England bounce back with win over Olympic champions Germany

MELBOURNE, December 2 - England shrugged off the disappointment of Saturday’s loss to India with a 4-1 victory over Olympic champions Germany at the Champions Trophy in Melbourne on Sunday. England Assistant Coach Bobby Crutchley described the outcome as “just desserts for sticking rigidly to a game plan.”

England took their chances and were never behind in the match which was littered with cards, including four greens, four yellows and a red card for Germany’s Niklas Grell.    

Beeston pair Adam Dixon and Harry Martin gave England the early impetus with two goals in the opening ten minutes. Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles’ Richard Smith was unlucky to see the ball bounce off his stick and into his net to give Germany a goal back soon after.

Smith’s misfortune was cancelled out at the other end shortly before half time when Loughborough Students’ Henry Weir forced Mats Grambusch into scoring an own goal. 

Leading 3-1 at the break, England defended well in the early stages of the second half before Grell’s red card, shown by Australian umpire David Gentles for two yellow card offences, barging English players.

England worked hard to extend the lead and a powerful surge from Dixon down the right set up Reading’s Darren Cheesman to sweep home in front of the near post to score his first goal for England nine minutes from full time.

Assistant coach Bobby Crutchley said: “We got our just deserts for sticking rigidly to a game plan. Whilst the Germans always looked dangerous going forward I thought our defensive unit was excellent. We took our chances today and that made all the difference.”

England had never before beaten Germany at the Champions Trophy and indeed had only recorded three wins in their previous 20 attempts to defeat the Germans, a run stretching back six years. 

England now play New Zealand at 2.30am (UK time) on Tuesday December 4.

Other results (02.12.12): Belgium 0 Pakistan 2, Netherlands 0 Australia 0, New Zealand 2 India 4.