A double from Matt Daly, Barry Middleton’s 25th goal for England and Ashley Jackson’s well placed penalty corner inside ten minutes helped England to a comfortable 4-0 victory over France in the second game of a two match series at Bisham Abbey. It was England’s 39th victory over the French in 46 competitive matches between the sides.
Having put eight past France on Wednesday evening, England looked to continue where they left off as Jackson narrowly missed with a penalty corner effort after just three minutes and James Tindall saw his shot saved Henri-Julien Lhomme moments later.
Under a spell of pressure France conceded a second penalty corner in the ninth minute which HGC’s Jackson placed accurately high into the right corner of the net; precision rather than power making the difference.
Simon Mantell was unfortunate a minute later when his close range effort was deflected over the bar by the French goalkeeper who knew little about the save.
At the other end Christoph Amend on the baseline did well to set up Martin Genestet in the middle of the circle. His sweeping shot tested James Fair but his dive to his left enabled him to successfully tip the ball away.
Halfway through the half Alistair Wilson spent some enforced time on the sidelines after a heavy stick challenge saw him shown a yellow card but England survived the ten man period.
Fair was again called upon in the 30th minute but captain Matthieu Durchon’s effort was straight at the Cannock goalkeeper who saved well and minutes later England had their second goal when Matt Daly, who scored a hat-trick on Wednesday, converted a penalty corner effort inside the right hand post.
France created the best opportunities of the early second period when firstly, Tom Genestet’s cross from the left was met by the sliding Thomas Gourdin at the back post but James Fair did superbly with his sprawling save before Durchon’s powerful ball through the English circle flashed past his onrushing French colleague.
England’s third goal when it came was well finished by Barry Middleton but only after James Tindall had done the hard work in midfield. Great close control from the Surbiton man allowed him to escape the simultaneous attention of four French players before playing a pass into the path of Middleton who entered the circle and dispatched the ball low into the bottom left corner for 3-0.
Like teammate Wilson in the first half, Ashley Jackson found himself sitting out a spell after picking up a yellow card, giving England what Head Coach Jason Lee later called “valuable experience of playing with ten men.”
At 3-0 up England were cruising and their fourth goal, Daly’s second, came about as a result of quality, quick passing as Rob Moore played a pass forward to Adam Dixon who found Jonty Clarke on the right baseline and his cross to the back post was finished off by Daly.
France won their only penalty corner of the match with 12 minutes remaining but Nicolas Monnier’s shot went wide of the left post and late on Daly could have been celebrating another hat-trick but for Henri-Julien Lhomme’s save from Daly’s reverse stick shot on an acute angle.
Afterwards Jason Lee was happy with the outcome and the performance. “It was a useful exercise,” he said. “France played better today than the other night so it was a good realistic test for us ahead of the EuroHockey Nations Championships. I thought we actually played better today than on Wednesday too. A number of the players are playing well at the moment although at times you could see them protecting themselves from injury at this late stage.”
England-France 4:0 (2:0)
Goals England: Ashley Jackson 9 (PC), Matt Daly 33, 55 (PC, F), Barry Middleton 46 (F)
Source: England Hockey
