ENGLAND v NEW ZEALAND HOCKEY at the COMMONWEALTH GAMES GLASGOW

I went to the Hockey segment at the new National Hockey Centre at Glasgow Green not even knowing who was playing.The happened to be England v New Zealand with the winner getting to avoid a certain knock-out in the semi-finals against the rampant Australians , as dominant in hockey as the Germans are at football.

In the first half New Zealand played a deep pressing game at around their own halfway line , in hockey , unlike football, having most players in the midfield area means it is easy for the defence to bypass the hectic midfield and find the forwards by playing aerial or into the wings.The English defence passed the ball around themselves laterally without challenge and found the wingers who with a mixture of skill and guile managed to penetrate deep into the New Zealand defence , in saying that they only got a couple of close calls on goal in a goalless first half.

In the second half New Zealand got their tactics right , pressed high up the English defenders who then began to give the ball away allowing New Zealand to get quality possession in the vital last third.Soon the tone of the match changed and English resorted to a very rough and ungainly physical game with the player Jackson being a particularly vicious cad.New Zealand got a deserved goal from a penalty stroke.

Alas , the New Zealanders again pressed too deep allowing England to equalise.After that the momentum was with the English who had many chances to seal the game.Eventually the New Zealand team recovered their equanimity and got a late penalty corner winner.

This report from The Telegraph gives a fair reflection of a pulsating , highly intriguing game.