15:30 local time, on a sunny 24-degree day, saw England strongly begin its World Championship with a 2-0 win in front of 1,000 plus spectators.

Dan Barton (GK/Capt.), Joe Wheatley, Mark Waddingham, Darrel Pierce and James Taylor started in a tough opening game where both teams played man to man from on the 42 by 22 metres wooden rink from the start..

3 minutes in, a perfectly worked double block allowed young James Taylor to score in the top right corner with a fantastic slap that he soon followed with another (13:00) from a lovely one-two lay off with Waddingham to put England 2-0 up.

Joe and Darrel also had great one on one chances that forced excellent saves from an in form keeper who carried the workload for the now flat Austrian floor players who’s principal tactic was to flatten English players into the barriers!

With 4 minutes of the half remaining Taylor received a yellow card for attempting to change the ball! (which strangely had been supplied by England because the organisers had forgotten they needed one), and at 3:00 to go the tiring Wheatley, who had done a fantastic job in defence, was subbed with Sean Pierce.

In the last minute Taylor once again walked the ball around Austria only to smash the ball off the top post with the keeper well beaten. After 10 chances to Austria’s 5 half chances and 70% possession England went to the break 2-0 up.

In the second half England reasserted dominance as the Austrians got more physical as frustration set in from not getting the ball.

At 8:00 Nigel Allen replaced the hard working Whaddingham and at 10:00 Darrel Piece gave away a dubious penalty that the Austrian’s had been milking, that Barton saved magnificently.

At 7:00 to go Taylor, who had a great match, stunned the Austrian keeper with another stinging slap shot to the head, and the Letchworth pairing of Nigel and Sean almost produced the next 2 opportunities, that where prevented by brilliant saves.

In the dieing seconds Barton made, fittingly, a great double save to for a tired England to win 2-0.

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Reporter: Kos Galtos