World Cup - bronze medal match
Argentina 2-0 England
England went fourth - and Dan Fox must be sick of the sight of the number.
Fourth here for the former Hampstead & Westminster captain; fourth in the Olympics for GB in 2012, and fourth in the last World Cup made it anything but fourth right.
Two goals in the space of one second-half minute compounded Fox woe even though he otherwise had a great game. Chiswick’s Mikey Hoare and Dan Shingles, once of Brunel Uxbridge likewise felt the pain of leaving The Hague with nothing.
Fourth would have been good for England’s world ranking. Sadly, they lost that too and slip a slot to Belgium after they faced a much improved Lions since they were hammered 4-1 in the Olympics.
In the last six minutes Hoare came on as a kicking full-back in place of the keeper - and was immediately yellow carded to negate an all 11 outfield.
Matias Paredes blew the game wide open when left in the open at the back post on 55 minutes, and made all but certain when he pounced 58, seconds later.
Up till then it had become a nip-and-tuck affair of four missed, or rather saved, penalty corners, and a fifth from fantastic keeper Juan Vivaldi that was enough to orchestrate an Argentine win, left England down and out.
