1. Evening Gazette, Wednesday, October 10, 2012 SPORT 4544 SPORT Evening Gazette, Wednesday, October 10, 2012ONLINE: www.gazettelive.co.uk MOBILE: m.gazettelive.co.uk ONLINE: www.gazettelive.co.uk MOBILE: m.gazettelive.co.uk
International football
No excuses now, says England skipper
Golden girl Kat’s in
the spotlight nowIce hockey
By ANDY BAXTER
BILLINGHAM Stars twice battled
back from behind to grab a late
draw against Sutton Sting to
keep their unbeaten league run
going.
A 3-3 draw kept their NIHL
Division One (North) title bid on
track but coach Simon Leach
was not impressed.
“We made hard work for
ourselves,” he said.
“Not taking anything away
from Sutton, I think they played
really well, but as a team we
didn’t work anywhere near hard
enough.
“We didn’t penetrate, we didn’t
do all the right things that we
saw last weekend.
“I was disappointed with the
whole performance. It took us
too long to get into the game,
mistakes cost us goals and they
were mistakes that could have
been avoided.
“We can’t turn up in the wrong
frame of mind, and I think that’s
what hurt us and forced us to
have to battle in the third to get
a draw out of the game.”
Stars were without Paul
Windridge,
Dave
Thomas
and James
McCabe
although
Andy
Thornton
returned
from injury.
On the nine-minute mark
short-handed Stars mounted a
three-on-one breakaway with
Michael Bowman opening the
scoring, assisted by Stephen
Wallace and Richie Thornton.
But two minutes later
Sutton’s Ryan Johnson
capitalised on a defensive error
to fire home from in front of
goal and the hosts moved ahead
in the 14th minute with a
well-worked James Goodman
goal.
The second period started with
a good Sutton effort deflecting
off Richie Thornton before a
rocket shot from Wallace was
kept out by Sutton keeper Alan
Lever’s helmet.
But it wasn’t until the third
session that Wallace equalised,
assisted by Bowman and
Thornton, after both he and
team-mate Adam Robinson had
missed with short-handed
chances.
With under four minutes to
play, a rash of defensive errors
saw Sting restore their
advantage through James
Spurr.
But with two minutes on the
clock Billingham got into the
Sutton zone and a scramble in
front of goal saw Jamie Pattison
knock home his side’s third to
tie the game, assisted by Andy
Thornton.
Stars host local rivals Whitley
Warriors on Sunday night
(face-off 6.30pm).
Coach
unhappy
as Stars
are held
Wyke in,
but Pools
crash out
Hartlepool Utd FC
BORO striker Charlie Wyke made his
Hartlepool debut in last night’s
Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie against
Bradford City at Victoria Park.
The 19-year-old yesterday agreed a
one-month loan deal with Pools and
was named in Neale Cooper’s starting
line-up for the Northern Section
second round clash, scoring in the
penalty shoot-out which Bradford
won 3-2 after the game ended 0-0.
Wyke has been training with the
Hartlepool players and Cooper said:
“From day one he looked really good.
He’s a good size, has good feet and
has shown a great attitude.
“Charlie is renowned for his
finishing and we’ve been impressed
by that, but overall he’s just fitted in
really well so it will be good to take a
look at him in competitive action.”
Wyke and Neil Austin converted
their spot-kicks but Ryan Noble,
Jonathan Franks and Evan Horwood
missed. Last night’s result continues
Pools’ miserable run of form.
Cooper’s side have only won once
this season and have lost five of their
last seven League One fixtures.
POOLS: Flinders, Austin, Hartley, Baldwin,
Holden, Franks, Humphreys, Walton (Sweeney
62), Horwood, Wyke, Noble. Unused subs:
McHugh, Collins, Poole, James.
Town aim
to hit back
Northern League
GUISBOROUGH take on bogey team
Sunderland RCA tonight looking to
end a three-season goal drought.
The last time the Priorymen scored
against RCA was exactly three years
ago today when Dave Onions netted
in a 1-1 KGV draw.
Town are looking to get back to
winning ways at home. They lost 2-1
to Bedlington last time out after five
straight wins.
Elsewhere tonight Billingham
Synthonia take on Hebburn - one
point and one place behind them -
looking to cut on the top three.
Norton go to Shildon looking to
claw away from the drop zone.
And leaders Darlington take on
South Shields at Bishop Auckland.
Last night Marske lost 4-0 at
Whitley Bay. New boss Ted Watts
included new signings striker Jordan
Hugill and defender Callum Wilson,
on loan from Whitby, in the squad.
HOW has your life changed
since winning gold?
“IT’S very busy. I’ve been doing a
lot of interviews. I haven’t really
had time to relax.
“It doesn’t really feel like it’s sunk
in because I’ve been talking about it
in interviews but I haven’t really
had time to internalise it.”
AFTER you finished first in the
trials on March 11 (senior squad
single Sculls) did you start to think
that you could win a medal?
“NO I didn’t even dare let myself
think that I could get in the boat.
“I’d done well in the singles but
we still had to do crew boat testing
at Cavesham, which is our main
centre, where we race in doubles
and different combinations - so if I
had been beaten in that I still might
not have got in the boat.
“Sophie and I had been strong in
singles, but we hadn’t really raced
together before.
“We had a meeting when we went
on our first training camp, because
we just went straight into training.
“Some boats have been together
for three or four years, we got
together only in March.
“We had a meeting and we said
what we wanted to do and we both
said we wanted to win and I really
believed we could.
“I maybe doubted it a bit in the
World Cup when we came fourth
and fifth and I couldn’t understand
why it wasn’t working, and then we
started doing lots of training on
campus and talked to the
psychologist a lot.
“Then we went straight on to the
Games.”
AT the Great North Run, was it
more of an inspiration to you
meeting fellow athletes like Ellie
Simmonds, Nicola Adams and Mo
Farah or the thousands of
runners?
“I THINK meeting Ellie Simmonds
was a highlight for me because she
is the nicest, nicest girl, and you
would not believe that she is only
17.
“She is so mature. She just seems
so much older than her years and I
thought she was really inspirational
because of how she deals with all
the attention.
“I thought the runners were
amazing. For example there was the
guy running with a fridge on his
back (Tony the Fridge). He’d done it
about 30 times. I don’t know how he
does that. They are inspirational
because they do it for very selfless
reasons. They do it for charity.
“I think its inspirational watching
people win the Olympics but it’s
very selfish we don’t it for a charity.
We do it because we want to win.”
THE media spotlight has focussed
on 19 out of 47 members of the GB
rowing squad being from private
schools. Do you think there is any
way that the sport can become
more accessible?
“TO be honest I would have
thought that the numbers would
have been more than that. I am not
going to lie.
“In the past it used to be a sport
completely for those from private
schools and the more wealthy
people.
“Things like World Class Start are
changing the focus. What they
basically do is set out what the ideal
Olympian would be: Tall, strong, a
certain body shape, a certain body
type.
“They go into state schools,
athletics clubs and other sports
clubs and I think that things like
that make it much more accessible.
“You don’t really hear about
rowing a lot. I didn’t really hear
about it.
“It’s not really on television a lot
so you might not know about it
unless you do it at school. Money
isn’t necessarily an issue.
“If you’re good enough you will
get all the help you need. Loads of
people at my rowing club are just
normal Stockton people. They’re
not loaded.”
DO you think that the people of
Teesside will see any positive
legacy from the Olympics despite
the fact they were held in London?
“I’VE tried really hard to go into
schools and to make it clear that
people know that I’m from Teesside.
“I don’t know about other sports
but, for rowing, people think that
you have to go down south to do it.
I thought that so I moved down
south for a year.
“Then I realised that we have
some of the best coaching in the
country and one of the nicest rivers
as well.”
DO you think that the Paralympics
will improve the lives of disabled
people in the UK?
“I HOPE that it will, maybe I have a
bit of a biased view because I’m
very involved in sport. Maybe I’m in
a bit of a bubble.
“One of the things I’ve noticed
and it’s hard to say because I don’t
know if it’s because I was involved
in the Olympics and Paralympics,
but I think that this Paralympics
have attracted a lot of interest.
“It’s been taken more seriously
and given much more attention and
its basically been the equivalent - if
not talked about more - than the
actual Olympics.
“You’ve got people like Ellie, Oscar
Pistorious, Jonny Peacock who can
be a real inspiration to disabled
children. It creates a big knock-on
effect.”
WHY do you think that Team GB
did so well in both the Olympics
and the Paralympics?
“THE year before I read an article
which said - though I don’t know
the specific figures - that any host
nation gets an increase in funding
in the run-up to the Olympics.
“It’s the little advantage of being
able to do one more training
session. I think the home advantage
was a big help, having the majority
of the crowd cheering for you is
amazing.
“It’s not pressure at all. They’re not
going to shoot you or mob you if
you do badly.”
WHAT do you think that the
Olympics have done for women’s
sport?
“EVERY Olympics, there’s more and
more girl role models.
“I would say the girls got more
attention than the boys. You’ve got
people like Victoria Pendleton,
Laura Trott, all of these girls and I
think they’re all brilliant role
models because they handle
themselves so well.
“I think because it’s from a range
of sports, like Nicola Adams in the
boxing and then people in the show
jumping, people from lots of
different sports and different body
sizes, there’s something for
everyone to look up to.
“I really hope that the legacy is a
general rise in participation and I
think that people realize what can
be achieved, not just athletes, but
the coaches, the teachers and all
sorts of people as well.”
WHERE do you see yourself in five
years’ time?
“I AM the most indecisive person in
the world. I don’t know what I’ll be
doing in a week never mind five
years!
“But I’m playing with the idea of
going to Rio for the next Olympics.”
ON August 4, Teessider Kat Copeland’s life changed irrevocably when
she rowed her way to Olympic gold along with her partner Sophie
Hosking in London 2012.
The 21-year-old Tees Rowing Club member won the women’s
lightweight double sculls at Eton Downey and her feet have barely
touched the ground since.
But she’s now back on Teesside and JACK ELLIOT caught up with her.
WE’RE GOING TO BE ON A STAMP: Kat Copeland’s famous celebration after winning gold at Eton Downey with Sophie Hosking
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Kat Copeland after starting the Great
North Run with fellow Olympic gold medallist Mo Farrah
(right) and meeting the Duchess of Cambridge (above)
GOLDEN GIRLS:
Kat Copeland and
Sophie Hosking
with their
London 2012
medals
SKIPPER Steven Gerrard insists
England will have no excuses for
future under-achievement now the
National Football Centre has
become their new home.
The Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge officially opened the
impressive £105m complex near
Burton-on-Trent yesterday as the
England squad prepared for
Friday’s World Cup qualifier with
San Marino at Wembley.
And the Liverpool star said: “The
place has blown me away. All the
lads are buzzing to be here. We’re
lucky to have facilities like this.
“It’s a long-term plan and
hopefully it can bring success to
the national teams. Now we’ve got
the best stadium in the world and
the best facilities. We’re taking
away all the excuses the players
might use in the future.”
Boss Roy Hodgson believes the
complex can only help England’s
hopes of tournament glory.
He said: “Facilities in themselves
don’t make you a better football
team. What makes you better is
the work you do within them.
“But the players will be really
happy to do their work here. We
have to forget the past. We can’t
win a World Cup yesterday.”
Prince William, who shared a
joke with Ashley Cole, also took
immense pride from the facilities
which form the 330-acre site.
He said: “It gives me great pride
we have created in this country
facilities that are beyond compare.
“St George’s Park is a concept
totally new. It will provide more
than just world class facilities for
our national team and more than
a university from which hundreds
of coaches will graduate.
“It will provide employment and
a social hub for local people to l
foster a community spirit and
purpose and hope throughout
England.”
St George’s Park chairman David
Sheepshanks has stressed the need
to produce more coaches and of a
higher quality to get the best out
of English footballing talent.
But he is aware the benefits will
be mainly felt long-term and
hopes it will eventually lead to
more English managers at the top
of the professional game.
He said: “If you were starting a
new school, do you start with the
pupils or the teachers? You have to
invest in the teachers. This is
where St George’s Park comes in.
“Between now and 2020, we’ll
develop another 250,000 coaches
altogether across all the levels. At
the top level, we’re focused on
quality not quantity.
“We’re talking about another 120
UEFA Pro Licence coaches over the
next eight years, with an average
of 15-20 a year making it to the
very, very top level.”
Miller recovers to seal Tykes win
DAVID Miller recovered from being
hit in the face to guide Yorkshire to a
five-wicket victory over Sri Lankan
side Uva Next in their opening
Twenty20 Champions League
qualifier.
Miller was unbeaten on 22, with
Yorkshire on 91 for four and chasing
151, when he was hit as he
attempted to pull a short ball from
Umar Gul.
The South African retired hurt for
treatment but returned with
Yorkshire requiring 18 from 12 balls
- and he promptly struck two fours
and a six from his first three
deliveries. Miller hit the winning
single to finish unbeaten on 39 from
29 deliveries, while Adil Rashid was
36 not out as Yorkshire won with
three balls to spare.
Uva Next posted a total of 150 for
seven, with Thilina Kandamby
scoring an unbeaten 29 and West
Indies batsman Shivnarine
Chanderpaul contributing 27.
Dilshan Munaweera and Bhanuka
Rajapaksa put on 42 for the opening
wicket in 5.2 overs before Moin
Ashraf broke the partnership.
Munaweera was caught by Miller
for 22 and Rajapaksa followed two
overs later when he was bowled by
Rashid. Andrew McDonald and
Chanderpaul put on 38 for the third
wicket before the Australia was
caught by Gary Ballance off Azeem
Rafiq for 17.
Steven Patterson claimed the key
wickets of Chanderpaul and Jacob
Oram in successive overs as Uva
Next were pegged back to 116 for
five after 16 overs.
Kandamby hit two fours and a six
in his 29 while Miller claimed his
second catch to dismiss Chinthaka
Jayasinghe for three and Sachithra
Senanayake was bowled in the final
over by Ryan Sidebottom.
Phil Jacques gave Yorkshire’s reply
some momentum with 32 from 21
balls, including three boundaries,
but they lost early wickets.
Andrew Gale went for 13, Joe Root
for 11 and when Ballance was
bowled by Munaweera for a golden
duck Yorkshire were on 66 for four.
Rashid steadied the ship, initially
with Miller and then with Dan
Hodgson in a 42-run partnership
that was ended by Munaweera’s
third wicket.
Miller returned after Hodgson was
stumped for 18 and wasted no time
in powering Yorkshire to victory.
If Yorkshire win their final pool
game against Trinidad and Tobago
this evening (4.30), they will be
through to the tournament proper.
Cricket