England secured safe passage into the Women’s World Championship quarter-final with a resounding 11-1 win against Wales.
Megan Whittle was England’s star, scoring six goals including a hat-trick of free position shots, as England ran out comfortable winners in the end.
Wales had restricted things early on, as the teams went into the ¼ time at just 1-1 with England possibly feeling the effects of a short turnaround from the last game against USA, and thanks to a number of saves from Wales goalie Sophie Allan.
However, it was Whittle’s introduction in the second period that finally saw the game open up.
Her speed and directness in driving to goal caused havoc for the Wales defence as they continued to foul her, and the record Maryland goal scorer continued to score the resulting free position shot; three times in the second quarter.
England were also able to once again call on captain Laura Merrifield who made her first appearance of the Championship after picking up an injury in a pre-tournament practice session.
Meanwhile, Georgie Southorn got her second goal of the day, having got England on the board first and took the score to 5-1 at the half.
Once they got in front, England managed the game well, maintaining long periods of possession and not giving Wales a sniff to get back into the game.
Olivia Hompe got in the scoring to go with three assists she provided in the game, while Whittle continued to dominate bagging another three goals in the second half.
As always against Wales it was a fiercely contested battle and Ellie Jones for Wales and England’s Torz Anderson but picked up yellow cards, but it did nothing to disrupt England’s dominance.
Tilly Shires scored another free position in the final quarter, while Emily Gray rounded off the scoring to give England the 11-1 win and a safe route through to the quarter-finals.
It is Israel next up for England, a team they last played in the final of the 2019 European Championship where England won gold out in Netanya.
England Points: Megan Whittle (6G), Olivia Hompe (1G 3A), Georgie Southorn (2G), Tilly Shires (1G), Emily Gray (1G), Emily Nalls (1A)
Wales Points: Iona Dryden (1G), Sophy Coombes-Roberts (1A)