Hockey: England loss sours Garcia's record

Netherlands 3 England

RUSSELL GARCIA celebrated a record 150th England cap here last night with England's first goal and Calum Giles got his customary penalty corner conversion, but it was not enough to give England their first victory over the Dutch since a 2-1 win in 1990.

England started brightly and three times Brett Garrard overlapped down the right to set up good chances which went astray. But 22 minutes into the game Bram Lomans put the Dutch ahead from a penalty corner.

England continued to set up chances but goals from Remco van Wijk and Teun de Nooijer put the Dutch completely in control. With Garcia and Mark Pearn creating the openings England drove back to force their first penalty corners of the game, from which Garcia and Giles scored to set up a tense finale. Their chances for a deserved equaliser came with just two minutes remaining - this time Giles failed. The teams meet against tomorrow.

The game was also a farewell to the legendary Dutch coach, Roelant Oltmans, who was presented with the Olympic Order of Merit.

Netherlands: G Vogels: B Lomans; S van der Weide, E Jazet, P Windt; J Delmee, S Veen Capt., J Brinkman; J Derk Buma, T de Nooijer, T van Meer. Substitutes used. P Geeris.

England: D Luckes (East Grinstead); B Garrard (Teddington), J Wyatt (Reading), T Bertram ( Bournville), B Waugh Capt. (Southgate); D Woods (Southgate), M Johnson (Cannock), R Garcia ( Harvestehuder); S Head (East Grinstead), D Hall (Guildford), M Pearn (Reading). Substitutes used: C Giles (Southgate), B Crutchley (Cannock), J Wallis (Teddington) & A Humphrey (Cannock).