England underlined their credentials as potential Hockey World Cup winners by sealing top spot in Pool D with an 8-2 win over Wales.

Sam Ward took just 73 seconds to open the scoring before Will Calnan deflected in a second.

Some brilliant saves from Toby Reynolds-Cotterill kept Wales in the game, but Calnan added his second and Tom Sorsby smashed home a fourth to end the first half.

Wales improved in the third, but England captain Zach Wallace scored a fifth from a rebound.

Sam Hooper added a sixth through the legs of his Wimbledon Hockey Club team-mate in the fourth, with Henry Croft and Nick Bandurak also scoring.

Gareth Furlong scored two late consolation goals from a penalty stroke and penalty corner.

England’s high-tempo attack made life difficult for the Welsh defence with clever deflections giving the attackers lots of shooting chances.

England had mathematically qualified for the second round after two games, but Zak Jones’ ruthless side showed no signs of letting up.

They had 14 penalty corners to just one for Wales, though Wales did score through their lone attempt – with Furlong’s fourth goal of the World Cup moving him to second in the scoring charts behind Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh on five.

The world ranking and funding gap between the two sides was clear as Wales struggled to create chances against a resolute English defence.

Many Welsh players have full-time jobs or study, and are responsible for funding their own international travel, with just three of the 20 men in the Wales squad being full-time athletes with GB.

It was the second time the sides had met at a Hockey World Cup, with England winning 5-0 at the 2023 tournament in India.

The two goals for Wales equals the most they have ever scored in a single game against England.

Only Japan are ranked lower than 15th-ranked Wales at the tournament.

England head coach Jones – a former Wales captain and head coach – will now look to lead his side into the semi-finals.

With a change to the format of the competition this year, there are no quarter-final matches, but a second pool stage instead.

The result from England’s game against second place in the pool will carry over and they will also face hosts the Netherlands and either Argentina or New Zealand in second-round fixtures on Saturday and Monday.

Wales meanwhile will play against Japan and Argentina or New Zealand in ninth-16th classification matches on Saturday and Monday in Amsterdam before playing their final match of the World Cup on Friday, 28 August.

India beat rivals Pakistan 5-3 in the other Pool D match on Wednesday to secure second spot in the pool.

Saturday, 15 August

India 3-1 Wales

England 4-1 Pakistan

Monday, 17 August

Pakistan 3-3 Wales

India 2-4 England

Wednesday, 19 August

England 8-2 Wales

Pakistan 3-5 India