Report and photography from John Coxon
Following a fairly tame 1-1 draw on Saturday in the first test at Nottingham’s Highfield Sports Centre Danny Kerry’s rebuilt squad went on to win the series with a more convincing 3-1 score line yesterday. In the Saturday game deadlock was broken early in the second half with Raquel Huertas scoring with a free hit capitalising on a moment of lax defensive play. Newcomer, Leicester’s Katie Long, playing in this her 5th international, levelled the score six minutes later with a fierce shot courtesy of Alex Danson (Klein Zwitserland) splitting the Spanish defence , passing to Hightown’s Jo Ellis who squared the ball to Long. The goal lifted England and thereafter they were the dominant team and yet failed to capitalise.
On another gloriously sunny day at Highfield’s it was a Sunday match of two halves with the England women dominant in the first but looking somewhat jaded in the second through, perhaps, a combination of the pace of the game in the first half and the heat. They had coped well with early pressure from the Spanish. On fifteen minutes Spain won the first of their eleven short corners but Captain, Beth Storry (SCHC), got down low to her right and saved. A few minutes later, Helen Richardson (Den Bosch) was able to control Rebecca Herbert’s (Kampong) cross and, at point blank range, scored past Maria Lopez Equilaz. That inspired the England squad who began to dominate even though the Spanish were awarded two more shorts in succession. They were denied by an on form Storry who saved one fierce shot blasted at her by Maria Romagosa, again dropping low to her right. Chloe Strong (Pinoke) increased the score on 25 minutes with a low hard hit short corner shot, her first international goal in only her sixth international appearance. England continued to dominate but despite the promise, failed to score with Maria Lopez Equilaz denying both Kerry Williams (Leicester) and Alex Danson with some fine keeping.
England weathered a series of well taken set pieces in the second half but it was a short for England that provided the third goal. Alex Danson pushed the ball into the D and Chloe Strong hit a fierce strike that was saved well by the Spanish goalie but Danson had run in and reacted first to the lose ball which she pushed into an open goal.
On the 56th minute Gloria Comerma scored a soft consolation goal from a penalty corner. Spain raised their game against a tiring England looking to make a late comeback but two more fine saves from Storry and a woeful miss from captain Nuria Camon’s on an open goal secured an England victory in the series.
More photographs from the game at johncoxon.com
