(Apologies for the delay in posting this report from Peter Colwill at the ING EuroHockey Women’s Club Champions Cup at Royal Wellington, Brussels, due to technical difficulties)
Reading are left with an uphill struggle after losing their first match in the Eurohockey Women’s Club Champions Cup 2-0 against Royal Wellington the host club in Brussels.
Morgane Vouche converted Wellington’s only penalty corner in the third minute with a shot from a narrow angle which hit goalkeeper Sarah Ellis but looped agonisingly into the far top corner.
Worse followed in the fourteenth minute when a skilful run by Wellington’s Belgium International Jill Boon resulted in a penalty stroke from which the same player scored.
Reading, who were without their seven current Great Britain players, missed out eleven minutes into the second half when Lindsey Molyneux rounded the Belgium’s international goalkeeper Nadine Khouzam only to shoot wide of an empty goal. Neither was there any joy from four second half penalty corners although two faulty injections did not help.
A day off should help Reading to prepare for a must win match against Klipper from Germany.
In the opening match of this half of the tournament, the other half is 700 miles away in San Sebastion, Larensche from the Netherlands beat Ritm-Agot Grodno from Belorussia 7-0. Grodno, who changed their goalkeeper ten minutes into the second half, had neither a shot nor a penalty corner but Larensche must be wondering how they scored only two goals from fourteen corners.
RESULTS.
Pool D
Laensche HC (Ned) 7 HC Ritm-Azot Grodno (Blr) 9
Pool C
Reading HC (Eng) 0 Royal Wellington THC (Bel) 2
