Great Britain Youth’s Men and Women both achieved medals in the 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival. 

The women secured gold for the second successive tournament with a dramatic golden goal win over hosts Australia, whilst the men put five goals past Malaysia to take the bronze medal as the games concluded at the Olympic Hockey Centre in Sydney on Sunday morning.

Girls win gold

Great Britain women achieved their second gold medal in as many tournaments in dramatic fashion as an expectant and excited GB team took to the field to take on hosts Australia in the final of the 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival. 

Harriet Pearce grabbed the Brits a lifeline with a last-minute equaliser to force the game into extra time after the teams had traded goals two minutes earlier.  Sophie Bray then netted the golden goal to condemn their opposition to the silver medal, in a replay of the 2007 final. Scots Becky Ward and Laura Bartlett were both in the thick of the action.

Australia broke the deadlock in the 27th minute through an Andrews strike from a penalty corner.

GB were renewed in the second half however and dominated possession for the whole half. The drama was saved for a frantic last two minutes though.  First, a goal from Sarah Page drew the teams level at 1-1 only for Australia to immediately score on the break to go 2-1 up. With 60 seconds left, Harriet Pearce took advantage of the last possible chance when she scored via an Australian deflection to make the score 2-2.

In golden goal extra time, Britain overwhelmed the Australian defence. A penalty corner three minutes into extra time was well saved but on 76 minutes, Sophie Bray became GB’s hero scoring a golden goal after good work on the left from Jenny Hall.

Head Coach Craig Parnham was delighted with the performance: “In the second half we fought hard, played our game really well and dominated the Australian side. The team can take real credit from the face that they got back into this game and their teamwork and commitment was rewarded with the best result – a gold medal.”

GB men bag bronze

GB Youth Men will also return home with medals, winning bronze with a 5-2 win against Malaysia. 

A Chris Gregg brace together with goals from Kenny Bain, Martin Scanlon and Simon Faulkner secured the medal.

On 16 minutes, GB were awarded a penalty stroke for an infringement in the circle which Kenny Bain duly dispatched to put the Brits 1-0 up.  They doubled their lead on 19 minutes when Scanlon was on hand to convert a penalty corner rebound as he shot past the keeper. 

However, Malaysia then enjoyed a period of sustained pressure which resulted in Kavin Kartick Govindasamy scoring from a penalty corner drag flick.  Undeterred, GB rallied before half time with Chris Gregg extending the lead to 3-1 at the interval.

The second half started with continued periods of Malaysian pressure which were rewarded when Faizal Saari converted another penalty corner to make the score 3-2.

However, when Simon Faulkner made it 4-2 from a penalty corner strike on 49 minutes, the tide slowly turned towards GB.  It was Gregg who added his second when he unleashed a sublime reverse shot from the right hand corner of the circle on 55 minutes to make the score 5-2 and effectively end the game as a contest.  By the final whistle, GB had played Malaysia to a stand-still and thoroughly deserved their victory.

Post match, head coach Bobby Crutchley was delighted with the result and the bronze medal for his squad:  “We really fought today and stuck with our game plan.  Our ball retention improved, and so did our ability to move the opposition around and to really ware the Malaysians down.  Ultimately, we deserved to get something from today’s match.

"I feel a bronze medal is an excellent reward for the hard work the squad has put in and for the improvement they have shown not only since the start of the tournament, but also since coming together last October. A special mention should also go to our two travelling reserves Gavin Byers and Tom Millington who have been exemplary throughout the event”.

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WOMEN’S SQUAD

Started
Sophie Bray (England & University of Birmingham)
Susie Gilbert (England & University of Birmingham)
Takara Haines (England & Trojans)
Maddie Hinch (England & Loughborough University)
Katie Long (England & Leicester)
Dilly Newton (England & Clifton)
Sarah Page (England & University of Birmingham)
Harriet Pearce (England & Clifton)
Laura Unsworth (England & Loughborough University)
Becky Ward (Scotland & Dundee Wanderers)
Nicky White (England & Loughborough University)

Substitutes Used
Laura Bartlett (Scotland & Milne Craig Western)
Jenny Hall (England & Canterbury)
Lauren Turner (England & Leicester)
Georgie Twigg (England & Clifton)
Hollie Webb (England & Cannock)

MEN’S SQUAD

Started
Kenny Bain (Scotland & Kelburne)
David Beckett (England & Loughborough Students)
Nick Catlin (England & Loughborough Students)
David Condon (England & Loughborough Students)
Richie Dawson-Smith (England & Bowdon)
Marc Edwards (England & Loughborough Students)
Simon Faulkner (England & Loughborough Students)
Johnny Kinder (England & Fareham)
Ian Scanlon (England & Hampstead & Westminster)
Ross Stott (Scotland & Kelburne)
Henry Weir (England & Loughborough Students)

Substitutes Used
Ben Arnold (England & Beeston)
Chris Gregg (England & Loughborough Students)
Gordon McIntyre (Scotland & Kelburne)
Lewis Prosser (Wales & Team Bath Buccaneers)
Martin Scanlon (England & Loughborough Students)