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Bronze medal joy for Kate

29/ 3/2006

FORMER Priestnall School pupil Kate Walsh added a bronze on Saturday to complete Stockport's Commonwealth Games medal tally a day before the closing ceremony in Melbourne, Australia.

Walsh was the skipper of England's women's hockey team which beat New Zealand in the bronze medal match.

The game had ended 0-0, but the England heroines dramatically secured their medals thanks to a 3-1 win on penalty strokes.

Walsh said: "It was a little bit cat and mouse, but with Carolyn [Reid] in goal we knew we were going to save a couple so we just had to put ours away.

"Penalties aren't the best way to settle a match, but we have got a medal round our necks so I don't care now."

England coach Danny Kerry added: "We've had to play two sides ranked above us in the world and we've deserved our medal.

"We had two gilt-edged chances which we really should have put away, but all in all its been a fantastic day. We wanted to reach the final but we didn't perform when it mattered. However, we have the bronze."

Australia beat India 1-0 to secure the gold medal.

Walsh's success completed a memorable haul of medals for Stockport-based competitors in Melbourne.

Last week cyclist Paul Manning won two golds, Isle of Man-born Mark Cavendish won one gold, Sale Sharks' flanker Magnus Lund won a silver in the rugby sevens, while swimmer Matt Walker won a bronze medal in the 50m EAD [elite athletes with a disability] freestyle.