Ipswich’s Hannah Martin offered up no excuses for England’s lacklustre display as the women’s hockey side lost their first match of the Commonwealth Games, to India.

Playing at 9.30am but still in blazing heat, England made a flying start to the match with captain Alex Danson deflecting home from Sophie Bray’s cross with just 35 seconds on the clock.

But goalkeeper Maddie Hinch was beaten through her legs by Navneet Kaur in the third quarter, before Gurjit Kaur drove home a penalty stroke two minutes into the final period.

That was the way it finished and England now need a convincing win against Malaysia at 10.30am on Monday to secure top spot in Pool A spot and, hopefully for England, avoid home favourites Australia in the semi-finals.

“We didn’t play well enough to get the result but we were a bit unlucky. We hit the woodwork twice in the game it just wasn’t falling for us today,” said the 23-year-old from Suffolk

“But we can’t think that it just wasn’t our day. We need to be putting those goals in, the bar isn’t enough.

“It was an early game and the heat was a factor. But there are no excuses at all.”

Later in the day George Pinner watched from the sidelines as Harry Gibson got the nod in goal for England’s men against Pakistan.

And it was a frustrating afternoon for Pinner and England as they let slip a lead three minutes from time to draw 2-2.

Mark Gleghorne and Sam Ward had helped overturn a deficit early in the second half, and England looked set for a second successive victory.

However Ali Mubashar made no mistake from a penalty corner after England had spurned further opportunities to make the game safe.

Despite that draw, England remain unbeaten and top of Pool B ahead of clashes with Wales and India.

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