England Women's Euro Hockey Qualifier Updates

With a full-strength squad out following the Commonwealth Games, England have a high-scoring game 15-0 victory over Croatia. With many penalty corners and field goals throughout the game, the England side is looking strong to play their fellow home nation team, Wales.

After only 5 minutes England scored their first goal, from Hannah Martin deflecting off Anna Toman’s slap shot at a penalty corner.  Another penalty corner goal followed with Grace Balsdon drag flicking into the top left-hand corner before Tess Howard made it 3-0 from open play.  Hannah Martin got her second after 14 minutes, this time turning in a cross from Fiona Crackles from close range.  Right at the end of the quarter, England made it five with Giselle Ansley’s straight strike at goal from a penalty corner. 

The second quarter saw England with most of the possession, with Sophie Hamilton tapping in a rebound off the keeper after a penalty corner, Giselle Ansley scoring a straight strike from a penalty corner and Martin scored a third goal of the game, making her first half hattrick by a reverse stick into the top left corner, making the score at half time 8-0.

With a strong lead heading into the third quarter and with no signs of slowing down, England score five goals from Ellie Rayer x2 , Izzy Petter, Hannah Martin, Lily Owsley, within the first seven minutes. Then there is some breaks from Croatia out of their own half and the Croatian goalkeeper, Nicole Stepic, makes an amazing stick save against Grace Balsdon’s high drag flick. But England score their final goal of the quarter with Tess Howard firing the ball in from the left.

In the final quarter, Ellie Rayer just misses the left-hand post after a reverse strike, and Hannah Martin’s attempt from a corner goes wide. However, Anna Toman’s strike from the top of the D in a penalty corner heads straight past the keeper and into the bottom left corner, making the final score 15 – 0 to England.

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Grace Balsdon broke the deadlock with a penalty stroke six minutes before the break and the advantage was doubled by Tess Howard in the third quarter.

Hannah Martin, who scored four times in Thursday’s 15-0 win over Croatia, continued her rich vein of form by adding a third late on to leave David Ralph’s side knowing that avoiding defeat against Slovakia on Sunday will secure their place in Monchengladbach.

Balsdon came close from the game’s first penalty corner but saw her effort beaten away by Ella Jackson, who later kept out Howard and Lily Owsley either side of the buzzer.

Jackson was beaten by Balsdon from a 23rd-minute penalty corner but had Joanne Westwood in place to clear off the line as Wales continued to hold firm.

But England’s pressure told when Balsdon converted a penalty stroke after Owsley’s diving effort had been blocked en route to goal by a Welsh foot, the defender picking out the bottom right-hand corner to give Jackson no chance.

Martin and Owsley’s neat combinations were causing the Wales defence problems and the former’s cross-shot just evaded Ellie Rayer at the back post as England pushed for a second before half-time, Giselle Ansley also seeing a shot blocked from a penalty corner.

The second half began as the first had ended, with England dominating possession, and they opened up a two-goal cushion in the 42nd minute through a player back on familiar territory.

Howard, a Durham University graduate, seized on a loose pass out of defence to surge into the circle and beat Jackson with a fierce strike on the reverse.

Maddie Hinch was enjoying another quiet afternoon but was alert when called upon just before the end of the third quarter, sticking out a leg to deny Xenna Hughes from Wales’ first penalty corner of the game.

England was soon back on the attack during the final quarter and earned a string of penalty corners, Anna Toman coming closest with a shot which was scrambled away by the Welsh defence.

But a third goal did arrive three minutes from full time, Martin turning home Holly Hunt’s shot after strong work by Sophie Hamilton down the right.

England 11 - 0 Slovakia

England emphatically secured qualification for next year’s EuroHockey Championship with a 11-0 win over Slovakia at Durham University. 

A draw would have been enough but nine different goalscorers netted five in the first half and six in the second for a thumping victory. 

It was a perfect end to a golden summer for the Commonwealth champions, who took the eighth and final place at the 2023 showpiece in Monchengladbach. 

The hosts poured forward from the first whistle with Lily Owsley firing across the face of goal and Howard narrowly unable to apply the finishing touch.

The forward grabbed her third goal of the tournament moments later when Anna Toman’s penalty corner proved too hot to handle and she poked home the loose ball. 

England had a host of chances but were met by goalkeeping brilliance from Daniela Sutovska, who denied Grace Balsdon’s drag flick and then Ellie Rayer at the far post. 

Sutovska wasn’t shy to come off her line and smother attacks but could do nothing about England’s second, as Hannah Martin pulled back for Flora Peel to double the lead.

England took control in the second quarter with three goals inside four minutes.

Owsley finished off a perfect training-ground corner routine for a third and within a minute Sophie Hamilton unleashed a powerful strike to further extend the lead.

England cemented their dominance with a superbly-taken fifth as Martin laid her stick low and deflected Toman’s penalty corner past Sutovska.

Slovakia conceded a penalty stroke when Barbora Pucherova brought down Holly Hunt but Grace Balsdon struck the right-hand post with her effort from the spot.

The same attacking purpose that characterised the first half was present from the start of the second and Rayer stabbed in the rebound to continue the scoring.

Balsdon wasn’t to be denied as within a minute she ripped a drag flick into the net and Crackles soon made it eight with an emphatic finish after great work from Rayer.

England continued to chase goals in the final quarter as Hamilton added her second on 49 minutes.

Skipper Hollie Pearne-Webb got in on the act as she crashed home a penalty corner with four minutes to play, a somewhat fitting end to an unforgettable summer of hockey. 

Wales finished second in the EuroHockey Championship Qualifier A standings with Slovakia third and Croatia fourth. 

England join hosts Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Ireland and Scotland at next year's event.