The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
City of Peterborough pair out to become masters of Europe
City of Peterborough Hockey Club will have not one, but two players in action at this year’s European Masters Hockey Championships in Holland.
Club stalwart Mark Drake has been a regular in the England Over 40 veterans side for the last five years and will once again be representing his country - this time at Over 45 level.
And he’ll be joined at the big event in Tilburg, which runs from tomorrow (August 11) to August 19, by City of Peterborough clubmate Jonathan Short.
Goalkeeper Short will be representing Wales Over 50s.
Drake’s England team face France tomorrow (August 11), Wales on Saturday (August 12), Ireland on Monday (August 14) and Germany on Wednesday (August 16 ) in their pool matches, with the placing matches taking place between August 17 and 19.
Short’s Welsh team face a very tough set of pool matches, facing current world champions England (August 11), the hosts Netherlands (August 12), Spain (August 13) and Ireland (August 15). Placing matches take place between August 17 and 18.
Both City of Peterborough players have been training hard throughout the summer to get ready for this prestigious tournament.
Short has been with the Hockey4U Academy getting specialist GK training with Beeston’s new National Premier League forward Gareth Andrew as well as Neil Evans and Paul Hillsdon.
Drake (45) was in the England team that reached the 2015 Over 40 final where they were beaten 4-1 by Holland in St Albans.
He made a successful tournament debut for the Over 45s in June when helping them to victory in the Home International tournament at Southgate Hockey Club in London.
England lost their first game 2-1 to Ireland before coming through to win the title on goal difference thanks to wins over Wales (7-0) and Scotland (5-0). Drake scored against Scotland.