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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”.

Like me on a walk through the Yorkshire Dales, Liverpool players management and fans alike are struggling to get over Rob Styles penalty decision yesterday.

He judged that Steve Finnan had fouled Florent Malouda when the replay clearly showed if anything Malouda had jumped into Finnan.  The result cost Liverpool 2 points, incensed Liverpool and got Styles ”rested” from this weekend’s fixtures, and probably from ever visiting Anfield again.

He compounded his error (perhaps because he realised from the reaction of the Liverpool players that he had dropped a clanger and the pressure was getting to him), by appearing to card Essien for a second time and not sending him off.  The official story is that he still had the yellow card in his hand after awarding it to John Terry, and so when he put his arm in the air for a free kick it appeared he was awarding a card to Essien.  Certainly Essien was convinced he had been given it - thankfully though his coach new exactly what was going on of course.

I would like to see the incident again, but from my recollection he gave JT the card, put it back in his pocket then took it out again when Essien refused to back off from the kick.  he looked at his card then put it back in his pocket - did he see that he had already booked Essien and bottle it?  Maybe, just maybe.

Either way the players only have themselves to blame really.  They are constantly chipping away at the referee and trying to con him by diving, so inevitably they will have their confidence eroded and make the odd mistake.  Styles was not the only one to get it wrong this weekend.

Ian Gosling the assistant referee in the Fulham Middlesborough match disallowed a David Healy goal when it was clearly over the line.  He too will be rested on Saturday.

Then there is the Portsmouth Bolton game, which has predictably received little coverage.  Steve Tanner barely got a major decision right.  First up he disallowed a Kanu goal, for a foul when the replay showed at worse was a 50/50 challenge, then when Hreidarsson floored Anelka to gain possession he waved play on and Pompey went on to equalise from the move.

The decisive penalty award could have gone either way, but even as a Pompey fan the way Kanu arched his back and threw himself forward was embarrassing, and might have not only gone against him but could have also got him carded.  This goes back to my earlier point - the players don’t help themselves in the long run, and no doubt Kanu will be subject to a decsion that unfairly goes against him later in the season, having neatly forgotten about this one.

So what’s the solution?  The players need to take a long hard look at themselves and clean up their act - this should be driven  by the managers and coaches with severe fines for persistant play actors.  Secondly is the old chestnut of video technology.  Even the stuffed shirts of Wimbledon have embraced it this year so why not FIFA when there is so much money at stake?

The hawkeye technology could be implemented immediately and would probably only need to be used a couple of times a season.  Then each team should be given a number of challenges each match (as with the tennis).  The fourth official could make a decision quickly and the CORRECT punishment handed out, instead of the lottery we have at the moment.  If the technology is used then the players would stop the acting for fear of being found on the spot and the referee’s job would become easier.

I spent a lovely weekend away deep in the Yorkshire Dales and away from all things technological such as mobile phones, the internet and even newspapers.  Needless to say Radio 5 Live was out of the question as well.  This was all very restful (apart from a hike up a hill or two) and the company and beer/wine were excellent, but his all meant that not only did I need to wait until Sunday afternoon for the football results but also for the status of the golf.

Before I went away I was tempted by a flutter on the golf hedging my bets and going each way on Graham Storm and struggling to decide between Retief Goosen and Ernie Els.  A couple of reasons for this.  First up I felt it just might have been the year of the first timer with the other 3 majors all going to first time winners, and secondly that in temperatures of over 100 degrees somebody used to that sort of heat might come through it - somebody from South Africa for example.  Then with Goosen having had the slightly better round and having won in Tulsa before I thought he might at least get placed.  Imagine my joy then to see on Sunday afternoon that not only had Pompey managed to draw against relegation hopefuls Derby, but Goosen and Storm had both dropped way down the field.

I was then tempted to throw good money after bad by backing Els who was still in the running at least to get placed.  Only the bookies wouldnt accept an each way bet at that point so it was all or nothing with odds of 40-1.  I procrastinated as the odds dropped to 33-1 and then took the plunge.  A clever move by the bookies really - make all the other contenders really long odds and Woods 1-40 in the hope that mugs like yours truely wood think it worth a flutter.

It so nearly worked though.  Ernie off to a flyer and Woods uncharacteristically looking nervous and uncomfortable in the heat.  But no sooner had Woods dropped a shot he bounced back while Ernie missed a couple of golden chances to birdie so it still looked unlikely. 

Then in the closing holes Woody Austin (who? I hear you ask), found his touch and started knocking in birdies from all over and chipping in to save parr.  Els started to go backwards and I knew I had taken a sucker bet, but I was hopeful that Austin would provide some excitement and break Woods strangle hold on the sport.  But it was not to be.  Love him or hate him, Woods has nerves of steel and the skill to back them up - I think the only pressure he really felt was the pressure he put on himself, not only to chase down Jack Nicklaus’s record but also in maintaining his amazing statistic off never having lost when taking a lead into the final day.  To know how difficult that is you only need to look at Sergio Garcia, who blew up in his final round at the Open. 

So Woods fought off the unlikely challenge of Austin as well as Els and made it lucky number 13 and has now won a major in 3 consecutive seasons - it would be a brave man to bet against him making the magic 19 and beating Nicklaus’s record, especially as so many players seem to beat themselves when facing him - Stephen Ames could probably right a book on that subject having been soundly thrased all 7 times he has played with the Master.

Current F1 champ Fernando Alonso’s relationship with young pretender Lewis Hamilton hit an all time low during the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend.

Their relationship has been strained all season with Hamilton putting the temperamental Spaniard under pressure with a series of 9 straight podium places.  However, it plunged to new depths when Alonso delayed exiting the pits on Saturday and by doing so denied Hamilton a chance to complete a final flying lap.

Alonso was subsequently shunted down 5 places on the grid to 6th finishing 4th, while Hamilton clocked up his third victory, increasing his lead to 7 points.

It now appears that the two are not talking - or at least Alonso is not talking to Hamilton, who says he has tried to make amends but will not go out of his way to speak to his team mate.

If they don’t sort their differences soon then Ron Davis may be forced to act.  Alonso’s petulance also cost McClaren constructors points this weekend and he won’t allow it to continue.

Whatever happens, you can bank on the fact that come the end of the season Davis will have to choose between his two stars and my money is that he will keep Hamilton having backed him with money and time since he was 10. 

Whether or not Alonso is right in his assertion earlier in the season that Hamilton is getting preferential treatment remains to be seen (although my belief is that he has been rattled by the fact that Hamilton is proving to be the better driver in an identical car).  Frankly I don’t care if Hamilton is receiving preferential treatment or not, as long as by the end of the season we have a British F1 Champion again!