ENGLAND TRIO INTO QUARTER FINALS OF EUROHOCKEY LEAGUE by Antonia Richards in Rotterdam

Following East Grinstead’s convincing win and Beeston’s success yesterday, the English spotlight was on the third of its teams (Reading) to also make it through to the quarter final stage by beating Club an der Alster in the fourth match played today. 

An early field goal by Ian Mackay gave Reading the lead, and Simon Mantell slotted in one of his own at the start of the final quarter to double the score.  Reading were reduced to nine men following two yellow cards, and the continuing pressure from their opponents then allowed captain Jonathan Froschle to find the net (his shot deflected into the goal by Stephen Dick) making it 1-2. 

However, the German club’s Sebastian Biederlack received a yellow card and, with their number reduced, Andy Watts took the opportunity to strike to put Reading further ahead 1-3.  Club an der Alster replaced their goalkeeper (Tim Jessulat) with a kicking back for the final three minutes and earned a late penalty corner which they were unable to convert.  Reading’s 1-3 victory means that all three English clubs are in the quarter finals.

In the second match of the day, Dinamo Elektrostal had their chances but it was KHC Dragons who emerged the winners after sending two field goals into the Russian club’s  net.  The scorers were Matthew Cobbaert (who, towards the end of the third quarter, landed heavily after a mighty collision with the Russian goalkeeper Roman Rogov) and Felix Denayer.  Final score: 2-0.

The third match saw HTC Uhlenhorst Mulheim take on the home side.  Rotterdam stormed into an early lead which they then extended to 4-0.  But Mulheim did not give up and their determined play had  levelled the score at 4-4 by the end of seventy minutes.  With no goals in extra time, the matter had to be settled by a one-on-one penalty shoot-out, from which Rotterdam emerged the victors 9-8. 

The schedule for the quarter finals  is as follows:

Sunday 8 April 2012
12.00 CET Beeston  v UHC Hamburg       
14.30 CET Amsterdam v HC Bloemendaal       

Monday 9 April 2012
12.00 CET KHC Dragons v Reading HC        
14.30 CET HC Rotterdam v East Grinstead