Hockey: Crutchley hat-trick

Bobby Crutchley, with his seventh hat-trick of the season, helped Cannock shrug off the handicap of conceding two goals in the opening nine minutes to beat Southgate 4-2 and open up a five-point gap at the top of the Premier Division. Reading overcame spirited opposition from relegation-doomed Havant to win 5-3 and go into second place.

Denise Marston-Smith scored all five goals for England in their 5-3 win against Belarus to take the bronze medal in the European Under-21 Indoor championship in Ceske Budejovice, the Czech Republic, yesterday after they had disappointingly been beaten 5-2 by Spain in their semi-final on Saturday. The Czech Republic, beating Spain 7-5 in the final, won their first ever European title in any competition.

Tony White, the former international umpire and administrator nominated to lead the Men and Women's associations when they become the new English Hockey Association in June, died on Saturday in hospital at the age of 64 following a heart attack.