Commonwealth Games Pool A England 5 Wales 1 England maintained their 100 percent record against Wales at Commonwealth Games. England also won all four pool matches for the first Commonwealth Games tournament. This earned them a semi-final against Pool B runners up, New Zealand, Friday evening (6:15 or 8.15 pm).

Wales was fourth in Pool A. South Africa will be facing Wales in the 7th/8th Place classification match on Friday at 11.15 am.

BIRMINGHAM – Commonwealth Games 2022 20 England v Wales (Pool A) Picture: Lily Owsley (L) and Isabelle Howell COPYRIGHT WORLDSPORTPICS FRANK UIJLENBROEK BIRMINGHAM – Commonwealth Games 2022 20 England v Wales (Pool A) Picture: Tessa Howard celebrates 3-0. COPYRIGHT WORLDSPORTPICS FRANK UIJLENBROEK BIRMINGHAM – Commonwealth Games 2022 20 England v Wales (Pool A) Picture: Leah Wilkinson (C) and Holly Hunt COPYRIGHT WORLDSPORTPICS ADY KERRY Leah Wilkinson captained Wales on her 200th combined appearance, winning her 179th Welsh cap, but England were just too good and clinical with their Penalty Corner routine.

England was forced to take a penalty corner within 20 seconds. Hollie Pearne Webb, Anna Toman, and Hollie Toman both saw their shots blocked. Amy Burton had a great chance to put Wales ahead in the seventh minute but the ball went over the bar to England’s relief. England’s discipline let them down slightly in the first quarter as both Laura Unsworth and Flora Peel were given two minute suspensions.

Grace Balsdon had a shot blocked from England’s second penalty corner and Hannah Martin tested Welsh goalkeeper Rose Thomas before the first fifteen minutes ended goalless.

Wales were unfortunate to fall behind in the 18th minute, conceding a penalty stroke after Beth Bingham was hit in the face whilst bravely blocking Ellie Rayer’s shot directly in front of goal. After Bingham received treatment, Balsdon duly dispatched the ball to the Thomas’s right to open the scoring.

Wales continued to defend, blocking Anna Toman’s shot from England’s third penalty corner and also denying Tess Howard. Giselle Ansley saw her penalty corner shot block in the 22nd minute.

Maddie Hinch, England goalkeeper saved Sophie Robinson’s shot two minutes later. Thomas had Lily Owsley’s shot saved by Thomas. Martin doubled the English lead when he slipped the ball in the right post, giving the hosts a 2-0 halftime lead.

Any hopes of a second half Welsh comeback were quickly dispelled as Balsdon clinically converted England’s fifth penalty corner in the 34th minute. Two minutes later, England didn’t really help themselves as Owsley saw yellow and spent the next five minutes on the naughty step. In spite of the one player advantage, Wales had to defend as Martin and Shona McCallin both had shots blocked and Ansley fired over the crossbar from England’s sixth penalty corner.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, both teams made changes to their goalkeepers. Ella Jackson was replaced by Thomas and Sabbie Heesh took over for Hinch. Ansley converted England’s seventh penalty corner in the 54th minute and after Wales lost their right to a video referral challenging the award of England’s eighth set-piece in the 58th minute, Balsdon completed her hat-trick from the ninth, immediately awarded after Balsdon’s shot was blocked from the eighth.

Wales conceded five goals in the second tournament, after having lost 5-1 to the Gold Coast in 2018.

England enters their semi final hoping to improve upon their record against New Zealand. England beat New Zealand 1-0 in their 1998 Commonwealth Games match. They have never lost to them since.

The teams drew 2-2 in Manchester in 2002, before New Zealand ended England’s unbeaten pool record in Melbourne in 2006, with an emphatic 4-0 win, however England won the bronze medals after a goalless draw.

New Zealand won 4-1 in Delhi in 2010. However, they lost in Glasgow in the semi-finals in 2014. It was New Zealand’s turn to reach the final in 2018 after a goalless draw in normal time.

New Zealand won the last meeting between the teams at the Women’s World Cup in Amstelveen, winning 3-1 in Pool B, Lily Owsley putting England ahead only for a brace from Katie Doar and a third goal from Tarryn Davey to clinch the win and ensure New Zealand won the pool.

England: Scorers: Grace Balsdon 18-PS, 34-PC, 58-PC; Hannah Martin 28-F, Giselle Ansley 54-PC.

Starters: Maddie Hinch (GK); Laura Unsworth, Anna Toman, Hannah Martin, Ellie Rayer, Izzy Petter, Giselle Ansley, Hollie Pearne-Webb (Capt.Flora Peel, Lily Owsley, Fiona Crackles

Subs: Grace Balsdon (3mins), Holly Hunt (4 mins), Holly Hunt (4 mins), Tess Howard (4/4), Sophie Hamilton (5/5), Shona Mcallin (5) and Sabbieheesh(GK) (46).

Cards: Green – Laura Unsworth (4 mins), Flora Peel (12 mins). Yellow: Lily Owsley (36 minutes).

Wales: Starters: Rose Thomas (GK); Sophie Robinson, Sian French, Sarah Jones, Eloise Laity, Beth Bingham, Leah Wilkinson (Capt.), Isabelle Howell, Xenna Hughes, Hannah Cozens, Jo Westwood.

Subs: Isobel webb (5 mins), Olivia Hoskins (6 mins), Amy Burton (6) and Millie Holme (7/7, Holly Munro (8/8, Ella Jackson (GK). (46).

Rebecca Daniel

Cards

Binish Hayat, Pakistan (South Africa), and Wanri venter, South Africa (Pakistan).

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