England 2 v Korea 1

We Won, We won, We Won. What a great feeling, like this winning habit lets keep it up. Well its the morning after the night before! We had a great night and I'm sure I'll get some pics up later. The hats and hooters were a hit last night and seemed the new fashion craze as everyone wanted to get their hands on a hat or hooter!

The day started with a match of Volleyball against the management team. They were taking the game very seriously and turned up to the court in sweatbands, knee pads and the same kit, they did have an imported player from Italy - Jose our liaison officer. They had all the gear but no idea the Oldies thrashed the Veterans 11-4. We were on fire. They obviously gave the excuse that they wanted to make sure we were psychologically in the right frame of mind! It was great banter and did set us up well for the day ahead.

The match was extremely tiring, but very enjoyable. It was very end to end but not much happening in either circle for the first half. Once the Koreans had scored in the second half we had to up our game, and thankfully it paid off when we scored two goals in open play the first from Becky Herbert with a deflection off a free hit outside the circle and then Lucilla Wright with a cracking strike from the top of the D that fooled all players and thankfully their GK and it dribbled into the bottom left corner.


Now its onto the World Cup. We can't wait to get to Madrid in the summer now, who knows what might happen, another 4/5 months development 'the worlds our oyster!' If we all show the same passion and drive that we have out here then watch out world - here come England!


Love to all that have supported us from back home, a big thank you to the Chelm girls (and men - seeing as our new coach is of the male variety) for your support and cheering last night. Will be back next week on the pitch with the green goddesses! We are at home playing Canterbury on the Sunday.

England 1 v USA 0

Can't believe it wrote this up last night but didn't save it properly. So sorry to those who have tried to read all about the game.

The match was as expected very physical. I have the bruises and a dead leg to show for it! We started tentatively and couldn't seem to string any passes together. We kept making silly mistakes and couldn't trap the damn ball. The States were playing hurry u hockey and trying to run us down, literally, which to their credit worked in the first ten/fifteen minutes.

We eventually started to create more pressure but couldn't convert the pressure into any worthy chances at goal. We won a few corners but they weren't on form yesterday. The second half saw pretty much the same as the first, the States pressured the ball carrier all the time, and whilst we created more chances and penalty corners we just couldn't score.

Their GK played well (ex Canterbury player) and they defended for their lives. So into extra time we went. We were confident of extra time if it came to strokes having played through the same in the Commonwealths. We still created chances in both halves of extra time but still couldn't take the opportunities. Being Golden Goal (the first team to score) it creates an edge of excitement as the ball gets closer to either goal. They did have one chance when Reidy had to make a crucial save. Other than that they created few chances and no penalty corners.

Thankfully in the dying seconds of the match we won a corner through great play between Chloe Rogers and Jennie Bimson as there were 8 seconds to go the clock was run down so the very last corner of the match if we didn't score it was to go to penalty strokes. It was slip left drag flick Crista got hold of the flick but the line player made a great save but in her haste and panic to clear it she swept it straight to Chloe. Chloe took it round the player closing her down then realised 5 yards from goal that she had a lot of time and space and absolutely tonked it past the GK. I was stood right behind Chloe and was first to give her hug. We were all so relieved we deserved it.

Sorry if we gave those watching online a heart attack i know mum couldn't bear to watch the written script and to go gardening! Bless her!

Now onto the final against Korea. Should be a good match. 3pm Saturday our time. Mum and Dad are flying out to watch I found out after the game, it is such a lovely thought from them. Sister Em and boyf Phil wished to come out too but unfortunately Phil is working and Em has her new little baby to look after. Having Stansted airport on the doorstep is definitely a bonus!

Thanks for everyone's support especially those from Little Canfield Village, it is much appreciated. Keep it up because I can feel your positive thoughts coming across the continent. They are obviously helping! Love to all.

The Big Show Down! - oh and Semi-Final Day.

The score in Volleyball youngsters v oldies was two all leading into today's deciding match. The matches are three games first to 11 points and two points clear. Excitement had been building all morning to the big match. With a full stadium (the management, with cameras!) the atmosphere was electric.

The Oldies dealt the first blow to the youngsters by turning up all in the same kit (red vests, white socks pulled to knees and sweatbands [wrist protectors!]) I think that gave us the psychological edge and they were on the back foot from the first serve. The Oldies took an early lead but the youngsters made the miraculous recovery to win the first game. Oldies composed under the pressure came back to win the second game.

So all resting on the last game the title of Volleyball Queens, an aggressive start from the youngsters and some good play by both teams saw quite a tight match. There were a few tough but good calls by the ref - Helen Richardson who dealt with the pressure of back chat and kept the game clean. The Oldies took the last four points of the match relatively easily as the youngsters lacked the experience of cracking under the immense pressure that rested on them. Their tall blockers weren't on the form of the previous game and we took advantage.

The photo shows the point at which the match was won you can see the anguish on their faces as they realise they have succumbed to the Older more wiser team members. What a feeling for us - we are not past it yet!!!! Will take them a little longer to nab our positions in the team! So victorious we walked from the pitch leaving the youngsters to return the net.

And onto the more important match - the Semi-Final v USA. I can't wait for the game this evening. Should be very physical so I'm mentally preparing and sharpening my elbows for a rough tough match.

Don't forget to check back later for the result.
x

Cirque de Solei

OK hands up who has seen the Cirque de Solei? What a show I was absolutely dumbfounded at what they were doing. PK is a star for organising us to go there. For those who don't know what it is like, the main show is acrobats doing various acts with clowns breaking up the acts in between.

The acrobats consist of things such as : the high swings, a man balancing on one arm and putting his body into all sorts of positions that I'm sure is impossible, flame throwers, high parallel bars and I mean like tens of metres off the ground! Yes thankfully there was a safety net, men being thrown up and down on planks of wood, contortionists (brings a whole meaning to the KS!), a woman and her hoops! She was truly amazing, I can't spin one hoop round my hips for more that 2 seconds she had 5 or 6 going on different body parts all the same time the control of her muscles was immense.

All of us just sat there absolutely silent, and then all of a sudden we would explode into applause and would scream like banshees every few minutes. I have to say I did laugh at the clowns probably too much and too loud but it's my sort of humour, Dad would have loved them too seeing as I get my humour from him!

Unfortunately we couldn't take pictures but I have got a few pics from around and outside the circus and will upload them later.

It's definitely something I recommend people go to see live!

Bye for now, got to go and weigh in and get brekkie!

I'm back! Had to share with you all the parcel that I received today from Mum and my Big Sis. A box full to the brim of England hats, hooters and chocolate!! and some beautiful pics of my gorgeous niece - Evie G. Very exciting, thanks Mum and Emm.

England 3 v Japan 0 and my 50th Cap

What a game to win my 50th England Senior Cap. My roomie Al Danson also won her 50th and Lucilla Wright her 150th we were all presented with flowers at the start of the match. It was a great moment for me and felt very proud receiving the bouquet. Lets hope there are many more to come.

We played some of our best hockey and although a tough game and end to end we had the better of Japan for the majority of the game. They are feisty players and would never let up. It was important we concentrated for the full 70 minutes and we did, we kept stamping our authority on the game and it paid off.

I played at right half and centre half during the game. I even managed an open play shot in the second half from centre half position, driving round a Japanese defender to the right at the top of the 'D'. I don't get many chances and thankfully didn't get a nose bleed!

The game was so early this morning it is only 1pm now and it feels like 6pm. We have the arvo off so we are planning a team 'W.L.D' (wee lie down). It is an absolutely stunning day today here so we are hoping to get out for a bit as well. Al and I will be playing our tunes from yesterday at top volume for the arvo. I have had a few requests to know what our tunes are so here goes: River Deep Mountain High - Tina Turner; Holding out for a hero - Frou Frou; Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day; She's the one - Robbie Williams; Falling Sun - Anouk; Iris - Goo Goo Dolls; What;s love got to do with it - Tina Turner; Don't Look Back in Anger - Oasis; Drops of Jupiter - Train; Ain't no Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross; Slide - Goo Goo Dolls; Search for the Hero - M People; Storms in Africa - Enya; Good Riddance - Green Day; Heaven - DJ Sammy; Wonderwall - Oasis; Michel - Anouk; No Promises - Shayne Ward; Put your Records on - Corinne Bailey; I don't want to miss a thing - Aerosmith. As you can see a complete mixture but all TUNES!

Another interesting fact - I have never played in an England Team that have won every match in their pool until now!!!

Make sure you check the website of the tournament for the TV listings on Eurosport for our next set of games.

Keep those positive vibes all we can obviously feel them!!

Take care and will write again tom to let you know how the circus is tonight.
x

Rest Day

Been a busy day of meetings, eating, watching oppo and playing silly games!

The day started at 0830 with breakfast, followed quickly with a meeting on where we go from here in the tournament. An hour off then a jog (well fast walk) in the park for half hour followed by what has no become a regular feature in the day - team Volleyball, youngsters v oldies. Yes sadly I'm now classified as an oldie! We are all square in matches at two all after losing today's match. I think we were suffering from tiredness from the walk the Oldies hadn't oiled their joints with cod liver oil before the match!! The youngsters were getting a little to cocky though so will have to show them tomorrow! We play on the hotel tennis court with a make shift net of chairs, it is so much fun and the team loves it so much banter gets us all very excited! I'm sure Eurosport will want us televised at the sport soon!!!!! some class shots being pulled out!

After our aggressive volleyball match it was into lunch followed by another meeting - a review on how Japan play. Then a few hours off. The first was spent picking tunes off itunes for a play list created for my new ipod that will always remind my Roomie Al Danson and I of this tournament. We have some class tunes a real mixture of new and old that keep us very entertained!

Then for the second hour being big kids that we are Sally Walton, Al and I played hide and seek in the grounds of the hotel with the walkie talkies used by the management during the tournament. A great great game that caused much laughter for the three of us! Then as time passed so quickly it was back for more food then off to the ground to watch Korea v NZ. Korea beat NZ 5-3. Meaning Korea and USA are qualified and NZ have to win tomorrow to reach the playoffs for 5-8, not a great position for them. For those that watched the Commonwealths they are missing quite a few players due to injury mainly.

Now we are back into room and getting ready for bed. It's an early night tonight as we are up at 0530 for toms game at 9am, we have to fit in a wake up jog, breakfast and team meeting before we have to leave or ground at 7.45am, hence the very early start!!

Tomorrow we go to see Circus de solei (can't spell sorry!) in the evening in Rome which should be fun. We have a job against Japan to do first which should be a very good match and we all really look forward to stepping up our game another notch to keep improving. We are after all in preparation for a World Cup now!!