Bowdon Hightown managed to let the trophy slip though their fingers when they played Slavia Praha in the final of the European Indoor Clubs Trophy in Prague this afternoon.
Bowdon had gone into the second half with a 2-0 lead, thanks to goals from Sally Walton and Michelle Liptrot, and increased the lead when Liptrott converted a corner early in the second half. But Praha were on their tails almost immediately and equalised from a penalty stroke converted by Adela Mejzlikova nine minutes into the half. Walton converted a penalty corner to allow Bowdon to re-take the lead, but the Czechs struck back quickly with two goals to take the lead. The match ended 5-4 to Slavia Praha.
Final positions: 1. Slavia Praha (Czech Rep.), 2. Bowdon Hightown (England), 3. Rotweiss Wettingen (Switzerland), 4. Lorenzoni (Italy), 5. Slagelse (Denmark), 6. Cambrai (France), 7. Zrinjevac (Croatia), 8. Armagh (Ireland). Czech Republic and England are promoted to the Club Champions Cup in 2013. Ireland is relegated to Challenge I in 2013.
The European Club Champions Cup in Vienna has seen the final decided on penalty strokes after the match ended 4-4 in ordinary time. The match was eventually won 6-5 by Berliner, who beat Ritm-Azot Grodno of Belarus. Third place was taken by Dutch side SV Kampong. MSC Sumchanka of the Ukraine and Scotland's Dundee Wanderers finished in seventh and eighth place respectively. Ukraine and Scotland are relegated to the Indoor Clubs Trophy next year.
