Great Britain: Clear victory for Britain
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| Great Britain |
February 19, 2004
Telegraph.co.uk, UK
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By Claire Middleton
Great Britain beat Russia 4-0 at Bisham Abbey yesterday in a contest they controlled, but they took time before finishing off their opponents.
Having won Wednesday's training game 9-1, Britain might have expected a larger margin of victory, but although they peppered the Russian goal in the first half, the visitors proved combative after the break and never threw in the towel.
Mel Clewlow, from a corner, Helen Grant, netting from a corner deflection and later with a neat finish, and Linda Clement, who dived on to a marvellous cross, got the goals in what was a useful work-out before the Olympic qualifying tournament in New Zealand next month.
They can expect more of the same - doughty defending and a few scares on the break - from Ireland and Ukraine, who are in their pool with Germany and hosts New Zealand in Auckland.
The GB coach Mike Gilbert said: "We set an objective of 4-0, bearing in mind that the Russians would up their game in a proper Test match rather than a training contest.
"We are still trying to win more corners and get outcomes in the circle, but there was more spark than there had been in the tournament in Athens and that has to be pleasing."
Canada beat Greece 3-1 to win their men's three-match play-off series 2-0. The result means the Greeks are out of this year's Olympics and that seven places for Athens will be up for grabs at the qualifying tournament in Madrid next week, where Great Britain face Holland, Spain, South Africa, Poland and Japan in their pool.
There is still debate as to whether the Greece women will satisfy their play-off criteria as the best-of-three play-off against Russia approaches, supposedly scheduled before the qualifying tournament in Auckland.
Loughborough Students are hoping to put the men's indoor game back on the map when they host the European Club Challenge, starting today.
The Challenge is the third tier of this competition, and Loughborough will be aiming for promotion, having retained their domestic crown earlier this month, to secure the rights to represent England in Europe again next year.
A personal blow for Jerome Goudie, who missed out on selection for Britain's Olympic qualifiers in Spain, is at least good news for his club, for he will be available for Loughborough this weekend.
Their first match is against Irish champions Avoca and, while Welsh representatives Swansea Bay are also in their pool, their main opposition is likely to come from the Eastern European contenders in the other section.
With Loughborough busy and postponing their National League Premier Division game with leaders Cannock, Reading can go top of the table if they beat St Albans by three goals on Sunday.
EUROPEAN CLUB CHALLENGE (Loughborough).-Pool A: Kolos Vinnitsa (Ukaine,) HK Lek Lipovi (Slovenia) HT 85 (Finland) Penevezys (Lithuania).
Pool B: Loughborough Students, SK Senkvice (Slovakia), Avoca (Ireland), Swansea Bay (Wales).
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