Hockey: Victory over Poles gives England hope

ENGLAND'S men collected their first points in the World Cup in Utrecht yesterday with a workmanlike 5-2 win against Poland which keeps alive their hopes of playing off in the 5th/8th bracket and qualifying for a place in the next Cup.

With the captain, Bill Waugh, missing from the starting line-up with a hamstring injury, a hesitant England defence conceded an eighth-minute penalty corner from which Zbigniew Juszczak got a touch to Karol Podzorski's stinging drive.

It was not until the 20th minute that England got on terms when Jason Lee followed up Ben Sharpe's shot. Three minutes later the acting captain, Russell Garcia, put England ahead at a penalty corner. Second-half penalty corner goals from Jon Wyatt, Mark Pearn and Calum Giles built up a 5-1 lead before the Poles pulled a second back.

The disappointing form of England's women continued when they lost 3- 2 to South Korea. Not even two deflection goals from Purdey Miller could save England's blushes and now only a win against New Zealand in their last game tomorrow morning can save them from having to play off for the 9th/12th places.

Yesterday, they took the lead in the seventh minute, a free hit from the edge of the circle by Kirsty Bowden being deflected goalward by Miller. The Koreans bounced back and raced to a 3-1 lead. Seventeen minutes into the half Lucilla Wright's shot was deflected into the net by Miller at a penalty corner.

ENGLAND MEN: S Mason (Reading); B Garrard (Teddington), J Wyatt (Reading), J Halls (HDM), A Humphrey (Cannock); R Garcia (HDM, capt), J Pidcock (Cannock), N Thompson (Old Loughtonians); D Woods (Southgate), M Pearn (Reading), J Lee (Old Loughtonians). Substitutes used: C Giles (Southgate ), B Sharpe (Cannock), J Wallis (Teddington).

ENGLAND WOMEN: C Reid (Hightown); J Empson (Canterbury), K Brown (Slough), M Clewlow ( Canterbury), J Mould (Leicester); L Wright (Olton), K Bowden (Leicester, capt), K Moore (Olton); J Sixsmith (Sutton Coldfield), P Miller (Leicester), S Blanks (Leicester), Substitutes used: J Smith ( Slough), L Copeland (Slough), J Bimson (Loughborough Students), F Greenham (Olton).