UHC TAKE THEIR SECOND EURO TITLE by Peter Savage at the EuroHockey League Finals

UHC Hamburg won their second EuroHockey League title here in Amsterdam this afternoon. The match was like a good Dutch cheese, which improved with age after a disappointing opening few minutes.

A sizeable contingent from Hamburg cheered their side to the rafters, when Marco Miltkau lit the fuse seconds before half-time with a well taken goal in open play. They had a short wait after the second half had started until Patrick Breitenstein slammed home a penalty corner to make the score 2-0. Rotterdam were quick to assert that they were not yet beaten Rotterdam's Phil Burrows replied from a corner three minutes later.

Right up until the final seconds the match could have gone either way, but it was Hamburg who were to have the last word. A video umpire appeal resulted in Breitenstein stepping up to take a penalty stroke from which he scored his second.

Hamburg looked a lively outfit than they did yesterday, possibly due to the return of Carlos Nevado, who had missed the match against Barcelona due to injury, but overall it was a second half fitting of this superb competition, with Hamburg eventually taking the EuroHockey League Trophy 3-1.

As an aside, two umpires who described themselves to me as the 'NPUA Front', Andy Mair and Hamish Jamson were in charge of this match and umpired superbly, whilst England Hockey vice president, Sue Bodycomb was the appointed judge.

Earlier the bronze medal match between RC Polo de Barcelona and Amsterdam had gone to a shoot-out decider after the match ended 2-2 after extra time. Polo's Borja Zurita missed his attempt, which just left Robert Tigges and Jan Buissant to beat Oriol Fabregas and take the bronze for Amsterdam.

This morning we had had the first ever final of the women's EuroHockey Clubs Champions Cup, which as a spectacle benefitted from the fact that Hamburg were represented and had their large cohort of supporters with them. Despite some enterprising play, their opponents were just too good for them and 's Hertogenbosch won their astonishing 11^th consecutive European club title, winning the match 3-0.

Photographs from the EuroHockey League will appear on our www.hockeyimages.co.uk web site tomorrow (Monday), with a full report in our on-line magazine, HockeyTalk, available from www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk from Thursday.

EUROHOCKEY FINALISTS DECIDED by Peter Savage at the EuroHockey League last four in Amsterdam

The finalists of the EuroHockey League were decided here in Amsterdam with two entertaining and closely fought matches involving four of the best club sides in Europe.

UHC Hamburg proved themselves the comeback kids in last year's final, although on that occasion that were not able to amass sufficient goals to change the result. Against RC Polo de Barcelona in this year's semi final they repeated the trick but with an entirely different outcome.

The match was only three minutes old when UHC suffered the indignity of an own goal, giving Barcelona a lead which they extended just before half time when Pau Quemada scored from a penalty corner.

The second half was more evenly balanced between the two sides but with less than ten minutes left, UHC struck twice, the first from a Patrick Breitenstein corner and the second by Jonas Furste in open play. Two five minute periods of extra time failed to resolve the issue and so we were into the one-on-one shoot-out which is unique to this league.

Hamburg had progressed to the last four courtesy of a third round shoot-out against Bloemendaal, and the extra experienced showed. Hamburg scored at their first attempt, Moritz Furste the scorer. This was followed by five more attempts, two for UHC and three for Barcelona, all of which were either saved or ran out of time.

So UHC Hamburg go through to the finals tomorrow, where they will meet the winner of today's all-Dutch semi-final between the host club, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam. As might be expected, Taeke Taekema had his name on the sheet in this match with two well struck penalty corner goals, the first in the opening few minutes to give Amsterdam an early lead. But Rotterdam had more than their fair share of success from corners, with Simon Child and Jeroen Hertzberger scoring one apiece.

Right up to the dying seconds the match was keenly fought, but with two minutes left to play, and with the scores at 3-3, Rotterdam requested a video appeal for a foul in Amsterdam's 'D'. The appeal resulted in a hotly disputed penalty stroke, which Hertberger put away to finish the match 4-3 in Rotterdam's favour.

The final of the revised format women's Club Champions Cup will also be played here tomorrow. This will involve the women of UHC Hamburg and Dutch side s'Hertogenbosch. The Dutch side had a remarkable record in the old format competition which we are confident they will carry on into this competition.

BEESTON AND LEICESTER LIFT THE CUPS by Peter Savage at the EH Cup Finals at Highfields

It could have been billed as a David and Goliath match but for much of the 70 minutes it seemed as if David was playing David in the EH Cup Final between Beeston and Hampstead & Westminster.

Hampstead and Westminster, who had struggled through the early rounds against South Premier League opposition, looked by far the more competent side during the opening encounters but for much of the first half neither goal net looked as if it would be disturbed by the ball.

The absence of England players from both sides on training duties, seemed to take the edge of the match and it was not until the last twenty minutes that it came to life. Almost inevitably it was the Londoners who drew first blood, with an Andy Cornick penalty corner goal giving them the lead.

On the evidence of the previous 50 minutes, 1-0 could have remained the final score, but Jamie Parker equalised for Beeston with eight minutes left on the clock and Chris Seddon finally slotted home the winner within the remaining few minutes. Final score, 2-1 to Beeston.

Although the match came to life towards its end, it almost seemed a fitting final for the competition which England Hockey seem almost embarrassed to still run. Beeston at least had the satisfaction of lifting some silverware after the disappointment of losing the Championship finals two weeks ago.

It was left to the ladies to provide us with an entertaining game. No David and Goliath match here, with both teams packed full of top-class internationals. However, Leicester proved yet again what a good unit they are and their organisation, and the inclusion of a world class penalty corner striker, gave them the edge over their opponents from Reading.

It was two penalty corner conversions from Cullen that gave Leicester a 2-0 lead at the break, and although their was a danger at one stage that her side might run away with the game, Reading gained their composure in the second half and their efforts were rewarded with a penalty stroke award, which was put away by Helen Richardson.

Final score, 2-1 to Leicester, but a slightly sad end to admirers and supporters of Leicester, with the retirement of their former England international, Jennie Bimson (pictured with cup). She has been a great servant of the game and I for one will miss her.

Mens final:
Beeston: George Pinner (GK), Mark Wadsley, Wayne Rowland, Stephen Wood, Martin Jones, Carl Smith, Jamie Parker, James McBlane, Chris Seddon, Andrew Monte, Stephen Lawrence ©, Sam Dixon, Alex Armstrong, Matt Taylor, Sam Ward. Unused substitute, Tom Skinner (GK).
Hampstead & Westminster: Edward Bevan, Keiran Roche, Andrew Cornick, Jaime Gonzalez-Laguillo Garcia, Daniel Walsh, Ian Roberts, David Cooper, David Pruden, Jordache Rawson, Andrew Smith, Will Naylor ©, Peter Swainson, Ian Scanlon (GK), David Eakins, Mike Williamson. Unused substitute, Andrew Miller (GK).

Women's final:
Leicester: Maddie Hinch (GK), Gemma Darrington, Crista Cullen, Lucy Brown, Hannah Macleod, Laura Unsworth, Kerry Williams, Chloe Rogers, Katie Long, Jennie Bimson ©, Hannah Smith, Vanessa Hawkins, Rebecca Herbert, Emma Clarke, Lauren Turner. Substitute not used, Sarah Cockayne.
Reading: Kate Walsh, Vicky Bryant ©, Clare Appleton, Helen Richardson, Claire Kerr, Emily Malden, Alex Smith, Laura Puddle, Jo Ellis, Alex Danson, Rebecca Odlin, Emily Maguire, Mel Insall (GK), Emma Lee-Smith, Emma Thomas. Substitute not used, Beth Storry (GK).

Images from this match will appear shortly on our web site at www.HockeyImages.co.uk

CORNER STRIKING GIVES GB WIN OVER GERMANY by Peter Savage from Bisham Abbey

Picture: The architects of GB's first goal, Crista Cullen (left) and Chloe Rogers (centre) celebrate.

Great Britain's women played the second of a test series against Germany at Bisham Abbey this afternoon.

Germany had by far the better run of the first half, with Celine Wide scoring in the 19^th minute. Great Britain absorbed a tremendous amount of pressure but were kept in the game by some stout defending and good work by Maddie Hinch, earning her first GB cap in goal.

The first half ended with Scotland's Laura Bartlett being stretched off and taken to hospital with a knee injury.

From the restart Great Britain were more into the game and they received an early reward with a penalty corner, which saw striker Crista Cullen play a convincing dummy which allowed Chloe Rogers to slip the ball past a stranded Yvonne Frank to give GB an equaliser.

We only had to wait three minutes for another corner goal, which saw Crista Cullen take the strike – no dummy this time - to bury the ball in the German goal. Some careless passing in the German defence gave GB their third, when a series of penalty corners allowed Cullen to score her second.

In the last quarter of the match the Germans seemed to find their shape again, and Eileen Hoffman managed to score from open play with seven minutes remaining.

The final score: 3-2 to GB. A workmanlike effort by the Great Britain women, but past experience has shown that the Germans are not quite so much a pushover when it comes to the major tournaments. We have the Champions Trophy in Nottingham to look forward to in that respect.

GB versus Germany: Maddie Hinch (Leicester), Laura Unsworth (Leicester), Crista Cullen (Leicester), Jo Ellis (Reading), Helen Richardson (Reading), Natalie Seymour (Canterbury), Chloe Strong (Slough), Emily Maguire (Reading), Chloe Rogers (Leicester), Kerry Williams (Leicester), Alex Danson (Reading), Nicola White (Slough), Laura Bartlett (Reading), Ashleigh Ball (Slough), Katie Long (Leicester), Sally Walton (Bowdon Hightown).

Germany: Yvonne Frank, Tina Bachmann, Mandy Haase, Eileen Hoffman, Nina Hasselmann, Lydia Haase, Katherine Ottte, Hannah Kruger, Fanny Rinne, Marie Mavers, Jennifer Plass, Sija Lorenzen, Maike Stockel, Janne Muller-Wieland, Celine Wide, Lina Geyer.

GB WIN FIRST TEST AGAINST GERMANS

Great Britain won the first of a two match series against Germany at Bisham Abbey this afternoon.

A Kate Walsh penalty conversion late in the first half was cancelled out minutes later but an equaliser by Germany's Jennifer Plas. The match was eventually won by an Alex Danson goal four minutes from time.

Great Britain play Germany again tomorrow (Wednesday).

Great Britain v Germany:
Beth Storry (Reading), Ashleigh Ball (Slough), Crista Cullen (Leicester), Gemma Darrington (Leicester), Laura Unsworth (Leicester), Kate Walsh (Reading), Helen Richardson (Leicester), Chloe Rogers (Leicester), Alex Danson (Reading), Katie Long (Leicester), Nicola White (Slough), Sam Quek (Bowdon Hightown), Sally Walton (Bowdon Hightown), Susie Gilbert (University of Birmingham), Georgie Twigg (Clifton), Kerry Williams (Leicester).

 

CARR WINS THE DAY FOR GRINSTEAD by Peter Savage at Cannock

Photo: A younger member of the Pearn family does not see what all the fuss is about as Mark Pearn (centre) and skipper Scott Ashdown (left) show off the Premier Division Championship Trophy.

East Grinstead managed to come back from the dead in an intriguing Championship final this afternoon at Cannock.

Played in weather that showed as many variations as the fortunes of the sides on the pitch, Beeston had dominated the early exchanges and went into the break on 3-1 thanks to goals from Samual Ward, Jamie Parker and Matthew Taylor. EG's only goal had come from Danny Hall.

Beeston extended their lead early in the second half with a second from Taylor. But in an extraordinary finale to the match, East Grinstead's South African international and penalty corner specialist, Gareth Carr, found the net three times in seven minutes, to put the score at 4-4 in ordinary time.

15 minutes of golden goal extra time failed to settle the issue and so the match went to penalty strokes. Beeston's Stephen Wood failed to score from the opening stroke of the barrage and it was left to Gareth Carr to step up to take East Grinstead final flick of the series, which he sank home past Beeston's George Pinner to give EG the match and the Championship.

Earlier in the day, in the WOMEN'S PROMOTION TOURNAMENT, Cannock had also staged a comeback when they played University of Durham. The students had been leading by 4-1 until the 46^th minute, but Cannock's revival brought the score up to 4-4. With seconds remaining, Cannock were awarded a penalty stroke, which was converted by Hollie Webb to give them victory and promotion to the Premier Division.

Cannock finished second behind Clifton, who keep their Premiership status after an uninspiring match against Ipswich.

IN THE MEN'S PROMOTION TOURNAMENT, Canterbury made it three out of three with an emphatic win over Brooklands MU. Most of the damage was done in the first half with goals from Mickel Pierre, Kwan Brown and Michael Farrer, but captain Matt Harper got in on the action with an early second half goal. Final score 4-1 to Canterbury.

Both Team Bath Buccaneers and Deeside Ramblers had been runaway leaders in their respective conferences, but it has not been a happy weekend for the Ramblers as they had conceded 16 goals in the previous two matches. So their win over Buccs was a bit of a surprise, with Ramblers taking a 2-0 lead within minutes of the opening whistle. Their 3-1 win over Bath Buccaneers deprived their opponents of a place in the Premiership, and the result means that Brooklands MU stay in the Premiership.

Photographs of all today's matches will appear on our sister website at www.hockeyimages.co.uk in the next few days.

Men's Championships

Beeston			(3)				4		-		4		(1)		East Grinstead
Samuel Ward 6 - F Jamie Parker 30 - F Matthew Taylor 33 43 - F F															Danny Hall 19 - F Gareth Carr 59 64 66 - PC PC PC

East Grinstead won 7-9 on pen strokes

Men's Promotion Tournament

Canterbury		(3)		4	-	1		(1)		Brooklands MU
Mickel Pierre 2 - F Kwan Browne 22 - PC Michael Farrer 32 - PC Matt Harper 48 - F										David Seddon 5 - PC
Deeside Ramblers		(2)		3	-	1		(1)		Team Bath Buccaneers
Geoff Price 4 - F James Warburton 8 - F Ali Ghazanfar 56 - PC										Tim Davenport 19 - PC

		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Canterbury	3	3	0	0	17	4	13	9
2	Brooklands MU	3	1	0	2	9	8	1	3
3	Team Bath Buccaneers	3	1	0	2	6	8	-2	3
4	Deeside Ramblers	3	1	0	2	5	17	-12	3

Women's Promotion Tournament

Ipswich		(1)		1	-	1		(1)		Clifton
Emma Millar 18 - PC										Fleur Horner 9 - PC
University of Durham		(3)		4	-	5		(1)		Cannock
Louisa Boddy 17 34 - PC PC Gwen Smith 27 - F Steph Elliott 38 - F										Laura Johns 2 - F Hollie Webb 46 70 - PC PS Hayley Turner 50 - PC Linda Royston 59 - F

		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Clifton	3	2	1	0	7	5	2	7
2	Cannock	3	2	0	1	10	8	2	6
3	Ipswich	3	1	1	1	4	4	0	4
4	University of Durham	3	0	0	3	6	10	-4	0

CANTERBURY LOOK ODDS-ON FAVOURITES TO RETURN TO THE PREMIERSHIP

Canterbury look certain to return to the Premier Division after they beat Bath Buccaneers 4-3 in the play-offs at Cannock today. A goal in the last minute for Mickel Piere gives them six points from two games and a decent goal difference to take into their last match tomorrow, when they play Brooklands MU, who are fighting to retain their Premiership status.

North Conference Deeside Ramblers had another torrid day, going down 7-2 to Brooklands. They play West Conference champions Team Bath Buccaneers tomorrow.

In the women's play-offs, Clifton are the only team on maximum points after a 4-2 win over University of Durham. Clifton play Ipswich tomorrow. Ipswich went down 3-1 to Cannock, but with very little to differentiate the sides on goal difference, a good win by Ipswich tomorrow could see them overtake Clifton or possibly open the door for Cannock.

 

Men's Promotion Tournament

 

Brooklands MU		(2)		7	-	2		(1)		Deeside Ramblers
Peter Flanagan 13 - PC Charlie Brooke 17 - F Mark Richardson 39 - F Dave Flanagan 40 - F David Seddon 52 - PC Richard Thompson 56 - PC Andy Bull 70 - PC										Ali Ghazanfar 27 - PC Russ Hornby 58 - PS
Canterbury		(1)		4	-	3		(1)		Team Bath Buccaneers
Michael Farrer 12 - F Aaron Hudson 63 65 - F F Mickel Pierre 70 - F										Tim Davenport 13 38 - F F Richard Bendry 66 - F

 

		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Canterbury	2	2	0	0	13	3	10	6
2	Brooklands MU	2	1	0	1	8	4	4	3
3	Team Bath Buccaneers	2	1	0	1	5	5	0	3
4	Deeside Ramblers	2	0	0	2	2	16	-14	0

 

Women's Promotion Tournament

 

Clifton		(1)		3	-	2		(0)		University of Durham
Fleur Horner 6 - PC Georgina Twigg 41 - F Elizabeth Sinton 59 - PC										Harriet Moore 46 - PC Sophie Davies 65 - PC
Ipswich		(0)		1	-	3		(1)		Cannock
Charlotte Anderson 45 - PC										Hayley Turner 11 - PC Meg Byas 48 - F Latasha Webb 70 - PC

 

		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Clifton	2	2	0	0	6	4	2	6
2	Cannock	2	1	0	1	5	4	1	3
3	Ipswich	2	1	0	1	3	3	0	3
4	University of Durham	2	0	0	2	2	5	-3	0

SLOUGH TAKE CHAMPIONSHIP

A 55^th minute goal by Slough's Chloe Strong secured the England Hockey League Championships this afternoon. Her penalty corner strike against Leicester brings to an end a remarkable season for Slough, who were close to oblivion at the start of the season but recovered to finish third in the Premier Division.

The men's final between Beeston and East Grinstead is on Monday.

In the Men's Promotion Tournament, runaway winners of the North Conference, Deeside Ramblers, were humbled by Canterbury who beat them 9-0, while two late goals by Bath Buccaneer's Lewis Prosser and Tim Davenport overturned Brooklands MU's early lead. After one game, Canterbury lead the table thanks to a much superior goal difference.

In the Women's Promotion Tournament, Clifton managed to stay in contention to retain their Premier Division status by beating West Conference Cannock 3-2. Ipswich's bid to bounce straight back into the Premiership also looks promising as they overcame University of Durham 2-0.

 

Women's Championships

 

Leicester		(0)		0	-	1		(0)		Slough
										Chloe Strong 55 - PC

 

 

Women's Conference Relegation Play-offs

 

Sheffield Hallam		(0)		0	-	0		(0)		Southgate

 

		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Swansea	2	1	1	0	2	1	1	4
2	Southgate	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	2
3	Sheffield Hallam	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1

 

Men's Promotion Tournament

 

Team Bath Buccaneers		(0)		2	-	1		(1)		Brooklands MU
Lewis Prosser 61 - F Tim Davenport 62 - F										David Seddon 10 - F
Deeside Ramblers		(0)		0	-	9		(4)		Canterbury
										Kwan Browne 21 40 - PC PC Matt Harper 22 33 - F F Mickel Pierre 28 41 - F F Ben Hare 47 - F Matthew Tang Nian 48 - F Michael Farrer 67 - PC

 

		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Canterbury	1	1	0	0	9	0	9	3
2	Team Bath Buccaneers	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
3	Brooklands MU	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0
4	Deeside Ramblers	1	0	0	1	0	9	-9	0

 

Women's Promotion Tournament

 

Cannock		(2)		2	-	3		(2)		Clifton
Eleanor Watton 23 - PC Linda Royston 28 - F										Carys Hopkins 21 - F Fleur Horner 30 - PC Leah Wilkinson 64 - F
University of Durham		(0)		0	-	2		(0)		Ipswich
										Camilla McWhirter 53 - PC Lizzy Aldous 68 - PS

 

		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Ipswich	1	1	0	0	2	0	2	3
2	Clifton	1	1	0	0	3	2	1	3
3	Cannock	1	0	0	1	2	3	-1	0
4	University of Durham	1	0	0	1	0	2	-2	0