Two wins for GB teams

Credit: GB Hockey

Two wins for GB teams


Great Britain 2 - New Zealand 0

Griffiths (6', FG)
Forsyth (54', FG)


Great Britain's men reached the Grand Final of the first ever FIH Pro League on an historic afternoon at the Twickenham Stoop.

Needing a win to finish in the top four, Danny Kerry's side found the net early through Chris Griffiths and could have scored more in the first half, but then sealed all three points thanks to Alan Forsyth in the dying moments.

It was a convincing win for the home side, and in front of a fantastic crowd Kerry's team showed verve, invention but also defensive resilience when they needed to.

The FIH Pro League has been a hugely positive platform for the men, and they now face Australia on Friday night in their semi final in Amsterdam. They go into that match with a spring in their step and most of all optimism about the journey they are currently on.

Indeed the sport itself is also on a very positive curve, as shown by this game in front of the biggest hockey crowd in this nation since the London 2012 Olympics.

Danny Kerry's side will face Australia in the semi final in Amsterdam at 4:15pm UK time on Friday. The other semi final is between Netherlands and Belgium, with the third/fourth and final matches on Sunday at 1:30pm and 4pm respectively.

Great Britain: Gibson (GK), Pinner (GK), Hoare, Ames, Sloan, Waller, Dixon (c), Creed, Gall, Sorsby, Grassick, Jackson, Griffiths, Smith, Martin, Wallace, Roper, Forsyth

WOMEN END ON A HIGH WITH 3-1 WIN

Great Britain 3 - New Zealand 1

Martin (23', FG)
Owsley (34', FG), (42', PC)
Merry (44', FG)

Britain's women ended their FIH Pro League campaign on a real high with a super 3-1 win at home to New Zealand.

Lily Owsley scored twice and set up Hannah Martin as Mark Hager's side put in their best performance of the season in front of more than 11,500 people at the Twickenham Stoop.

Both on and off the pitch it was a hugely memorable day for the sport, with a young group of British women performing well on home soil in front of the biggest home hockey crowd the nation has seen since the London 2012 Olympics.

Head coach Mark Hager will have been very pleased with his side's display as they earned a second home win in the competition. They have shown good progress under his stewardship and this result will only have strengthened the collective belief amongst the group.

Great Britain: Hinch (GK), Unsworth, Toman, Ansley, Pearne-Webb (c), Costello, Balsdon, Jones, Neal, Robertson, Townsend, Hunter, Martin, Burge, Howard, Owsley, Petter

Unused: Heesh (GK)