Captain Alex Danson declared herself to be “proud of her team” despite England slipping to a semi-final defeat at the hands of the Netherlands at the Rabobank EuroHockey Championships.

A goal from Dutch Skipper Marloes Keetels was enough to settle a high-quality match which England dominated for spells in front of a packed house in Amsterdam. Continue reading →

England go into their semi-final clash with the Netherlands taking on not only the 11 on the field but with almost the whole of the 10,000-strong crowd willing them to lose. Not that defender Michael Hoare will notice once the game starts:

“Personally, once I start playing I don’t notice the crowd. You hear big loud cheers but once I’m in the game I’m in my own little bubble. I’m just playing against my opponent and with the team. I might feel different tomorrow but I think I’ll be OK.” Continue reading →

Goals from David Goodfield and Sam Ward handed England a vital 2-1 win over Ireland and sent them into the semi-finals of the Rabobank EuroHockey Championships. Afterwards goalkeeper George Pinner revealed the extra motivation that had caused his team to get over the line: Continue reading →

And so, it came to pass, with almost an air of inevitability England vs the Netherlands is on for the Rabobank EuroHockey Championships in Amsterdam.

After England ended Scotland’s stubborn resistance and the Oranje destroyed the Czech Republic 10-0, the seventh biggest win in the tournament history, a repeat of the 2013 semi-final and the 2015 final is now upon us. Continue reading →