Nicola’s pride despite defeat

ENGLAND CLASS . . . team captain Nicola White (second left).

HOCKEY:

NICOLA White’s youthful England side suffered disappointment at the EuroHockey Indoor Championships in Prague, Czech Republic.

Head coach Jason Lee’s team – captained for the first time at a major tournament by Shaw-raised White – suffered a 4-3 defeat to Belarus in their final game so had to settle for seventh place out of the eight nations competing.

The outcome meant England was relegated to EuroHockey Indoor Division Two for the 2016 tournament - and they also missed qualification for next year’s Indoor World Cup.

Leicester forward White, while proud to have led her nation at the Euros, admitted: “We are all very disappointed we didn’t win our last match to stay in the top division.

“It was always going to be a tough challenge with such a young squad. With each game we improved during the tournament and grew in confidence.

“Being asked to be the captain for both the Eurohockey championships and the Test series against Scotland a week earlier was a huge honour for me, and one I enjoyed immensely. Leading team-mates out is something I will remember for a long time. I hope I did my country proud.”