Clydesdale made the promotion pool in Cambrai

Clydesdale Western secured a place in the promotion pool after a 3-3 draw with Slovakian side Raca in the morning, but then lost 5-2 to English side East Grinstead in the afternoon. Clydesdale are bottom of the promotion pool with no points with only Austrian side WAC to play on Sunday.

 

CLYDESDALE WESTERN 3 RACA (SLOVAKIA) 3

With a superior goal difference Clydesdale only needed a draw at worst against Slovakian champions Raca to finish in second place in Pool A and qualify for the promotion pool at the next stage in the tournament.

That was achieved with a 3-3 draw but it was tight. Further, the Clydesdale cause was made even more difficult by missing twice from the spot – they almost paid the penalty for that.

Unfortunately Clydesdale will carry their 4-1 defeat at the hands of Irish side Railway Union into the promotion competition. So realistically they must beat both East Grinstead (England) and WAC (Austria) to finish in the top two and promotion.

This morning`s game started off poorly, the first penalty was missed by Clydesdale and minutes later Natalia Fondrkova put Raca in front. However, by the interval Tamilla Matchett levelled for Clydesdale from open play following a good build-up involving three players.

Two minutes into the third quarter Bronwyn Shields put Clydesdale into the lead for the first time in the contest when she swept home a cross from the right…and the promotion pool seemed a very real possibility.

But then came a double whammy, Clydesdale missed their second spot effort and almost immediately Lenka Horackova buried two quick-fire penalty corners to put the Slovakians 3-2 in front – and the tables had turned.

Then Anna Hoolaghan came to the rescue. A three player move up the left opened up the Raca defence, Millie Steiger crossed and Hoolaghan put the ball in the net for 3-3, and the promotion pool was back on the agenda.

Clydesdale played out the remaining ten minutes without conceding any further goals, although they did have to survive a penalty corner scare.

Coach Wendy Justice said: “Very pleased to make the promotion pool. Our first target was to make the top four, now we have two tough games ahead but it`s all to play for.”

 

CLYDESDALE WESTERN 2 EAST GRINSTEAD (ENGLAND) 5

It was always an uphill battle for Clydesdale when East Grinstead`s Pip Lock opened with a close range finish with only two minutes on the board. It might have been worse later in the first quarter but the English side missed from the spot.

Early in the second quarter Courtney Hansford doubled Grinstead`s tally with a lucky rebound at a penalty corner. Just before the interval Clydesdale were awarded a penalty but the spot effort was easily saved/ so it was 2-0 at the interval.

After the break the English side moved into a 4-0 lead with two more goals, Pip Lock scored with a spin and shot, then Chloe Brown converted at a penalty corner. And the game seemed lost

But the Scots rallied and in 26 minutes Margery Justice scored with a direct shot at a penalty corner. Then early in the final quarter Bronwyn Shields added a second with a shot from mid-circle. And so game on.

But the whiff of comeback was stifled with four minutes left, another strike by Chloe Brown at a counter attack and that was the end of that.

 

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