Four-times champion Pakistan went down in a hard-fought match to England [ Images ] in the play-off for 5-6 positions at the men's hockey World Cup in Monchengladbach, Germany [ Images ], on Saturday.

A Martin Jones goal three minutes from close carried England to a 1-0 victory over Pakistan.

- Men's Hockey World Cup

Pakistan lost their cool and their way, which resulted in two yellow card suspensions to Shakeel Abbasi and Adnan Maqsood.

England, runners-up to Australia [ Images ] in 1986, showed the discipline required to bide their time before delivering the killer punch as Jones dived to deflect home a cross from James Tindall, who snatched the ball from a slow-moving skipper Saqlain Muhammad.

It was England's best-ever finish since 1994 when they came in fifth at the Sydney [ Images ] World Cup while Pakistan, fifth in the previous two tournaments, occupied the sixth position.

In another match, The Netherlands overcame New Zealand [ Images ] 3-0 to finish seventh.

Two goals by Roderick Weushtof (34th, 49th) on either side of Taeke Taekema's 40th minute conversion was the highlight of the Dutch victory.

This year's Champions Trophy [ Images ] winners matched their 1986 World Cup performance in ending up seventh while New Zealand finished eighth.