Goalkeeper Beth Storry is heroine
31st August 2010CHINA 0 (0)
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ENGLAND 1 (1)
Hannah Macleod 2 (PC)
Reading goalkeeper Beth Storry was England’s heroine as she pulled off a string of stunning world class saves to keep out China as England won their second match of the BDO FIH World Cup 1-0.
Leicester’s Hannah Macleod gave England the lead in the second minute of the match, diving in bravely to knock home at a penalty corner but it was Storry’s second half display and that of her defence that won the match as China threw everything at England in search of an equaliser.
Head Coach Danny Kerry later called his goalkeeper’s performance “outstanding” as England made their best start to a World Cup since 1990, when they went on to finish fourth.
In drizzling conditions and under grey skies in Rosario, England and China met competitively for the 15th time. Their head-to-head record going into the match read five Chinese wins, five draws and four English wins, the latest coming in the 2-1 victory in the Champions Trophy in Nottingham in July.
Laura Unsworth recovered from an injury sustained in the final minute of England’s opening day victory over Spain to take her place in England’s starting line up while her Leicester club mate Katie Long also started after sitting out Sunday’s opener.
On Sunday, a slow start cost England a goal against Spain but in complete contrast, England began brightly against China with Hannah Macleod giving her side the lead after just two minutes. It was Macleod who won the first penalty corner of the match after just 20 seconds and the Leicester forward dived in bravely to knock home from close range as England adapted well to a bobble on the injection.
Macleod was involved with England’s next move as she set up Katie Long but her shot from an acute angle was charged down by Li Dongxiao.
At the other end, England’s Reading goalkeeper Beth Storry produced a stick save to her right to keep out Zhao Yudiao’s effort from the top of the circle but that was the extent of her early involvement in the match with England enjoying the best of possession.
In the eighth minute, Slough’s 22 year old forward Nicola White won England’s second penalty corner but the low direct effort from Crista Cullen was kept out by the goalkeeper.
As the half progressed, China began to find their feet. Following the return of Song Quingling after a green card, the Olympic silver medal winners called on Beth Storry to make four saves in quick succession. The first, from the returning Song, was a comfortable clearance through the top of the circle and the experienced goalkeeper followed up two minutes later, sticking out her right foot to clear Ma Yibo’s penalty corner. China won another penalty corner moments later but again Storry was on hand to block low and then recover to save China’s second phase effort, knocking the ball around her right post.
With just under ten first half minutes remaining, England were handed a double boost when China’s Sun Sinan was shown a green card and then captain Fu Baorong saw yellow but the numerical disparity was soon resolved when England captain Kate Walsh was shown a green card and Sun returned after two minutes.
While Walsh served her suspension China’s Ma Wei had a half chance with a reverse stick shot from the top of the circle but her effort flew high over Storry’s crossbar and England’s lead remained intact at the break.
England found themselves under pressure right from the start of the second half. The diving Ren Ye failed to connect with Ma Yibo’s low pass to the back post at a 38th minute penalty corner and two minutes later there were English hearts in mouths when the ball was swept clear from the goal line. Driving along the baseline from the left, Ren squeezed the ball through Beth Storry on the near post but Canterbury defender Natalie Seymour reacted quickly to clear the ball from line.
Storry’s heroics began in earnest in the 44th minute when she reacted instinctively to thrust out her right foot and save from Fu Baorong, who shot on the turn from close range. And a minute later Storry collapsed well to get everything behind Ma Yibo’s direct penalty corner from the top of the circle.
It was one-way traffic towards the English goal as China continued to press for an equaliser and Storry again showed her credentials with a string of saves, including another from a penalty corner.
In the 52nd minute Storry dived to keep out Zhao Yudiao with a Chinese forward waiting to pounce but the best was yet to come. A minute later, everyone in the stadium was on their feet to applaud a superb triple save by the goalkeeper, who at 32 years old is the oldest member of England’s World Cup squad.
On the hour mark and against the run of play, England pair Alex Danson and Hannah Macleod forced China goalkeeper Li Dongxiao into a brace of close range saves. In the move, Leicester’s Chloe Rogers won England a penalty corner; their first of the half. Crista Cullen’s first effort was saved by Li but her clearance hit a teammate’s foot, giving Cullen another opportunity. Cullen’s follow up was again on target but Li saved to her right, knocking the ball wide of the post.
China continued to press England, whose defence stood resolute, making a series of well timed tackles on the 23 metre line.
With two minutes remaining, Clifton’s Charlotte Craddock and Reading’s Alex Danson combined high in Chinese territory, holding up possession well as the clock ticked towards zero. In her frustration, Ma Yibo conceded a penalty corner for a foul on Hannah Macleod but China scrambled the second phase clear after Li had saved Cullen’s first shot.
England made a last second appeal to the video umpire for what they believed might have been the ball hitting the body of a Chinese defender in front of goal but the ball had hit the hand holding the stick and with that the umpire called time.
England’s players immediately went to Storry to congratulate her on a match winning performance with Head Coach Danny Kerry admitting afterwards, “We won the game in the first half. Beth was outstanding! China threw the kitchen sink at us in the second half and we’ll have to learn to be more resolute in those situations in the future.”
The result, England’s second consecutive win at the 2010 World Cup, is England’s best start to a World Cup since 1990. In Sydney 20 years ago, England went on to finish fourth, their best World Cup finish.
England’s next match is against Korea on Thursday 2 September at 21:00 BST.
ENGLAND SQUAD v CHINA
Started
Beth Storry (Reading) [GK]
Crista Cullen (Leicester) [Def]
Natalie Seymour (Canterbury) [Def]
Laura Unsworth (Leicester) [Def]
Kate Walsh (c) (Reading) [Def]
Ashleigh Ball (Slough) [Mid]
Susie Gilbert (University of Birmingham) [Mid]
Helen Richardson (Reading) [Mid]
Hannah Macleod (Leicester) [Fwd]
Katie Long (Leicester) [Fwd]
Charlotte Craddock (Clifton) [Fwd]
Substitutes Used
Sally Walton (Bowdon Hightown) [Def/Fwd]
Chloe Rogers (Leicester) [Mid]
Kerry Williams (Leicester) [Mid/Fwd]
Nicola White (Slough) [Fwd]
Alex Danson (Reading) [Fwd]
Did Not Play
Gemma Ible (Clifton) [GK]
Georgie Twigg (Clifton) [Mid]