SILVER AND FOURTH
After the inevitable ups and downs of the recent EuroHockey championships held at Braxgata HC in Boom (Belgium), England had to be content with an excellent silver for the women and a realistic fourth place for the much-changed men’s team. The nine-day event was the best organised I’ve ever attended with its combination of top class hockey and first rate social, post-match entertainment, catering, toilet (very important!) and shopping facilities – all helped along by 100s of enthusiastic and willing blue- shirted volunteers.
The stadium announcer was quite outstanding (speaking in English all the time!) and while he was unashamedly biased in whipping up the support of the already fanatical Belgium fans he gave the event tremendous atmosphere. As a friend of mine said it was like watching hockey in a disco! But the crowd was hushed before every Belgium game for their team to sing their national anthem. The event was attended by the newly-crowned King Philip and twice by the country’s Prime Minister.
While football has been slow to embrace technology hockey has, as we know, used video referrals for some years and as television viewers will be aware we were able to hear (as a first in my experience) the dialogue between the on-pitch umpires and the video umpires. Both England teams lost their chance of subsequent referrals by the dubious use of the facility early in a game each unlike the German women who reserved their referral to wipe out a late England ‘equaliser’. If a team uses a referral after five minutes it has to be 101% sure of success and while referrals add a lot of excitement to a game decisions have to be quicker especially as in a few games there were four or five (some quite spurious) in the last five minutes!
Both England sides got off to winning starts with the women beating Spain 3-0 and the men defeating Poland 5-2 but that turned out to be the men’s one and only win. After the women were denied their equaliser against Germany stomach bugs were blamed for their sub-standard (to put it politely!) performance in beating Scotland 2-1 to ensure their expected semi-final place. Oddly enough we were satisfied with the men going down 2-1 to Holland as this matched the scale of Ireland’s defeat by the same opponents meaning England only needed a draw against Ireland to clinch a semi-final spot by one goal difference. Leading 2-0 at half time England were in command until two quick penalty stroke conversions caused nervous convulsions in the stands! But players and supporters survived to fight another day.
While all this was going on the Belgium teams were progressing nicely and especially the men who had got the tournament off to the perfect start with a 2-1 win over Germany. Didn’t their fans enjoy that one! The men then had comfortable wins over the Czech Republic and Spain to make the semis while the Belgium women did likewise after their expected loss to Holland and their expected win over Ireland.
The England women played really well against Olympic champions Holland in the semis and after a deserved 1-1 draw somehow managed to edge through to the final after the agonising penalty shuffles with Alex Danson (twice) and Helen Richardson finding the net and with Maddie Hinch (later voted the keeper of the tournament) in fine form between the posts. An amazing achievement bearing in mind the team’s inept shuffles against Germany in the final! Behind me a raucous young Dutchman was getting so het up I told him he was in danger of a seizure! There was to be no final appearance for the men – for whom skipper Barry Middleton is still the best player – who despite playing some good and promising hockey were beaten comfortably 3-0 by the impressive Belgium team thought by some experts to be the current top team in the world. In the other semis the Belgium women conceded a late goal to Germany to draw 2-2 and German teams (hockey or football) simply do not lose shootouts and the ever-improving Germany men beat Holland 5-3 in one of the best games of the tournament.
In the 3rd place play-off England men upped their game and only a glaring miss in the last few minutes denied them an equaliser while 3-2 down to Holland. In the women’s final (with all 8300 seats filled as for the men’s final the next day) England were superb in taking the game to the Germans and Susie Gilbert’s late equaliser to make it 4-4 was one of the best goals of the event. But the less said about the shuffles the better! As for the exciting men’s final I told a German couple sitting near me that they would beat Belgium 3-1 which goes to prove I’m sometimes right! A memorable nine days with thanks to everyone involved.
Online Club Shop (run in conjunction with Dynamic Sports)
The shop will be up and running from Sunday (1 September) via the link at the top of the Home Page of the club’s website – namely www.magpies-hockey.co.uk
The range of clothing and accessories available through the shop will be expanded and updated in time and you are asked to let Kirstin Cumming know what you would like included by speaking to her at the club or contacting her at [email protected]
You are also asked to be tolerant of any technical or other issues which may arise in the early days and to contact Kirstin should this be necessary.
Other News
a) Membership forms have been issued and subscription and training fees are due on 1 September and should be paid by 30 September. NB. It is also essential that members complete and return a form.
b) Two blue shirts are missing from the club set which is usually used when our men’s teams play away to Felixstowe and Sudbury. If you have them please return them to Kirstin who has promised me she will be very understanding! Failing that I suggest you surreptitiously leave them on the top of the fridge/freezer in the kitchen!
c) If you haven’t been to training yet please see dates and times on the website.
d) Club Day is Saturday 7 September with ladies in the morning and gentlemen in the afternoon.
e) Between Musings please keep an eye on the website for updates.
IceniPost.com – sponsors of www.magpies-hockey.co.uk
With kind regards
Mike Denham
29/8/13
