Cannock played their first game of the 2008-09 Euro Hockey League against Dinamo-Kazan in Amsterdam this afternoon. Goalkeeper James Fair could do nothing as the Russians raced to a 2-0 lead in the first nine 9 minutes, with goals from Arsen Gevorkyan and Ivan Kisialevich. Cannock pulled back to 2-2 by the first quarter break with goals from Richard Lane and Matthew Taylor. At the start of the second quarter Pakistan international Ali Warsi Syedimran gave Dinamo the lead again. A ball brought out from the Cannock defence all the way to the opposition circle saw Gareth Andrew score, to the delight of the travelling supporters, to make it 3-3 at half time.
Five minutes into the second half Cannock nearly took the lead when a shot by Lane from a penalty corner hit the upright. But after 15 minutes Dinamo Kazan were again in front from a penalty corner scored by Syedimran. With eleven minutes to go Cannock broke away and earned a penalty corner. Kazan, having fallen foul of the EuroHockey League rule which allows the umpire to banish defenders to the half way line for breaking early, were left exposed and Richard Lane scored his second to take Cannock to 4-4.
With eight minutes to go, Ralis Nasyrov was hit by a rising ball and was helped off the pitch. But the Russians still pressed forward and only superb saves by Fair kept Cannock in the game. With less than two minutes to go Ivan Kisialevich was given a green card and side-lined. Cannock then immediately pressed forward and with less than a minute on the clock took the lead with a goal from Will Pearce. Despite losing Flanagan to a green card in the final seconds, Cannock held on to win 5-4.
In the first game of the day Der Club an der Alster from Germany beat Pocztowiec Poznan of Poland comfortably 3-0.
