Picture: Action from the Round 3 match between Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the EuroHockey LeaguePETER COLWILL REPORTS FROM MANCHESTER ON THE EUROHOCKEY CUP WINNERS CUP
Amsterdam won their 18th European Gold medal when they beat Campo Villa de Madrid 2-0 in the final of the EuroHockey Women's Cup Winners Cup competition in Bowdon, scoring 26 times without conceding a goal. Host club Bowdon Hightown were edged out of the Bronze medal when they lost a penalty shoot out 4-2 against Rot Weiss Koln after an exciting 3-3 draw.
The final was a one sided affair with Madrid's goalkeeper Marie Jesus Rosa keeping her side in the match with four fabulous penalty corner saves to deny Fieke Holman. Holman, the leading Dutch League goalscorer, eventually found the net in the third minute of the second half at her seventh attempt. When Madrid made a late rally, a break away by Kitty Van Male set up Ellen Hoog for the second goal.
Bowdon Hightown came back three times from behind with the third goal scored by Charlotte Hartley with the last shot of the game when she turned in Sally Walton's pass at a penalty corner.
Andrea Wicken fired Rot Weiss ahead in the third minute but Tina Cullen equalised just before the interval from a penalty stroke. A stunning run by Christina Schutze set up Nicolette Abel for the German club's second goal before Cullen again equalised, only for Abel to put Rot Weiss back in front with her second goal. In the penalty competition Cullen and Michelle Liptrot scored but Nicky O'Donnel's shot was saved and with Clare Parkhill shooting wide, the Germans secured the Bronze.
Bonagrass Grove ensured a Scottish Club will be playing in this competition next year by beating Alta Borispol 15-0, the biggest score of the tournament. From the moment Louise Carroll drove in a penalty corner after 63 seconds, the only question was going to be how many.
Ali Bell, a first choice striker who had not scored in the tournament, helped herself to their next four goals in an eight minute spell and the fifth before half time. There were four goals for Nikki Kidd, two for Linsey Glass with the rest coming from Jen Wright, Ailsa Robertson and centre-back Kat Cameron who celebrated with an exuberant handstand.
Final Day results:
5/8th Lorenzoni (Ita) 1 Royal Uccle (Bel) 3; Bonagrass Grove (Sco) 15 Alta-Borispol (Ukr) 0.
3/4th Bowdon Hightown 3 Rot Weiss Koln 3. Koln won 4-2aps
FINAL Amsterdam 2 Campo Villa de Madrid 0.
Italy and Ukraine relegated to the 2010 Trophy Competition
PETER SAVAGE REPORTS FROM THE EUROHOCKEY LEAGUE IN HAMBURG.
A peculiarity in the league rules means that we now know the semi-final draws without any draw having actually taken place. Designed to try and avoid a final between two clubs of the same nation, the two Dutch clubs who won their Round 3 matches will play each other in the semi finals.
Yesterday's victors over East Grinstead, Bloemendaal, will meet the winner of the last Round 3 match, which was played this afternoon. The match in question, between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, ended in controversial style, after normal time and two periods of silver goal extra time had failed to decide the issue. A trip by the Amsterdam goalkeeper during the one-on-one shoot-out decider, resulted in a goal being awarded to Rotterdam and they go through to next month's semis, at a location in the Netherlands to be announced.
The other semi-final will be between Leuven and Hamburg (Uhlenhorster).
