Hockey: Australia unbeaten

England. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

TWO goals by Australia in the opening eight minutes at Lilleshall yesterday destroyed England's chances of preventing the tourists from completing their eight-match European series unbeaten.

England's women wasted the first of their 10 penalty corners in the third minute and were caught on the break when Rechelle Hawkes crossed from the right for Jackie Pereira to score. Then Tammy Ghisalberti put the Australians further ahead from a penalty corner.

England dominated midfield, with Tammy Miller on as substitute, but failed to take their chances.

Lisa Powell broke down the right to give 17-year-old Nikki Mott a last-minute goal for Australia.

A disappointed England coach, Sue Slocome, said: 'Australia gave us food for thought but we have come a long way since we lost to them in Argentina last March.'

ENGLAND: C Reid (Hightown); J Atkins (Bradford Swithenbank); L Youngs (Ipswich), H Whalley (First Personnel Sutton Coldfield), K Johnson (Balsam Leicester); S Lister (Ipswich, capt), M Davies (First Personnel Sutton Coldfield), S Gibson (Trojans), C Cook (Hightown); T Cullen (Hightown), J Smith (Chelmsford). Substitutes used: T Miller (Clifton), A Bennett (Slough), S Wright (Slough), J Sixsmith (First Personnel Sutton Coldfield).

AUSTRALIA: J Sowry; T Ghisalberti, J Morris; J Haslam, K Starre, N Peris; R Farrell, A Annan, J Pereira, R Hawkes Capt., L Powell. Substitutes used: C Mitchell-Taverner, A Peek, S Carbon, N Nikki, C Maitland.

Umpires: M Woolley (Australia) and J Nockolds (England).