England work extra hard
England knew they would have to work hard to beat Wales -
but not as hard as they eventually did to overcome their opponents
in the quarter-finals here at the World Championship.
Playing in their second game at the Navy Marine Corps Memorial
Stadium, England started slowly as they had done against Wales
in the pool stages, a game they only led 2-1 at half-time.
But credit to Wales, with nothing to lose and a semi-final
place up for stake, the Dragons worked hard to frustrate England.
They made life decidedly difficult.
It was a physical game and both sides had players sent-off
for dangerous play.
Wales' Catherine Coulthard was the first to go for a swipe
to the head midway through the second-half, while at the other
end England's Susannah Eul was dismissed for five minutes,
also for dangerous play after her second yellow card.
England's Justine Hunt was left nursing a bloodied nose and
was then hit in the face for a second time just moments later.
Both sides looked unsettled and the match became scrappy,
with mistakes coming under pressure.
However, it was England who opened the scoring through Ailsa
Stott after just 2min 35secs, before Katy Bennett doubled
England's advantage with an unassisted goal less than a minute
later.
But Rosalind Lloyd hit back for Wales from a Warren assist,
before Warren shot wide with a good chance to level at 2-2.
England had a string of shots as they tried to forge ahead,
but Emily Garvey, Stott and Allison Smith all fired wide.
Wales defender Emma Holliday received a yellow-card for dangerous
play after a swipe to the head of Sarah Butt, now playing
in her fifth World Cup.
England extended their advantage after some concerted pressure.
Eul shot wide and Garvey and Rachel Kirchheimer both saw shots
saved, before Bennett stole some space to score an excellent
unassisted goal.
Wales replied with a goal through Kate Taylor with 27min
50secs remaining, while Lizze Leppard came close to making
it 4-2 to England on the stroke of half-time
Eul picked up picked up an unnecessary yellow card with six
seconds left in the half.
The second-half was a scrappy affair, but it was Wales who
dominated the draw 4-1 and put England under pressure.
It became 3-3 when Astley slotted home from a Lloyd pass,
before Butt re-stored England's advantage after Bennett has
seen a shot blocked.
Stott guided England into a 5-3 lead, but Astley scored her
second and Warren grabbed her late leveller which send the
match into over-time.
Wales won the draw at the start of over-time, but despite
a battling display, Lynch netted for England and won them
the game.
WOMEN, Lacrosse World Championship (Annapolis, Maryland)
- Quarter-finals: England 6 Wales 5 (half scores 3-2, 2-3,
1-0 after over-time); Japan 11 Canada 13 (7-7, 4-6).
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