Hockey: Accurate McGuire corners students

Hockey Association XI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Universities' Athletic Union XI. . . . . . . . . . . .2

PHILLIP McGUIRE, with three well-taken penalty-corner conversions, gave a strong Hockey Association XI victory in their annual fixture against the Universities' Athletic Union at Milton Keynes yesterday in a match which, given the talent on view, might have been classed as an England trial.

With the HA side taking a little time to strike up a pattern of play, the students drew first blood after nine minutes when Nick Conway's pass from the goal-line was fired into the roof of the net from the edge of the circle by Owen Jones.

When the HA got into their stride, Cannock's Kalbir Takhar and Chris Mayer created havoc and the students' defence was forced to concede a series of penalty- corners. With McGuire scoring at their second, third and fifth attempts, the HA built-up a 3-1 lead.

The half-time substitution of Bournville's Ben Davies, who had a fine game against the PizzaExpress First Division leaders Hounslow last Sunday, for Simon Mason in the students' goal steadied the defence so that the HA, despite continuing to win penalty-corners, were unable to add to their score.

After 17 minutes of the second half, Jones, who had scored the first goal, returned the compliment by laying on a precise pass for the hardworking Conway to net the second. There were further chances at both ends and, at the end, Davies made a superb save from HA winger Paul Sheardown.

HOCKEY ASSOCIATION: J Barrow (Hounslow); M Kirkland (Slough, capt), R Crutchley (Hounslow), A Humphrey (Welton), K Takhar (Cannock), A Degun (Barford Tigers), P Sheardown (Welton), J Pidcock (Cannock), D Betts (Harborne), P McGuire (Teddington), C Mayer (Cannock).

UNIVERSITIES' ATHLETIC UNION: S Mason (Leeds); B Waugh (Birmingham, capt), Z Jones (Loughborough), P Gorman (Durham), M Sutton (Birmingham), O Jones (Loughborough), D Main (Durham), N Conway (Birmingham), M Smith (Kent), C Keevil (Bath) C Bloor (Birmingham). Substitutes: B Davies, M Bloxham (both Loughborough).

Umpires: R Flood & M Yorke (MCHUA).

Scotland lost 2-0 to Malaysia in Cairo yesterday in the first of their three qualifying games for the Intercontinental Cup next August.