CLYDESDALE HEAD FOR CAMBRAI WITH PROMOTION ON THE AGENDA

Clydesdale Western head for Cambrai with the aim of collecting the promotion ticket to Europe`s top table next year. The Glasgow club almost did that last year at the women`s EuroHockey indoor Club Trophy but instead they had to settle for bronze after finishing in third place, and promotion just out of reach.

 “The target achievement for the team is to secure a promotion place. Despite the late setbacks of not having Bronwyn Shields (to injury) and Jen Eadie (to a GB contract) last year, the squad collectively narrowly lost out to a promotion place (finishing third), so understandably confidence is high that we can achieve this goal with a full squad this year.

“However, we know from our previous excursions into Europe that all matches will be tough, as we are faced invariably with very different opposition and match officiating to that which we experience at home, and you have to hit the deck running, achieving wins from the very start, as they is very little leeway for slipups if a promotion place is to be won.”

This time Clydesdale will open against Klub Zelina from Croatia on Friday morning, followed by Irish champions Railway Union in the afternoon and finally KPH Raca from Slovakia in the final pool match on Saturday – and the Scots must finish in the top two to qualify for the promotion pool.

 So, what is the quality of the opposition? As is common in this type of European event very little is known about the other sides, so Wendy will start with an almost clean sheet of paper and pick up the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition as the tournament progresses.

 On the opposition, Wendy said: ” I know very little. We played Railway Union last year and therefore understand the quality that they have. We are aware that the Austrian Champions, WAC, will have experienced, strong players, given that several of them will have been in the Austrian team which recently won the silver medals at the World Indoor Championships.”

 Ironically it was Railway Union that Clydesdale beat to gain third place last year – the score was 4-3 and there were two goals each for Margery Justice and Millie Steiger.

 The Clydesdale camp were clearly disappointed in losing the Scottish crown to Watsonians and they will be in Europe next season, but that was the only game the Glasgow club lost and that only to a last gasp strike.

However, Wendy has taken a positive view on proceedings.

“We were understandably very disappointed to lose the Scottish Final, and particularly in the way it happened, given that we had played ourselves into a good position to take the win, but have re-viewed our performance from this match, gleaned important learning, and seen areas of our collective game play and delivery which can be improved. The intention is to deliver even better in Europe.

 “It has been a very long time since a Scottish Club played in a European A competition, so we shall try our very best to give a good Watsonians’ team that opportunity next year.”

 In conclusion, the European Hockey Federation has announced the cancellation of the A Division tournament due in Alanya next weekend due to the impact of the recent earthquake in Turkey, so promotion and relegation arrangements are as yet uncertain.

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