Nicholls lifts Britain to late tour victory

Hockey

BILL COLWILL

Great Britain, after two disappointing draws, completed their three- match Test series against Russia in St Petersburg yesterday with a 3-1 victory.

Yesterday Britain were in the lead after only six minutes. Rhona Simpson opened the scoring after an exchange of passes with Mandy Nicholls down the right. Nicholls produced another precision cross four minutes later and in the ensuing melee Tina Cullen added a second.

Anna Bennett put Britain further ahead at a penalty corner in the 47th minute before the Russians pulled a goal back five minutes from time, also at a penalty corner. The British players will miss this afternoon's National League programme but some expect to play in the fifth-round Cup games tomorrow.

Balsam Leicester, with three players in Russia and others ruled out by injury and pregnancy, had only 10 players available to face Bracknell until the AEWHA gave them special dispensation to register three second XI players.

The winners of today's HA Cup quarter-finals have been told that the Cup final, scheduled for 12 May, must go ahead and that the finalists will be required to play without their British players who will be in Malaysia.