Hockey: Reading are felled by Viking invaders
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Your support makes all the difference.VIKINGS, WHO are the Danish National side and the current European bronze medallists, yesterday won the DTZ Invitation tournament at Kidderminster when they defeated the English champions, Reading, 10-8 in an exciting game of contrasting styles.
Reading, adapting their outdoor game to the indoor boards, opened the scoring through Jon Slay, afterwards named player of the tournament, in the sixth minute. A minute later Scott Ashdown put them further ahead.
Three goals inside two minutes from Peter Ulrich then put the Danes in the lead, which they never surrendered. With their patient build-ups, quick breaks and clinical finishing they always appeared to be in control as Ulrich took his tally to four, and his tournament total to 19.
But Reading never gave up, Mark Pearn collecting a hat- trick to keep the crowd on the edge of their seats.
The weekend's exercise for Reading, for whom their captain Jon Wyatt and Ben Barnes, along with goalkeeper Simon Mason, were impressive at the back, will stand them in good stead when they start the defence of their national title.
Reading's path to the final had been uneventful until their semi-final against the local side Harborne. With never more than a goal between them until the last 10 minutes, Pearn won a penalty corner and converted it for his third goal of the game.
A couple of minutes later he set up Simon Briscoe for his first of two goals and Reading coasted home as fatigue set into the Harborne side.
Vikings' route had been smoother. The all-round strength of the squad, team cohesion, and sound basic indoor skills proved decisive. They accounted for Stourport 8-5 in the quarter finals and then Firebrands 10-4 in their semi final.
Beeston beat Hull 5-3 to win the Plate final.
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