Federation finds no evidence of `fix'

The international federation's disciplinary committee meeting in Brussels over the weekend has concluded that in the absence of concrete facts they were unable to find that the result of the game between India and Malaysia in the Olympic qualifier in Barcelona in January had been "fixed". The game finished goalless, earning Malaysia the point they needed to take the last place in Atlanta at the expense of Canada.

Judy McCrae, president of Canada's federation, said she was still not convinced that the match had not been pre-arranged.

The Indian and Malaysian federations said they would not file defamation suits against Canadian officials who had claimed that six Indian players accepted money during or after the match.

Bob Crutchley's touch, a goal one minute after the interval, was enough to give Cannock a 1-0 win over last year's champions Teddington and to take them back to the top of the First Division of the National League as the overnight leaders Southgate could only manage a 1-1 draw at Canterbury. Southgate led through a John Shaw goal just before the interval but Canterbury's Paul Surridge equalised with a penalty corner conversion in the 45th minute.

At East Grinstead, Reading were leading 2-1 when both Scott Ashdown and Mark Hoskin were temporarily suspended. Grinstead went into a 3-2 lead only to lose 4-3 with Paddy Osborn's last-minute penalty stroke.

Dharminder Singh scored three times as Barford Tigers beat Gymkhana 4-2 and edged them nearer relegation. As a result of the weekend's games four of the six relegation slots were decided - Bournville, Stourport, St Albans and Hull going down.

At the bottom of the Second Division relegation looms for Richmond who, despite acquiring the services of Sean Kerly, were on Saturday beaten 2-1 by Edgbaston.