’s ability to pick up points on their travels.

Three quarters of their 12 points have come on the road with last Sunday’s final second defeat to reigning All-Ireland champions Loreto the only blemish on that record.

They did lose to Alex at Farmers’ Cross with former UCC player Aine Connery providing the vital difference between the sides but the Dublin club has not won in five outings.

Currently fourth, Pembroke’s credentials will be put to the test at Pegasus, particularly by the league’s top scorer Alex Speers who has nine from nine this term in the EYHL.

At Muckross Park, the youthful hosts will be hoping to cause a big shock and get their first win of the season when they come up against table-toppers Loreto.

The other tie between Ards and UCD is postponed due to the Ulster side’s involvement in the European indoors in Douai, France. On day one, they fell 3-2 to Lisbon Casuals but did give themselves a fighting chance of reaching the promotion pool when they snatched a 3-3 draw against Turkey’s Bolu.

They had trailed going into the final minute but Amy Benson’s fourth goal of the day nicked a draw. It means if they can win over Slovakia’s Raca – who have lost their two ties so far – they could possibly overhaul the Turks.

EYHL2 returns for the second half of the campaign. In Pool 1, UCC will look to carry their exceptional form into one of their toughest assignments of the season, an away date at Queen’s University in the women’s EYHL Division 2.

After a disastrous start to the campaign, losing their first three matches, the Mardyke outfit have since dragged themselves back into contention on all fronts.

Seven Munster league wins have come in succession – the last four with clean sheets from goalkeeper Hannah Humphries – while they also have a provincial cup final to look forward to.

EYHL2, though, is the big one with a possible promotion to the national division the prize. To do this, they need to finish in the top two of their five-team pool to reach the playoffs – a congested area with one point covering Corinthian, Trinity and UCC with Queen’s four points clear.

Classy wins over Greenfields (4-1) and Corinthian (3-1) have put the Cork side right back in the frame on this front but Queen’s have been the standard bearers to date with Irish internationals Jessica McMaster and Erin Getty driving things.

Getty’s battle with Jenny Clein, in particular, will be a key element to the tie while Munster’s top scorer Aoife Collins and Christina Dring will be hungry to add their tallies. They have reported a full enough bill of health with Irish Under-18 Muireann Scanlon on the comeback trail.

In the other pool, Catholic Institute are also facing a tricky road-trip to Ulster where they take on Lurgan. The Limerick side have a perfect record in all competitions and shaded a 3-2 thriller against Lurgan in October, putting them in pole position and a victory would pretty much assure their place in the playoffs with three games to spare.

Monkstown can take a big step toward the playoffs, too, should they get the better of NUIG in Galway. They have been in superb form of late, too, and picked off an excellent win on Monday evening courtesy of Chloe Watkins’ immaculate stickwork, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 success.

It was her 14th of the season in all competitions, leading the Division One table ahead of two of her club mates with Sadhbh Hoban-Logan and Rachel Moore (both on 12).

In Leinster, there are three matches on the agenda for Saturday after Our Lady’s and Genesis’s 0-0 draw on Wednesday evening. That result will give Naas a little bit of cause for concern as they are back in range of the Terenure side for the first time and so they will hope to get something for their derby tie against Naas.

Trinity will look to get back ahead of Monkstown when they host Rathgar in Santry while Avoca take on Glenanne at Sion Hill.

Sunday sees the Jacqui Potter Cup reach the semi-final stage with Loreto facing Railway and Old Alex meeting UCD.

Women’s weekend fixtures
EY Hockey League: Belfast Harlequins v Railway Union, Deramore Park, 2.30pm; Muckross v Loreto, Muckross Park, 2.15pm; Old Alexandra v Cork Harlequins, Milltown, 2pm; Pegasus v Pembroke Wanderers, Malone Playing Fields, 4pm

EYHL Division 2, Pool 1: Queens University v UCC, Malone Playing Fields, 1pm
Pool 2: Lurgan v Catholic Institute, Lurgan JHS, 1pm; NUIG v Monkstown, Dangan, 1.20pm

Leinster Division 1
Wednesday: Genesis 0 Our Ladys 0
Saturday: Avoca v Glenanne , Sion Hill, 1.15pm; North Kildare v Naas, The Maws, 12pm; Trinity v Rathgar, Santry Avenue, 3pm

Munster Division 1: Belvedere v Cork C of I, Ballincollig CS

Jacqui Potter Cup (Sunday): Loreto v Railway Union, Beaufort, 1pm; Old Alex v UCD, Milltown, 2pm

The Hook



7 reasons why The Hockey Paper is returning in print



The Pro League is not the only hockey revolution happening in 2019!

Since our initial print run from November 2016, we have taken stock and will be returning with better content, more focus on grass roots hockey and the stories that matter most to our readers.

We launched on the back of Team GB women’s gold in Rio. It seems apt, then, that we will be returning in March 2019 as GB women set out on their path to Tokyo 2020 qualification.

As a subscription-only package, the best stories will now only be in our print and digital edition across 32 pages, while online will have breaking news and live.

– We’re also returning at a crucial time, as global hockey expands with the Pro League and changes to the domestic game.

– We used to be weekly but every fortnight we will now have sections dedicated to the North, Midlands, East, South and West regions in England, as well as Scotland, Wales and Ireland news.

– Umpiring, coaching, the Masters’ scene, schools and university will also be at the core of our coverage. We want our readers to be at the heart of it all and for us to serve the hockey community.

– Print is still important for us in this digital age and so we will deliver two pages with a focus on juniors, aged seven to 15.

We want the next generation reading about the sport as we give more exposure to the stars of the game. We also want to keep kids occupied, entertained and educated on hockey.

With sell out crowds to watch Great Britain, we know the support base is still there in hockey. Another reason why a media print product devoted to the sport is needed.

– So, we hope you will share the journey with us and become a subscription-only member now so that we can deliver the best service to you from launch. We need your support!

With this in mind, all our annual subscribers will be able to have their say and help shape our coverage.

– But we also need your help to bring club stories to life. There are enough ‘back to hockey’ stories out there and so we are looking for lifestyle features, a record goal scorer, a team on a history-making winning run, club anniversaries, a player or volunteer doing something special, on or off the pitch. Or a great transfer story.

We had limited interaction with clubs during our opening run in trying to find stories – despite our best efforts. But we want to continue to beat the hockey drum and unearth those brilliant stories we know are out there. So, do please email your ideas and news to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Thanks for reading, please take advantage of our early subscription incentives and see you in print**!

Rod Gilmour, editor

* For now we will be UK postal only, starting mid March. Before launch we will release details of overseas subs and our digital version. Existing subscribers will also have their subscriptions honoured until their renewal date.


The Hockey Paper

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