England women's hockey team beat Australia to win historic gold medal at the Commonwealth Games after overcoming New Zealand in dramatic semi-final penalty shootout

  • England beat Australia in the final of the Commonwealth Games on Sunday
  • It was Holly Hunt who opened the scoring for England in the first half of the final
  • Tess Howard, who recently recovered from an ACL injury, added their second  
  • Australia got themselves on the scoresheet with just 20 seconds left of the game

In front of the famous Old Joe clocktower, it was finally England’s time.

The country’s hockey teams had never before won Commonwealth Games gold. But at the home of Birmingham’s iconic 100-metre landmark, the women stood tall.

A week on from the Lionesses’ win over Germany at Wembley, here was an England team again making history – and by the same 2-1 scoreline.

England beat Australia in the final of the Commonwealth Games to take home the gold medal

England beat Australia in the final of the Commonwealth Games to take home the gold medal

As the seconds ticked down of this final against Australia, a chant of ‘Hockey’s coming home’ rang round the University of Birmingham.

Then, when the whistle went, the victorious players threw their sticks in the air and danced in front of 6,000 fans to Spandau Ballet’s ‘Gold’.

The jubilant scenes evoked memories of that glorious day in Rio six years ago, when Great Britain beat the Netherlands to secure their first Olympic title.

This final, though, was nowhere near as nervy as that 2016 shootout which delayed the 10 o’clock news. It was also extra special because it came at home.

It was Holly Hunt (above) who opened the scoring for England after picking up the ball in the middle of the D and firing it into the bottom right-hand corner

It was Holly Hunt (above) who opened the scoring for England after picking up the ball in the middle of the D and firing it into the bottom right-hand corner

Five of England’s squad are graduates from this very university, including opening goalscorer Holly Hunt and Flora Peel, who laid on the first and set up Tess Howard’s second. Lily Walker is still a student here.

Together, this young team gave four-time champions Australia an education to claim one of the most celebrated golds of these great Games.

‘This has never been achieved by an England hockey side before, so it's just so special,’ beamed captain Hollie Pearne-Webb, one of six players from that Olympic-winning team.

‘Rio was the first time we had won that one as well, so there's similarities. But what’s different is that we did this in front of a home crowd and that's unbelievable.

‘I hope this can give hockey and women’s sport a boost. We saw what the Lionesses did and they were hugely inspirational for us.

Tess Howard (middle), who recently recovered from an ACL injury, extended England's lead by finding the back of the net before the half-time break

Tess Howard (middle), who recently recovered from an ACL injury, extended England's lead by finding the back of the net before the half-time break

‘We had a video message from Leah Williamson this morning which was amazing. And then we also had a message from Gary, Phil and Tracey Neville, which was incredible.’

Tracey, of course, led England’s netball team to their first Commonwealth gold on the Gold Coast four years ago. And yesterday had been set up to be a super Sunday for women’s sport, with the hockey, cricket and netball finals one after another.

England’s cricketers and netballers, though, lost their semi-finals on Saturday – as well as their bronze medal matches yesterday - meaning the only hope of home glory was the hockey team on Sunday afternoon.

However, if Pearne-Webb’s side were feeling any extra pressure, they did not show it against a side they have lost to in two previous Commonwealth finals.

Flora Peel (right) provide the two assists for England's goals against Australia on Sunday

Flora Peel (right) provide the two assists for England's goals against Australia on Sunday

England struck twice in the second quarter, the first coming from a sweet strike from Hunt, who celebrated by leaping almost as high as the world’s tallest clocktower in front of her.

‘I didn’t know how to celebrate, so I just jumped on the spot,’ grinned the 25-year-old. ‘This is my old university pitch so to be back out there playing in a Commonwealth final and getting a gold medal is absolutely surreal.

‘There are girls in our squad who have been around for years and not even been in a final let alone won a gold medal so I almost feel like I’ve cheated the system a bit. It is ridiculous.’

Hollie Pearne-Webb said she was lost for words after the game but admitted she was relieved

Hollie Pearne-Webb said she was lost for words after the game but admitted she was relieved 

England doubled their advantage four minutes later when Peel – a descendent of 19th-century prime minister Robert Peel – fired towards goal and Howard diverted the ball into the roof of the net.

It was a magnificent moment for the 23-year-old, who ruptured her ACL just weeks before last summer’s Olympics in Tokyo, when Team GB went on to win bronze.

‘To miss out on last summer was devastating but it gave me a lot of time to realise how much I want this,’ said Howard. ‘This gold medal was always the dream for me in rehab.’

And it was never really in doubt from the moment she scored, with Anna Toman also hitting the post for England in the third quarter. Australia scored a consolation through Ambrosia Malone with 19 seconds to go. But the ‘Coming home’ chants had already started.

‘I laughed when I heard that,’ added Peel. ‘I was getting ready to celebrate and then the goal went in and I thought, “Oh no, have they just jinxed it?”. But thankfully it has just come home.’

England's victory over Australia marks their first Commonwealth Games gold medal

England's victory over Australia marks their first Commonwealth Games gold medal