England drub Pakistan 5-2 to close in on semi-final berth

NEW DELHI - England played a disciplined game to continue their relentless march towards the semi-final berth Thursday with a 5-2 triumph over Pakistan, who now look perilously close to be fighting for lower places in the Hockey World Cup here.

Jonty Clarke (21st minute, 62nd) and skipper Barry Middleton (53rd, 64th) struck a brace each, while Ashley Jackson (32nd) chipped in with a solitary strike in the Pool B match which was exciting but marred by frayed tempers on both sides.

Down 0-2 at the breather, Pakistan played blitz hockey for the first 12 minutes of the second session to restore parity as Shakeel Abbasi (45th) and Rehan Butt (47th) scored within a space of two minutes at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

However, James Tindall was seen lying injured when Pakistan scored the second goal, which was finally awarded despite a referral by England.

As the on-field action was halted for the referral and subsequent treatment of Tindall, the reserve benches of the two sides almost came to blows. The tempers flew sporadically for the rest of the match and Pakistan’s Muhammad Irfan had to digest a blow from Iain Mackay.

The 47th-minute stoppage and on-field disturbances destroyed Pakistan’s rhythm and helped England regroup as the European champions slammed three more goals to take their points tally to nine from three straight wins. Pakistan, on the other hand, have only three points with one victory and two defeats.

Mathematically, Pakistan still have a slim chance of making it to the semi-finals provided they win their remaining two ties opposite Australia and South Africa. But even then their fortunes will heavily hinge on the results of other matches in the Pool.

The match saw an England domination in the first half, as their seasoned midfielder Ben Hawes covered a vast ground to play the role of the creative fulcrum in the moves.

England put the ball into the Pakistan goal as early as the fourth minute with Iain Mackay hammering a high ball from a Hawes cross but the strike was disallowed following the upholding of a referral sought by the Pakistanis and Mackay was pulled up for dangerous play.

England drew first blood as Clarke made a spectacular dive to direct a James Tindall cross into the goal, and the lead was doubled with Jackson guiding a cross from Middleton onto the target.

Pakistan seemed more purposeful in the second session, as they carried out waves of attacks into the rival half.

The four-time champions got two fruitless penalty corners and Muhammad Rashid’s effort was saved by England goalkeeper James Fair, before Abbasi wove magic with deft stickwork to cut through a sloppy rival defence and pushed in for the reducer. Butt then scored following a penalty corner as the half-filled stands rooted for Pakistan.

However, following the interruptions England again seized the initiative and Middleton put his team ahead.

Pakistan tried to up the ante but a Jonty Clarke strike seemed to end their resistance.

Five minutes before the end, Middleton deflected into the net a cross from Clarke and it was party time for England.