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All the news for Thursday 15 January

GB Women recover to draw with Spain

Great Britain responded well after yesterday’s opener against Spain fighting back from a 2-1 half-time deficit to earn a creditable 2-2 draw.  Carys Hopkins latched onto an interception and shot high into the Spanish net in the 17th minute to take the lead.  Spain dominated the rest of the half forcing six penalty corners, the first four of which were well-saved by Becky Duggan in the GB goal.

Spain scored a well-worked deflection to equalise in the 25th minute and soon after a hard penalty corner was well-saved by Chloe Strong on the line, before the Spanish volleyed in the rebound to go 2-1 up. 

GB came back strongly in the second half negating Spanish pressure and producing some good forward flowing moves.  They were rewarded in the 61st minute when Holly Cram shot into the corner following an excellent pass from Rogers.

Chloe Rogers is one of only two GB players from the side which finished in 6th place in Beijing last year, playing against a Spanish squad with 12 of their 2008 Olympians.  Anne Panter, the other GB Olympian, did not play in tonight’s match.

Assistant Coach Nick Clark said “We played with energy and shape in the second half and our positive approach resulted in a good come back”

SPAIN 2 (2)

25 (PC)
29 (PC)

GREAT BRITAIN 2 (1)

Carys Hopkins 17 (F)
Holly Cram 61 (F)

REMAINING SCHEDULE, GB v SPAIN

16 January 2009, 1100 hrs (local), 1000 hrs (GMT) v Spain (w)

SQUAD

The 16 players below all participated in the match

Ashleigh Ball (Slough & England)
Hayley Brown (FC Junior Barcelona & England)
Holly Cram (Glasgow Western & Scotland)
Harriet Cunningham (Pinoke & England)
Gemma Darrington (Leicester & England)
Becky Duggan (GK) (Trojans & England)
Beckie Herbert (Kampong & England)
Cary Hopkins (Clifton & Wales)
Nikki Kidd (Bonagrass Grove & Scotland)
Emily Maguire (Kelburne & Scotland)
Louise Munn (Bonagrass Grove & Scotland)
Chloe Rogers (Leicester & England)
Natalie Seymour (Canterbury & England)
Chloe Strong (Pinoke & England)
Sally Walton (Bowdon Hightown & England)
Kerry Williams (Leicester & England)

DID NOT PLAY

Kirsty Mackay (GK) (Bowdon Hightown & England)
Anne Panter (Leicester & England)

Great Britain Hockey media release

GB snatch last minute draw

Great Britain’s men started their AYOF campaign with a pulsating 4-4 draw against Malaysia on Wednesday at the Olympic Hockey Centre in Sydney.  Even with a 0900 start, temperatures reached 35 degrees pitch side which proved testing for the players.

Early signs in the game did not point towards the drama which would ensue.  Malaysia forced five first half penalty corners but Great Britain goalkeeper Ian Scanlon did well to keep them at bay.  Following one such set piece, play switched quickly to the other end of the pitch where Ian’s brother Martin broke the deadlock in the 26th minute with a sweetly struck reverse stick finish.

However, a sequence of re-awarded penalty corners saw Malaysia draw level on 31 minutes when Muhamad Azammi Adabi slotted home.  Haruinder Makbul Singh doubled the Malaysian lead only a minute later following a defensive lapse in the GB defence to make it 2-1 at the interval.

The second half started with promise, however neither Kenny Bain nor Johnny Kinder could convert penalty corner opportunities which came their way and  having weathered the storm, the Malaysians regrouped and struck a third goal when Mohd Nor Hafiq Abdul Gaffar deflected home from their sixth penalty corner.  With Ross Stott receiving a yellow card on 54 minutes, things looked bad for Team GB.

However, the last ten minutes proved to be a telling time with GB coping better in the heat and rotating their players on pitch.  Firstly, Kenny Bain stepped up to score from the penalty spot on 65 minutes after a Malaysian infringement on the line, only for the Malaysians to extend their lead through Abdul Gaffar to 4-2 with only four minutes remaining.  With Bain now on a yellow card and GB again down to 10 players, they were handed a lifeline by captain Gordon McIntyre when he scored from a well worked penalty corner on 67 minutes.  With time running out, Lewis Prosser was the hero when he shot past the Malaysian keeper from the inside right channel at the top of the circle to make it 4-4 on the final whistle.

Post match, Head Coach Bobby Crutchley reflected, “This was a tough game in challenging conditions and against tenacious opposition.  The fact that we tried to do the right things for 70 minutes and kept playing until the final whistle ensured we can something in to Thursday’s game versus India.”

Crutchley continued, “It was a real mixed bag for us.  There were some spells of really good hockey, but too many bad spells too.  We turned the ball over too much and the Malaysians counter-attacked well.  What was pleasing was the physical conditioning of the guys which enabled them to come back and get their deserved reward with a goal in the last minute, despite the incredibly hot conditions.”

Captain McIntyre said, “It was a pretty emotional game because we shouldn’t have gone down that easily, we were the better team and we showed that by coming back and getting the draw.  Defensively we need to be a bit tighter and not give away so many corners.  The work rate was exceptional though, we ran them into the ground with only ten men at the end.”

Goal scoring hero Lewis Prosser said of the moment the ball hit the net, “I just concentrated on hitting the ball into the bottom corner.  I’m really proud to score my first goal for Great Britain, although I couldn’t breathe with everyone jumping on me to celebrate!”

Looking ahead to the rest of the competition Crutchley said, “We’ve got India next, they will be very well organised so it’ll be a tough game, but it’s a great challenge and we’re looking forward to it.”

GREAT BRITAIN YOUTH (M)     4 (1)

Martin Scanlon 26 (F)                
Kenny Bain 65 (PS)                  
Gordon McIntyre 67 (PC)                      
Lewis Prosser 70 (F)                 

MALAYSIA YOUTH (M)             4 (2)

Muhamad Azammi Ababi 31 (PC)                      
Haruinder Makbul Singh 32 (F)              
Mohd Nor Hafiq  Abdul Gaffar 52, 66 (PC, PC)  

SQUAD

Started

Ben Arnold (England & Beeston)
Kenny Bain (Scotland & Kelburne)
Nick Catlin (England & Loughborough Students)
David Condon (England & Loughborough Students)
Richie Dawson-Smith (England & Bowdon)
Marc Edwards (England & Loughborough Students)
Chris Gregg (England & Loughborough Students)
Johnny Kinder (England & Fareham)
Gordon McIntyre (Scotland & Kelburne)
Lewis Prosser (Wales & Team Bath Buccaneers)
Ian Scanlon (England & Hampstead & Westminster)

Substitutes Used

David Beckett (England & Loughborough Students)
Simon Faulkner (England & Loughborough Students)
Martin Scanlon (England & Loughborough Students)
Ross Stott (Scotland & Kelburne)
Henry Weir (England & Loughborough Students)

Great Britain Hockey media release

Late fightback denies Juniors

THE National Juniors were five seconds away from victory against Great Britain but a freak goal allowed their opponents to steal a point in a 4-4 draw on the opening day of the Australian Olympic Youth Festival hockey competition at the Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre yesterday.

The Juniors were in the driver's seat six minutes from time when they led 4-2 before the late fightback by Britain.

Mohd Hasami and Harvinder Singh gave them a 2-1 led at half-time before Mohd Nor Hafiq Hamid added the third and fourth, both off penalty corner set-pieces in the second half.

The Juniors, however, could not keep their lead and with six minutes to go, Britain pulled one back.

With just five seconds left on the clock, Britain earned a free hit outside the circle. Everyone in the circle missed the ball but fortunately for Britain it rebounded off the Malaysian post into Martin Scanlon path, who pushed the ball into an empty net.

Coach K. Rajan said his charges played their best match since he took charge last year.

"There is progress but my boys need to work on their focus and composure. My players cannot afford to let in goals in crucial stages of a match," said Rajan when contacted in Sydney yesterday.

"Anyway, it's good that I'm aware of this now as it will give me enough time to work on their weaknesses before the Junior World Cup."

The Juniors will take on favourites Australia today and Rajan believes victory is possible. Australia will be at full throttle after their shocking 2-1 loss to India yesterday.

New Straits Times

Blunders by defenders cost Malaysia victory against Britain

By AFTAR SINGH

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia had victory in their hands but two defensive errors allowed Britain to sneak off with a 4-4 draw in an Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) hockey tournament match in Sydney yesterday.

Malaysia led 2-1 in the first-half with goals by Mohd Azzami Adabi and Harvinder Singh.

Defender Mohd Nor Hafiq Abdul Gaffar scored two penalty corners goals in the second half to give Malaysia a 4-2 lead.

But England earned the draw with two goals in the last 10 minutes of the match.

National juniors coach K. Rajan said in a telephone interview yesterday that he was disappointed with the blunders made by the defenders in the second half.

“We paid the price for poor defending. I have to make some changes to the defence for our next match against Australia tomorrow (today),’’ he said.

However, Rajan said that he was satisfied with the performance of the forwards.

“The forwards played a fast attacking game and this is what I am expecting from them in the tournament. I hope the forwards will put up another good show against Australia,’’ he said.

Australia were beaten 1-2 by India in their opening match yesterday.

The national juniors are competing in the Under-20 tournament as part of their preparations for the Junior World Cup Finals, which will be co-hosted by Malaysia and Singapore from June 7-21.

The Star of Malaysia

Indian Jrs. beat World No.2 Australia

India Jr. beat World No. 2 Australia 2-1 in their opening fixture of the National Australian Youth Olympic Festival at the Olympic Center, Homebush, Sydney today. India who led 2-0 at half time scored the goals through right winger Mandip Antil (11th min.) and captain Diwakar Ram (25th min.). Australia reduced the margin from a penalty corner scored by Tristan White (66th min.).

India started strongly pressurizing the Australian defense and causing their rivals to commit unforced errors. The Indian mid-fielders and forwards moved in tandem and made incisive inroads into the Australian defensive areas.

Mandip Antil seized the opportunity in the 11th minute after being set up by Vivek in the central midfield to give India the lead. His crisp hit left the Australian goalkeeper dumbfounded. The Indian forwards and halves moving seamlessly together, the visitors earned their first penalty corner when a deliberate obstruction occurred in the Australian semi-circle.

India skipper Diwakar Ram made no mistake with a low drag flick to the left of the goalkeeper. Towards the end of the first session, Australia mounted sorties to reduce the margin. However, this was not to be despite three penalty corner attempts which were foiled by India.

Entering the second half with a two goal deficit, Australia endeavored to break the Indian defense but was challenged by the speed of the Indian forwards and midfielders who fell back in defense.

Australia reduced the margin late in the match when defender Tristan White scored off penalty corner in the 66th minute.

India had two more chances to increase their tally. Efforts by Mandip Antil, who shot to the goal keeper was followed by Diwakar Ram's drag flick, was off target.

India will play their next match against Great Britain tomorrow (Wednesday).

Press Release by Media, Adhoc Committee, IHF.

Stick2Hockey.com

LOCOG officially appoints Hockey Competition Manager

Sue Catton has been appointed as the London 2012 Organising Committee’s Competition Manager for Hockey and Wheelchair Rugby. She will be responsible for all the planning, organisation and management of the Hockey and Wheelchair Rugby events at the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Both sports will take place in the Olympic Park.

Commenting on her appointment, Sue said: “The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the pinnacle of every sports person’s career.  It’s no different for a sports event manager! I’m delighted to be taking up the role of Competition Manager for Hockey and Wheelchair Rugby.  To have the Games in your home country in a lifetime and to be given this opportunity is a real honour for me, particularly in sports that I’m passionate about. After nearly ten years of working to create and promote opportunities for disabled people to chose healthy lifestyles, being able to support the delivery of the Paralympic programme is the icing on the cake.”  

 “I would like to congratulate Sue with this appointment,” International Hockey Federation (FIH) President Leandro Negre said. “The FIH has great confidence in her and we are looking forward working with her in the coming years to make the Hockey tournament at the London Olympic Games a success. Sue was already present in Beijing to assist BOCOG’s competition manager Sun Chengmin in order to have a good transfer of knowledge. As former President of the European Hockey Federation, I have very good memories of Sue while she was working at the EuroNations Championships in England in 2007. We would like to wish her good luck with this appointment and a fruitful cooperation with the FIH.”

Sue’s key responsibilities include the overseeing of all aspects of the Hockey and Wheelchair Rugby events at the London Games and to be the focal point for liaison with the international sports federations.  She will ensure that the competition is organised in accordance with international federation regulations, the International Olympic Committee Charter and the Host City Contract. Sue will liaise with other functional areas to ensure the coordinated delivery of support services such as accreditation, venue operations, medical services and volunteers.

Last summer, she spent some time in Beijing watching Hockey and Wheelchair Rugby at the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to see what lessons could be learned.

Eron Main, IWAS Wheelchair Rugby Competitions Commissioner commented, “IWAS Wheelchair Rugby is pleased to congratulate Sue on her appointment and we look forward to working with her over the next four years as we prepare for the 2012 London Paralympic Games.  I enjoyed meeting with Sue during her visit to the Beijing Games, where we were able to establish a good working rapport that should provide a firm basis for a successful wheelchair rugby competition in London.”

Sue Catton has spent most of her working life in sports event and project management. A graduate from Loughborough University in PE and Sports Science, Sue is a company director and senior consultant with Montgomery Leisure Services (MLS), a Sheffield based sport and leisure consultancy. Through MLS, Sue is also the Director of the Inclusive Fitness Initiative. This is an innovative project that ensures that disabled people can access appropriate fitness equipment and services in their local community.   Sue is delighted that she can use this experience, alongside her event management background in a variety of other sports, in support of her combined role as Competition Manager for Wheelchair Rugby.

Since 2004, Sue has also been a Non-Executive Director of England Hockey.

Early in her career Sue was a senior member of the Sports Planning Team for the 1991 World Student Games in Sheffield with over 5,000 athletes, managing six sports, including hockey. Other roles have included Director of Sport for the World Corporate Games in London and Assistant Director for the World Masters Swimming Championships. She also coordinated the women’s hockey centenary celebrations in 1995 as well as organising the first series of international matches and events to be staged at the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes. More recently she was the Project Manager for the very successful EuroHockey Nations Championships in Manchester in 2007, the largest and highest profile Hockey event to be staged in the UK since the 1986 Hockey World Cup.  Sue will carry out the same role for the FIH Women’s Champions Trophy to be held in Nottingham in 2010, prior to taking up the Competition Managers position full time with LOCOG from July.

Sue still plays Hockey regularly for Sheffield Hallam’s Hockey Club. A former National League player with Doncaster, Sue also represented Yorkshire and the North and achieved an England U23 trial in her younger days. A ‘few’ years later, Sue finally made her international debut, this time at Lady Masters level, and is a member of the current England squad.

WorldHockey

Editorial note: The UK has hosted 3 more high profile hockey events other than the 2007 EuroNations Championships since 1986. The 1997 Men's Junior World Cup, Milton Keynes, the 2000 Women's Olympic Qualifier, Milton Keynes and the 2001 Men's World Cup Qualifier, Edinburgh. Being FIH level events they probably rank higher than an EHF level event.

Visa delay gives hockey team, coach the jitters

BANGALORE/NEW DELHI: The Indian hockey team got off to an embarrassing start in the new year, spending nail-biting moments before procuring visas to Argentina for a four-match test series. Sources also told TOI that the team went to the airport in auto-rickshaws from their Karol Bagh hotel, Paul’s Court, where they spent the past few days after a busy camp routine in Bhopal.

Tuesday’s incidents left the ad-hoc committee of the IOA, managing hockey affairs in the country, with egg on its face as coach in-charge Harendra Singh walked in to the airport lounge with the visas of the team just minutes before their departure. The delay in visas forced the team to miss its scheduled flight to Mumbai at 6pm. Their departure from Delhi had to be put off by over three hours, sources told TOI.

Hours earlier, the players were reportedly denied a team bus with the excuse that there was no parking space near the hotel. A member of the ad-hoc committee admitted that there was a delay in obtaining the visas for the tour, but claimed that the players were taken to the airport in a bus.

"The bylanes of Karol Bagh are narrow, so the bus had to be parked about 50 yards away from the hotel where the players were staying. They went to the airport in that bus," said Mohammad Aslam Khan. "As far as visas are concerned it’s the Argentina embassy which caused the delay. We had sent the requests in time."

The inexplicable delay in the appointment of a manager - Karnataka State Hockey Association secretary K Krishnamurthy was informed about his new role only last week - only added to the woes as he landed in New Delhi on Monday.

Obviously, that forced Harendra to double up as the manager for a brief while. That the coach was able to get the visas in time might have spared the ad-hoc committee the blushes but clearly, the body could have done with better planning. The team will reach Argentina on Thursday before taking on the hosts in test matches at Mar Del Plata on January 18, 19, 21 and 22.

The Times of India

Black Sticks Men accept invitation to exclusive Punjabi Gold Cup in India

Hockey New Zealand has accepted a late invitation for the Black Sticks Men to join Holland, Germany and India at the exclusive 4 Nations Punjabi Gold Cup – to be played from January 31st to February 9th in Chandigarh, India.

Accepting the invitation allows the Black Sticks to get a taste of playing in India – the venue for the 2010 World Cup and Commonwealth Games. With India already confirmed for a four test series against the Black Sticks in NZ in late February – it is also an opportunity to gauge the threat that a rebuilding Indian team will pose.

The 18 to play India in late February makes up the bulk of the touring side, however with Bryce Collins and Brad Shaw unavailable, North Harbour’s Priyesh Bhana and Wellington’s Blair Hilton will become Black Sticks for the first time. Bhana and Hilton will join David Green and Shay Neal (North Harbour) and Joel Baker (Wellington) as debutants on the tour. Bhana has been excelling in the Belgium club competition, while Hilton has been rewarded after his strong performances for the Junior Black Sticks in Australia last month.

Established Black Sticks Ryan Archibald, Blair Hopping, David Kosoof, Hayden Shaw, Ben Collier and Shay McAleese will miss the India tour – all six players had already been unavailable for the late February India test series.

In the absence of Archibald, Collier, McAleese and Collins – all inside forwards, Coach Shane McLeod will run Phil Burrows and Steve Edwards in the midfield. Richard Petherick and Andy Hayward will also get an opportunity to become a long term replacement drag flick option to Hayden Shaw.

McLeod is also keen to see some players who could form a key part of the 2010 team and then the 2012 Olympic team. The base of top players is becoming broader and the opportunity for these players to play Germany – the Beijing Gold Medalists and Holland – the world’s 3rd ranked team is great for the development of the players.

The 18 players to travel to India for the Punjabi Gold Cup are:

Kyle Pontifex, Wellington
Steven Graham, Midlands
Dean Couzins, Auckland
Richard Petherick, Midlands
Andy Hayward, Canterbury
David Green, North Harbour
Nick Haig, Canterbury
James Nation, Auckland
Casey Henwood, Midlands
Steve Edwards, North Harbour
Phil Burrows, Wellington
Blair Hilton, Wellington
Lloyd Stephenson, Midlands
Shay Neal, North Harbour
Joel Baker, Wellington
Nick Wilson, Central
Priyesh Bhana, North Harbour
Simon Child, Auckland

Coach: Shane McLeod
Asst Coach: Darren Smith
Manager: Tony Edwards
Physio: Peter Lee

Hockey New Zealand Media release

Soca stickmen dominate friendly

CLYDEEN McDONALD

T&T’s national hockey team secured a 5-1 victory over the visiting Ontario United in the first of five exhibition matches on Monday at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua. The national stickmen dominated the match from early with midfielder Wayne Legerton scoring the opening goal in the fifth minute by converting a penalty corner. T&T had to wait until the 24th minute to increase the lead through Mickell Pierre, who was allowed a clear shot on goal. T&T got its third item two minutes later when a quick pass allowed a ready Akim Toussaint to slot the ball pass United’s diving goalkeeper Shankar Premakanthan.

The soca stickmen closed the half with a three goal advantage. A determine Ontario United reduced the deficit soon after the halftime break when a penalty corner allowed forward Jonathan Roberts to place the ball into the top right hand corner away from T&T’s ‘keeper Andrey Rocke. Legerton would, however, add two more goals to his firsthalf strike before the final whistle to kill whatever chance the visitors had of staging a comeback.

Legerton’s second goal came off a penalty corner in the 59th minute, while his third came after he received a 50-metre scoop from national captain Kwandwane Browne in the 66th. T&T will play another exhibition match against the visitors today at 8.15 pm. The team is preparing for the World Cup qualifying tournament which will take place in Chile from March 5-15. Ontario United will also play two matches against the national under-18 development team.

Monday’s result:
T&T 5 (Wayne Legerton 5th, 59th, 66th; Mickell Pierre 24th; Akim Toussaint 26th) v Ontario United 1 (Jonathan Roberts 11th).

The Trinidad Guardian

Women pulled out of hockey tourney

by SHERRYLYN A. TOPPIN

A LACK OF FINANCES has forced the Barbados Hockey Federation (BHF) to withdraw the senior women's team from the 2009 Pan American Cup which will be held February 6 to 19 in Hamilton, Bermuda.

The notice first appeared on the Pan American Hockey website and was confirmed by BHF president George Bennett on Monday.

Bennett told NATIONSPORT the cost of the trip was in the region of $70 000 and $80 000 and they simply don't have the finances.

"It is just not quite possible for a small country like us to attend every single tournament. The finances certainly won't allow us to do it," Bennett said.

He also hinted at "a few other reasons" which he wouldn't disclose.

"The women have been making an effort [at their own fundraising], but you know how it is with corporate Barbados at this stage. People are very cautious," Bennett said.

"We are possibly going to be getting some money from the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) and the Sports Council but we haven't received that as yet. We have a couple major tournaments in the year, and at least one major tournament, that is the Caribbean tournament which we are going to have to utilise some funding for. We have to be careful how we operate in terms of disbursing the funds that we get and the number of tournaments that we can attend," he added.

Bennett said the BHF intended to send both men's and women's teams to the Caribbean tournament in Jamaica in June and estimated that it would cost in the region of $100 000 to $140 000 for airfare and an estimated further $40 000 for accommodation, meals, uniforms and miscellaneous expenses.

Forward planning

The president was also asked if enough forward planning was done for the event.

"We have been doing forward planning, but we just sent two junior teams overseas between September and October. It is all right to talk about forward planning, but it is difficult to raise $250 000 to $300 000 in the space of two or three years, having also to finance our domestic season and pay a light bill an average of $4 000 a month," Bennett said.

"People ask questions about good preparation and all that, but at the end of the day it is about getting money to go to the tournament. You can't just walk and pick up funds and send teams overseas. It is not easy.

"We are the only federation that has a facility where we don't receive substantial funding from the Government. We get a subsistence from the BOA to help out with our domestic season. Outside of that we depend on registration fees and small donations. We have a turf that costs a lot of money to operate during the year."

Bennett said they rented out the turf during the year and also held bingo to supplement their income, but it was difficult to have a major fund-raiser which would bring in the type of money they needed.

The men's team are also scheduled to take part in the Cup from March 5 to 15 in Santiago, Chile, and Bennett said a decision would be made on their participation "in a few weeks".

The Nation

One-Hockey - a Midlands success story

One-hockey is the brain child of Simon Lee, the young coach  who set the company up in January 2008 with the thoughts of creating a large coaching name.

As the year continued one-hockey picked up many different coaching contracts and the list now includes Warwick University, Rugby School, and England Hockey JRPC to name but a few.

With the successes of the company and the tie that has now been put in place with a number of independent schools one-hockey is set to prosper in 2009 with new contracts at King High School for girls in Warwick the latest acquisition, with the possibility of working with new coaches over the coming months also the opportunities to assist and observe with GK coaching at England Hockey NAG sessions including U16 and U18.

One-hockey would like to take this opportunity to thank all those that have supported the new business including Chloe Rogers (England and GB) and Kerry Williams (England and GB), all those at England Hockey and the Midlands Regional Hockey Association for their continued support. Also to Fieldhockey.com for assistance with advertising and marketing of the new company to allow it to compete on a now global market.

Please visit our site at http://www.one-hockey.com for more information about us

One-Hockey media release