By Carl Markham, PA Sport

England recorded a famous victory against the Hockeyroos - their first in a major competition against them for 15 years - to guarantee at least a silver medal.

A packed Belle Vue crowd witnessed a superb display of attacking hockey which left the defending champions reeling in the first half - and local girl Kate Walsh was at the heart of it.

Walsh, born in Withington, Manchester, scored the first and created the second and was a rock in England's defence as they set up a Saturday final clash against India.

The victory was all the more sweet for England coach Tricia Heberle who is Australian and a former Hockeyroo who played in the 1984 Olympics.

It was achieved without the services of Olton midfielder Lucilla Wright, who is still in hospital recovering from an infected shoulder. But in her absence her colleagues played their hearts out.

The Hockeyroos had hammered England 8-1 in the semi-final at the last Games but when Great Britain - which was a mostly English team - met them at the Sydney Olympics two years ago the result was a lot closer, losing 2-1.

But England have a reasonable record against the Aussies, world and Olympic champions, with three victories in their last eight matches. Their last win, 2-0, was at Milton Keynes in 1999. And their last win against them in a major competition was the World Cup in 1986.

And they showed no fear from the outset, taking the game to Australia playing at a fast tempo high up the pitch - which was rewarded with the first two penalty corners inside 17 minutes.

The second one paid huge dividends when the rehearsed slip left saw Slough defender Walsh flick home for her third goal in as many games.

And in the 25th minute an almost carbon-copy set-piece the ball was again switched to Walsh whose flick towards goal was deflected in by club-mate Jane Smith.

England found another hero in goalkeeper Hilary Rose when a penalty stroke was awarded rather harshly after Louise Dobson's 28th-minute penalty corner hit Walsh's feet but was adjudged to have been going in even though Rose appeared to be behind her.

However, Rose saved Dobson effort from the spot and then produced a good stick stop from a 29th-minute Dobson penalty corner.

The Hockeyroos won another penalty corner three minutes into the second half but the switch left saw Julie Towers push her shot wide of Rose's left-hand post.

Understandably, the pattern of play had to change and the Aussies came out fighting but England held them at bay and the penalty corner count was similar in the second half.

Rachel Walker was sin-binned with seven minutes remaining but England defended resolutely with Rose save another Dobson penalty corner save.

Australia will play New Zealand for the bronze medal.

Dobson eventually fired in a penalty corner with three minutes to go but it was not enough.

And local hero Kate Walsh was delighted to have beaten the Aussies at their own game.

It was the third game in a row that Withington-born Walsh had scored and she admitted she was as amazed as anyone.

"I don't know what's going on - I've scored three goals in a row!" she said.

"I'm speechless. It is unbelievable. The first half we just played out of our skins and it's nice to beat the Aussies at their own game.

"The crowd were going bonkers. It was absolutely brilliant.

"We haven't done any double left slips (at penalty corners), we have been saving them, but we saw the Aussies had a space on that side.

"I didn't see it go in. I was on the floor doing a nice little commando roll celebration."

Walsh's Slough club-mate Mandy Nicholson said the team worked for their victory.

"We did it the hard way but we believed in ourselves and we went out there, maybe a little bit defensive in the second half, but we did what we had to do," she said.

"First half we took it to them and managed to play them at their own game."

And Canterbury defender Mel Clewlow said even though England led 2-0 for a long time the result was always in doubt.

"Even when you are 2-0 up against them you can't relax and that is why they are one of the best sides in the world," she said.

"People make comments about their retirements (since their Olympic gold win in 2000) but the way Australia are they are always a strong side.

"We were delighted to make the semis and we are delighted to make the final and hopefully we can give the crowd something to cheer about."