Hockey: New law suits Waugh

England U21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

USA U21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

IN AN exciting game of hockey played in torrential rain at Bisham Abbey yesterday, England Under- 21 held on to win the first of their two-Test series with the Americans.

With both sides preparing for their qualifying tournaments for the next Junior World Cup to be played in Terrassa, Spain, next summer, the game was played to the new rules, to be introduced immediately after the Olympics. In addition to the unlimited use of rolling substitutes, the new penalty- corner rule - the ball having to be stopped outside the circle before a strike at goal - proved interesting.

Indeed, when the English captain, Bill Waugh, scored from their first penalty-corner in the fourth minute - the ball being stopped by Guy Gisborne and then rolled into the circle - and repeated the act again in the 19th minute, it looked as if England were heading for a big score. Their midfield, with Gisborne and Duncan Woods prominent, was dominating the game.

But the Americans, who at the weekend drew a three-match series with Scotland - winning a game each with one drawn, ended the half by forcing three penalty- corners in quick succession. The first, a cracking shot from Steve Danielson, hit the bottom of the goal post, appeared to hit an English foot and was scrambled away. The second, Danielson drove into the net to bring the Americans back into the game and the third went wide.

Sheer persistence by Jonathan Couves, six minutes into the second half, increased England's lead as the hard-working centre forward brought a good initial save out of 17-year-old American goalkeeper Steve Cathey and picked up the rebound to score.

After Danielson scored his second for the Americans, he was on hand at the other end to take the ball off the line from John Bell after Cathey had been beaten. He was, however, unable to deny England a fourth goal, in a five-man move which saw Couves finally sending Stuart Avery in for the kill. The game ended with a brilliant solo goal from American winger Otto Stefers. The teams meet again today.

ENGLAND U21: J Lewis (Havant); W Waugh (capt, Southgate), M Tubb (Trojans), B Cope (St Albans), L Allen (Cannock), R Howlett (Harleston Magpies), G Gisborne (Southgate), D Woods (St Albans), J Bell (Formby), A Philpot (Old Loughtonians), S Avery (Havant). Substitutes: J Couves (East Grinstead), G Fordham (Hounslow), B Sharpe (Cannock).

USA U21: S Cathey; S Danielson, C Kane, S Williams, J Horrocks, G Lloyd (capt), G Horrocks, L Amar, O Stefers, P Lewis, G Reed. Substitutes: T Trickle, B Schledorn, Binh Hoang.

Umpires: T Tipton (US), H Jamson (Eng).

(Photograph omitted)