India’s defence crumbled in the bronze medal playoff as they crashed to a 5-1 defeat against Great Britain for a fourth-place finish at the World League Semifinals.
This is Britain’s biggest victory in a hockey international against Indian men, the previous best being the 3-0 win at the Seoul Olympics in a preliminary round match before Britain went on to win the gold medal.
Goals from Alastair Brogdon (11th minute), Chris Griffiths (27th), Ashley Jackson (37th), Adam Dixon (42nd) and captain Barry Middleton (44th) gave Britain a five-goal lead before India pulled one back through Rupinder Pal Singh’s penalty corner conversion in the 59th minute.
Britain took the lead in the 11th minute when Alastair Brogdon got a touch to a reverse shot from Dan Fox into the right corner of the Indian goal.
Britain’s second goal game in the 27th minute on a counter-attack after Manpreet Singh moved up into the rival circle, exchanging wall-passes with Satbir Singh, but could not have a crack at the citadel in the crowded circle.
The quick clearance saw Nick Catlin send a long ball down the middle that Chris Griffiths deflected into the goal with the Indian defence just not in the frame.
The third British goal also came on a brisk switchover after Ramandeep Singh muffed an opening by sending a soft flick into onrushing goalkeeper George Pinner after getting a good ball and some open space in front in the 37th minute.
Ward beat the goalkeeper with his deft cross that was tapped into the goal by Jackson.
Dixon deflected in a penalty corner drive into the goal in the 42nd minute and captain Middleton capitalised on a cross from Ward two minutes later to make it 5-0.
India forced two penalty corners in the last seven minutes and Rupinder, who did not play a major role in today’s game, sent a low drag-flick into the left corner of the goal.
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