Hockey: English chase bronze: European Club Championships
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Your support makes all the difference.HOUNSLOW and Ipswich will compete for bronze medals in the European Club Championships here this afternoon - the reward for disciplined, defensive displays by both sides here yesterday.
Hounslow men's team, who will now meet Durkheimer for the bronze, beat the host club, Bloemendaal, 2-1 in a cracking game, while the Ipswich women restricted the Dutch side, HGC, to a 1-0 victory, going through on goal difference once the result of Amiens' game with Catania was known. They now play Glasgow Western.
Ipswich, needing just a draw to reach the final, held out for 59 minutes before conceding a goal to Miranda Van Grimbergen following a break down the left in which the Dutch always had a player over. The Suffolk club, with Helen Bray sweeping behind the back three, defended with great character with Bray in commanding form before she left the field with a hand injury in the 27th minute.
Vickey Dixon took over the sweeping role with equal success but at the sacrifice of the front runners, who without Dixon and Sarah Bamfield, injured on Saturday, were never able to take the pressure off an overworked defence.
Hounslow took advantage of the Dutch, when they were down to to 10 men, to take the lead in the ninth minute. A quickly taken free hit by Mike Williamson sent Jon Rees away to cross for a diving Bobby Crutchley to get the touch.
Although the Dutch equalised six minutes later Hounslow stuck to their defensive plan and with superb performances from the experienced Jon Potter and 18-year-old Guy Fordham denied the opposition and their penalty corner specialist, Floris Jan Bovelander, even one penalty corner.
The winning goal came in the 17th minute from another quick free hit, Nick Gordon going behind the defence enabling Dave Hacker, sneaking through a crowded circle, to score the winner.
Results, Sporting Digest, page 31
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