The performance of some of our top domestic sides in the opening matches of the season might have given rise to doubts about how they would perform in Round 1 of this season’s EuroHockey League. Beeston, for one, have not had the best of starts. But in Mulheim this afternoon they did a superb job of demolishing Pomorzanin Torun of Poland.
Beeston were two up within the first ten minutes, with a penalty corner conversion from Adam Dixon, followed by a field goal from Martin Jones. The game settled a bit after that, but Martin Scanlon put in a third before the half-time break.
The Poles only response to Beeston’s dominance was some robust tackling, which saw two yellows and a green dished out in the second half. George Pinner in the English goal was called into action occasionally and dealt with the threat, but after recent imports Patrick Schmidt and Jonathan Beckers made it five, Pinner was taken off to give understudy Thomas Pinnegar some pitch time.
It may seem a bit premature to say Beeston are through to Round 2, but for otherwise to happen would require Torun to beat Polo Barcelona by a decent margin tomorrow. On today’s performance that would seem unlikely. Beeston’s 5-0 win should see them safely through to the KO16 at Easter. Beeston’s second and final match is against Barcelona on Sunday.
Earlier another Polish side, Grunwald Poznan, was in action against Dinamo Elektrostal of Russia. The 4-5 scoreline in favour of the Russians rather flatters the match as a spectacle, although the torrential rain and the absence of spectators (I counted one when the match started) hardly contributed anything positive.
Beeston squad against Pomorzanin Torun: George Pinner (GK), Thomas Pinnegar (GK), Mark Wadsley, Timothy Whiteman, David Ames, Carl Smith, Matin Jones, Martin Scanlon, James McBlane, Stuart Pilgrim, Matthew Taylor, Adam Dixon ©, Patrick Schmidt, Stephen Lawrence, Alastair Wilson, Gordon McIntyre, Olive Willars, Jonathan Beckers.
Images from this match will appear on our images site at www.HockeyImages.co.uk later.
