Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Euro test a big step-up
Hockey
Canterbury Ladies co-skipper Helen Fagg reflected on a fantastic experience after the city club finished sixth at the Eurohockey Club Cup in the Netherlands on Monday.
The Polo Farm outfit fell agonisingly short of a repeat of their fine fifth-placed finish from the previous year after being edged out in a penalty shootout against Spanish side CSV Complutense in Den Bosch on Monday, having come from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 in normal time.
The competition began with a battling display from Canterbury despite a 5- 0 defeat against a strong Hamburg side.
The reverse saw them miss out on the semi-finals but they won the opening game of the fifth-eighth play-offs, beating Russian champions CSP Krylatskoye 3-1 on Sunday to book a date with the Spaniards in the fifth-place play-off.
Fagg said: “The first game was a bit of an eye-opener and a wake-up call for us.
“The strength of the German team was just too much for us and we couldn’t deal with their short corners.
“It showed the gulf in class there is between the top Dutch and German sides and the rest. It’s a big step-up to that next level.”
She added: “It was completely different against the Russians. We were so good, got it tactically spot-on and everyone pulled together and produced a decent performance.”
On Monday Canterbury fell behind to Claudia Rodriguez’s goal on four minutes but Sarah Kerly levelled six minutes later after a fine solo run and shot.
Celia Sanchez-valverde restored the Spaniards’ lead shortly after half-time and the game looked up when Rodriguez made it 3-1 20 minutes from time, finishing after the Spanish captain, Lola Riera Zuzuarregui struck the crossbar.
The city club, however, pulled one back through Victorine Vankemmel after fine work by Lizzie Neal and then with five minutes remaining, Grace Balsdon levelled from a penalty corner to force a shootout.
Fagg managed to help Canterbury into 2- 0 lead with two saves but needed to make another vital stop to prevent the Spaniards winning it.
It sent the shootout to sudden death but after Begona Garcia found the net, Mel Clewlow was driven wide and missed the target as Canterbury missed out.
Fagg added: “The way we lost was gutting for everyone but especially Mel who was brave enough to step up to
‘It was a fantastic tournament to be involved in, a good learning experience’
take that last attempt. It was a fantastic tournament to be involved in, a good learning experience for our players and a great way to end a long season.
“The challenge for us try to get back there season.”
Balsdon had also scored in either half in the win over Krylatskoye, via a penalty corner to break the deadlock and then a penalty stroke to make it 2-1, while Neal set up Hannah Griggs to score the clincher late on. Canterbury squad: Fagg, Smith ( GK); Balsdon, Griggs, Clewlow, E Brett, Flint, Kerly, Neal, Kolárová, Barnes, Del Borello, Vankemmel, Jenkins, Turner, Fox, A Brett, Buttimer. it to next