CHAMPIONS TROPHY ENGLAND WIN

  Kate Walsh led her team to victory today in episode one of an Ashes double header against Australia's "Hockeyroos" as England ran out 3-2 victors in the final Pool D match of the Champions Trophy.

Adding to Walsh’s opener, a first goal for Leicester’s Anne Panter since her two and half year injury nightmare and a third from Slough’s Nicola White led England to claim all three points but it is Sunday’s fifth place playoff that really matters now.

Germany’s earlier defeat of China meant that both England and Australia knew that whatever the outcome they will face each other again in less than 48 hours to do battle for a place in next year’s Champions Trophy. And afterwards, Head Coach Danny Kerry said, "We went into the match with a couple of plans depending on what happened in the previous game. Having seen the result we adjusted accordingly.

"We played alright at times but we still gave the ball away a bit too often. Laura Unsworth played well at full back and it was good to see she can play in a variety of positions."

Goalkeeper Beth Storry (Above) and defender Crista Cullen were rested for the match with Leicester’s Maddie Hinch and Reading’s Sam Quek stepping into the starting XI.

Crista Cullen

The fact that both teams had already qualified for the fifth place playoff made for an open first half in which opportunities came at both ends before an exciting final two minutes that saw an Australian goal disallowed and England subsequently take the lead.

Maddie Hinch was tested early as she was called upon to make penalty corner save low to her right while Kate Walsh flicked a penalty corner just inches wide at the other end.

Midway through the half Ashleigh Ball served a two minute suspension for a green card and with the midfielder off England conceded two penalty corners, the first of which hit Danson on the foot with the second going well wide. In the 22nd minute, Sam Quek came to Hinch’s rescue as she cleared a goal bound Australian shot after the goalkeeper had been chipped coming out to block.

Australia began to enjoy a period of sustained possession inside the England half and it looked as if it had paid off when the ball ended up in the English net shortly before half time. England’s Helen Richardson immediately appealed to the video umpire, citing that in the build up to the goal Emily Hurtz had kicked the ball. The umpires had allowed play to continue with Hurtz’ pass deflected high across goal to the back post where it was batted into the net. Although the video umpire was uncertain of the foot, Lisa Roach told her colleague to disallow the goal on the grounds that the shot had been taken above shoulder height and it remained 0-0.

Soon after, at the other end, Richardson was again involved in a video appeal as England took the lead from a penalty corner. Australia’s Madonna Blyth appealed against the decision to award the corner, which Richardson had won, but the decision stood and Kate Walsh scored her 30th goal for England to make it 1-0.

England found themselves on the back foot as the second half began with Hinch blocking well from Casey Eastham’s shot on the turn before Australia levelled. Hinch did well to block Jade Warrender’s swept effort with her legs but the ball rebounded to Jade Close. Close failed to connect with her initial shot but had the time to take a second, which she lashed into the far side of the net to make it 1-1.

A minute later though there was an emotional moment for England’s Anne Panter as she put her side back in front. The Leicester midfielder’s low reverse stick strike from the centre of the circle was her first goal for her country since returning to the side after two and half years out with a career-threatening injury. And having regained the lead, England began to dictate play as Danson, Hannah Macleod and Rebecca Herbert all found themselves thwarted by Australian goalkeeper Toni Cronk; the latter a wonderful save with her stick high to her right

With ten minutes remaining, Slough’s 23 year old forward Nicola White ( pictured above ) looked as if she had made sure of the result with a simple back post deflection from Alex Danson’s passing shot but there was still time for Marnie Hudson to pull one back for the Kookaburras. Hudson reacted quickly to a Hinch save to give the Australians a glimmer of hope but England kept their cool to see out the final minutes and take all three points to top Pool D going into the playoff on Sunday.

That match will determine which of the two sides will qualify for the 2012 Champions Trophy and gets underway at 10:30am BST

Substitutes Used
Ashleigh Ball (Slough) Midfield; Alex Danson (Reading) Forward; Anne Panter (Leicester) Midfield; Nicola White (Slough) Forward; Kerry Williams (Leicester) Forward

Did Not Play
Beth Storry (Reading) Goalkeeper; Crista Cullen (Leicester) Defender