By Ben & Rich Spackman
England, featuring Holcombe players Ollie Payne, Rohan Bhuhi and Matt Ramshaw, won one, drew one and lost two of their latest FIH Pro League fixtures in India, against the hosts and Spain.
Men’s 1s Head Coach and Director of Hockey Kwan Browne also acted as assistant coach to interim head coach Zak Jones during the trip.
The fixtures begun with a double header against Spain; match one was a tough 2-2 draw.
Despite being in a 2-0 lead with goals from Jacob Payton and former Holc Sam Ward, Spain forced the draw with two goals in the last quarter.
In the shootout that pursued, it was Surbiton goalkeeper James Mazarelo who was the class act saving all five efforts from the Spanish team.
It was Payton again who scored to give England the bonus point.
In match two against the Spanish team, it was a different affair as England suffered a 4-1 defeat with all three Holcs involved.
Ramshaw scored the consolation goal, taking his tally to three goals in 11 caps.
Match three was against the hosts India – Ramshaw and Bhuhi retained their places in the match day squad with Payne an unused substitute.
England took the lead in quarter one with a well worked goal from Jacob Payton – Holcombe’s Bhuhi played the ball down the line, allowing Payton to drive along the baseline and drill the ball under the Indian keeper at his near post.
In the second quarter, the hosts equalised after initial good England play as Abhishek slid the ball under an advancing Mazarelo scoring his 32nd goal.
Shortly after, England restored their advantage with Payton and Ward ripping through the Indian defence, taking Ward’s goal count to 10 this season and 139 goals for England and Great Britain, cementing him as the record joint goalscorer for the two sides as he moved past Ashley Jackson.
After more English pressure and with a minute left of the quarter, England got their third goal, again coming from a clinical strike from Ward.
India pulled a goal back after some dominant play in the English circle – Mazarelo was finally beaten after a string of excellent saves including a double save from close in.
Despite relentless pressure in final quarter and a late Indian referral for a penalty corner in the dying seconds, England managed to hold on to the win and leapfrog Belgium into top spot in the FIH Pro League standings on goal difference.
The final game of this Indian adventure was again against the hosts.
Payne resumed goalkeeping duties with Bhuhi also in the squad – Ramshaw was rested for this game.
The first quarter ebbed and flowed with England producing the only shot on target – a well-hit strike from Henry Croft was saved comfortably.
The second quarter saw India take the lead through a short corner strike from Harmanpreet that beat Payne for pace.
England won their own penalty corner in the dying seconds of the quarter and after a referral, the umpires concluded that Payton had been impeded at the set piece.
From the resultant penalty stroke, Surbiton’s Conor Williamson converted making the half time score 1-1.
From a dominant start to the second half, India were awarded a penalty corner which was blocked well by Nick Park but resulted in a re-award.
From the ensuing short corner, Harmanpreet restored the Indian lead with a rocket that rifled into the top corner.
India held on to win 2-1 despite late England pressure, meaning that at their own halfway mark, England remain top of the Pro League standings – ahead of Belgium on goal difference.
Hosts of this leg, India, are one point back in third.
The next leg for England will be in June for their home fixtures against Germany and the Netherlands at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre.
We look forward to welcoming Kwan, Rohan, Ollie and Matt back to Holcombe as they resume Phase Two of the Premier Division next weekend.
Image: England Hockey