lookupsport

Yes 3-0.  Not 2-1.  As most sports fans in the country were watching England put up a spirited but ultimately doomed performance against the old enemy at Wembley, I and a couple of friends were watching the England hockey team fail to make any kind of an impression against the Germans in Manchester. 

Despite the best attempts of the MC and the usual stirring patriotic songs, (Rule Britannia, Jerusalem) the fans never really made the “12th man” as they were implored to do and if anything all the rebel rousing seemed to do was make the English players nervous and inspire the Germans.

England looked nervous at the back from the off, and went a goal behind after 3 minutes when the Germans stole in behind the English defence and Matthias Witthaus struck home.  For the first 15 minutes, England continued to struggle and Germany looked by far the stronger team, and were kept out mostly thanks to some fine goal keeping from James Fair.

England got better but failed to make any impression, running into a brick wall of German defenders whenever they got into the “D”.  Then a  minute before half time the English defence was undone again when Witthaus picked up an aerial ball and slotted home for his second.

England came out fighting second half but went further behind when Niklas Meinert converted a bullet of a penalty corner.  The English boys rallied briefly though and finally won their first penalty corner, but failed to stop it cleanly although managed to hit a foot to give themselves another chance.  This time they hit the onrushing defender and had a third attempt which again wasn’t controlled properly, although they given a fourth and final chance.  This time they created an opening but missed the goal  - net result a penalty corner routine that Harrogate 5th Team Ladies would have been embarrassed by. 

Unfortunately (or fortunately) they were the only penalty corners won and the game really fizzled out, except for a flurry of yellow cards in the last 15 minutes (2 German and one Engish).  All in all a bit of a damp squib.

The good news though was that as we trudged away in the twilight to the car, the MC, not to be defeated proudly screamed that England were 1-0 up in the football thanks to a Frank Lampard goal.  At least that was something to cheer us all up….

The English performance aside though did not detract from a good afternoon of hockey and a little lesson in the use of the reverse stick hit, which has completely changed the face of the game and which I must go away and practice.  It might not be too late to teach an old dog new tricks, but I still think those boys should get their feet round and  do it “properly”.