Picture: Slough coach Todd WilliamsSlough started the Eurohockey Women's Club Championship with a disappointing draw against Atasport from Azerbaijan who equalised with the last hit of the match. "We should have buried them" was Todd Williams, the Slough coach's verdict.
Atasport who included three Koreans and an Italian took the lead in the eighth minute when Alizada Bo Kyong found space in the Slough circle and finished with a well placed shot. From then on Slough dominated the half but could find no way past the massed Atasport defence. The second half was a different story. Alex Scott who had got up at 3a.m. to fly in on the morning of the match won Slough's first penalty corner in the opening minute of the half. Jane Smith's shot from the resulting corner took a helpful deflection from a defender and Slough were level.
Three minutes later Scott was in action again this time at the other end saving on the goal line with Sarah Ellis comprehensively beaten. Two minutes later she was having a decisive effect at the other end when she deflected in Smith's pass from a penalty corner. There was further action at either end. Fiona Greenham took a stinging penalty corner off the line and Lauren Penney shot straight at the goalkeeper when well placed.
With victory in their grasp Slough squandered it when Mandy Nicholson failed to cut out a long clearance presenting Dilfuza Mixaliyeva, the Atasport captain with an opportunity to equalise which she took with aplomb.
Slough's next opponents on Saturday Den Bosch, the hosts, who started with a scintillating 8-0 victory against Royal Antwerp.
In the other pool Berliner had little difficulty overcoming Volga Telecom from Russia 4-0 but CD Terrassa looked unconvincing against Sumchanka from the Ukraine winning 2-1
Day One Results:
Pool A
Atasport (Aze) 2 Slough 2
Den Bosch 8 Royal Antwerp 0
Pool B
CD Terrassa 2 Sumchanka (Ukr) 1
Berliner 4 Volga Telecom (Rus) 0.
