Hockey: Hall's assault on India

England overcame strong Indian resistance with a splendid team effort to win their crucial fourth game 3-2 in the World Cup here yesterday to maintain their hopes of securing a semi-final place.

Guildford's Danny Hall led an all-out assault in the opening minutes for England, creating a string of chances, and it was fitting that it was he who opened the scoring in the 11th minute from England's first penalty corner on the slip.

The half ended with England on the attack with James Wallis's snap-shot going over the crossbar and a penalty corner from Tom Bertram suffering the same fate. India returned to the attack and drew level 11 minutes into the second half, Dilip Tirkey converting a penalty corner.

Within 14 seconds of the restart England had regained the lead. Hall, taking advantage of a defensive mistake at the top of the circle, lashed the ball past the Indian goalkeeper.

The game was by no means over when Tom Bertram put England further ahead in the 53rd minute. Three minutes later India reduced the lead through their captain, Baljit Dhillon Singh, from another penalty corner to set up a tense and exciting closing 14 minutes.

A capacity 17,000 crowd is expected this evening for England's encounter with Malaysia, despite the hosts' 3-2 defeat to South Korea.

ENGLAND: S Mason (Reading); B Garrard (Surbiton), J Wyatt (Reading), T Bertram (Reading), C Parnham (Cannock, capt); J Goudie (Loughborough Students), M Johnson (Cannock), G Fordham (Guildford); J Wallis (Surbiton); D Hall (Guildford), M Pearn (Reading). Substitutes used: B Sharpe (Cannock), B Waugh (Surbiton), D Mathews (Canterbury), M Jones (Cannock), A Humphrey (Cannock), R Todd (Reading).

INDIA: J Menezes; D Tirkey, Kanwalpreet Singh; I Tirkey, Baljit Singh, T Selvarj, A Halappa; D Pillay, Daljit Singh, D Thakur, Baljit Dhillon Capt. Substitutes used: Prabjot Singh, Jugraj Singh, S Varkey, Sukbir Gill, L Barga, B Fernandex.

Umpires: S Deo (Sp), C McMurray (SA).