We had tickets for Great Britain's fixture against Spain. If the Brits were to challenge for medals they needed to win this game. Unfortunately they were completely over-powered.
Great Britain appeared to have scored an early goal against the run of play. A cross from the right side is hit above head height into the circle. The Spaniard Ribas misses the ball and Barry Middleton swats it into the net. The Brits celebrate, whilst the majority of the crowd are silent, knowing that the ball was dangerous. However, Umpire Kumar rules the goal valid much to the disbelief of the Spaniards. After consultation with the German umpire, Blasch, the decision is reversed and Spain regain the ball.
Pol Amat traps the ball from a right side cross on the top of the circle. He runs left and then shoots, on the reverse, through Simon Mason’s legs.
Just past the half-hour, Santiago Freixa scores a brilliant field goal, following a quick counter-attack through the middle Friexa strikes the ball into the roof of the net over the sliding Mason to give Spain a two-nil lead.
A penalty corner allows Santiago Freixa to score his second of the match after the switch left gives him a clear shot on goal. He drag flicks the ball into the net, to take the Spaniards into a three-nil half-time lead.
GB need to score quickly if they are to get back into the game. They put some pressure on for a couple of minutes.... An appalling error at the back allows Amat to smash his second reverse stick goal into the backboards from a tight angle.
With thirteen minutes remaining, we, at last, get something to cheer when Barry Middleton breaks from the left to score from the top of the circle.
However, the Spanish aren't finished. A short corner mishap is not charged-down by the British defenders, allowing Xavier Ribas to dribble into the circle and strike the ball past Mason.
To the children, it was just like being at the Penguin Festival, back home. They swapped a UK flag with some Dutch children to get two massive blow-up hockey sticks, and bagged a GB 'on tour' tee-shirt.
We got talking to the group of supporters in front of us, who didn't seem to know much about the rules of hockey. This turned out to be because they were boxing fans ... here to support Amir Khan. One of whom was the boxing sensations father!
The music blares from the tanoy system. The asian music causes the indian supporters (here for the next match) to start dancing on the courtyard. 'Sorba' illiciates the same reaction from Julie and Beth and the cameras project their efforts onto the stadium screens!
The second game of the session was Australia against India. If you've never been to a hockey game featuring a team from the sub-continent, then you can't appreciate the noise.
India took the lead through a Sonkhla field goal, but Troy Elder equalised for Australia before half-time. Further goals from Jamie Dwyer and Michael McCann gave the Aussies a two goal cushion. Gagan Ajit Singh and Arjun Halappa brought India level, before Dhanraj Pillay is yellow-carded for playing the ball deliberately with the back of his stick.
Despite being reduced to ten men for the final five minutes the Indians think that they have secured a valuable draw, and are pushing for a winner. But the Aussies have other ideas; a swift counter-attack sends the ball from Elder to McCann in the circle on the left who first-times the pass to Michael Brennan for an easy goal in front of the net.