Hockey: Brown collects award of champions

KAREN BROWN, the world's most capped hockey player, was yesterday honoured at the Sports Writers' Association's annual awards function at the Cafe Royal, London, when she became the second recipient of the UK Sport Champion of Champions Award, following in the footsteps of Sally Gunnell, the first winner.

The 36-year-old announced her retirement after leading England to a bronze medal in last summer's European Nations Cup in Cologne, capping a record 355 international appearances that included three Olympics, with a bronze medal at Barcelona in 1992.

In addition to her international achievements she has won every domestic club honour with Slough. Brown came briefly out of retirement in October to captain a World XI against Australia in Alexandria for the 75th anniversary celebrations of the International Hockey Federation.

Hampton in Arden, who produced the shock of the fifth round of the EHA Women's Cup, knocking out the Premier League leaders, Hightown, have been drawn away to Chelmsford in the quarter-finals. At least one First Division side will go through to the semi-finals - Loughborough Students are to entertain Wimbledon.

Danny Holmes hit his second successive hat-trick for Beckenham in their 3-1 win away at Old Cranleighans, to hold their four-point lead at the top of the South Premier ahead of Purley Walcountians. Purley, with Nick Hayes scoring four, thrashed Winchester 9-2 and have now scored 50 goals in 11 games.