Robert Church scored five for Canada despite a positive performance from England in a 20-3 semi-final defeat at the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships on Friday.

Jack Royer continued his excellent goal-scoring record during the competition with two more goals, taking his total tally to nine.

Albert Whitehead scored a fortunate third for England in the fourth quarter as his team look to regroup ahead of the bronze medal game against Haudenosaunee on Sunday morning.

Having reached a second successive World Lacrosse Box Championships semi-final, it was always going to be a tough ask for England to come close to a side who have never lost a match in this competition in 21 years.

England started positively, however, and managed to keep a free-scoring Canada to five goals in the first quarter.

Another two goals from Canada were followed quickly in the second quarter before Royer fired in for England’s first of the game.

England had their most successful period in the game at this point with Royer netting a second for his team on a power play to put the scores at 8-2.

Canada’s response to England’s two goals was to amp up their performance and so they went on an 11-goal scoring run over the second, third, and fourth quarters to effectively seal the victory.

Whitehead claimed a third for England with less than eight minutes to go after his shot ricocheted off the Canada goalie and into the back of the net but Church had the last laugh as he netted his fifth and Canada’s 20th with six minutes to play.

Canada will take on USA for another chance to be crowned world champions on Sunday while England take on Haudenosaunee in the bronze medal game at 00:15am on Sunday morning.

England 3-20 Canada (5-0, 5-2, 7-0, 3-1)

England scorers: Jack Royer (2G), Albert Whitehead (1G), Ollie Allsop (1A), Dan Watson (1A).