English youngsters win medals in the Four-Nations Tournament: Hockey Recap
Despite losing several games, the English Boys' Under-18 and 16 squads displayed impressive shows and managed medals in the Four-Nations Tournament held at Lilleshall.
The Boys’ squad of Under-16 showed impressive game against Netherlands and defeated them in the play-off game. They came from behind and won a bronze medal in the tournament. The squad defeated the Netherlands by a single goal, 2-1. The English boys took
avenge of their last defeat in the hands of Netherlands in the last group's clash.
The English Boys started the game quite maturely and fought against the Dutch side with an impressive game plan. The English defensemen denied several efforts from Dutch team and kept them off the score-board in most part of the game. Bram Van Groesen scored
first goal of the day and put the Dutch side ahead on the scoreboard. However, the strikers from English side were not sitting silently and watching the game go by. The lead could not last for long, as Tom Alsop scored a tying goal in the 22nd minute of the
game. He managed to take the ball at top of the circle and stuck a reverse shot which moved exactly into the goal-post. The two sides took a one-all score with them to the sidelines at the half-time.
The Dutch side earned a couple of penalty-corners in the second half of play, but to no avail. James Gall in the last quarter of the game held the ball under his possession and scored a go-ahead goal for English side. With the final whistle of the time-completion,
the English Boys’ Under-16 Team won the game by a single goal and earned a bronze medal.
The Boys' Under-18 Team though performed brilliantly in the finals of the Four-Nations Tournament, but they lost the game by two goals. The hat-trick from Luke Taylor could not save the English side from a humiliating defeat.
England, the undefeated squad of the tournament, started the game in a disciplined way, but failed to maintain their momentum. The Scots did not allow them to make a comeback into the game.
Milan Van Baal of Scotland was in his best form, who scored four goals respectively, in the 7th, 11th, 51st and 63rd minutes. Roderic Schwirtz and Haje Meijer added one goal each in the 20th and 67th minutes of the game and made the victory possible.
From the other side, Ben Mackey connected on a penalty-corner in the 1st minute of the game, while Luke Taylor added three points respectively in the 25th, 56th and 70th minutes. The English boys failed to reduce the wide difference and lost the game by
6-2. Despite losing the game, the English side managed a silver medal in the tournament.
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