Kelburne face EHL challenge in Barcelona

Aberdeen Asset Management National League Division 1 Champions Glynhill Kelburne travel to Barcelona, Spain for Round 1.1 of the Euro Hockey League (EHL) from 11-13 October.
The Scottish champions will face a tough test of their credentials against Poland’s WKS Grunwald Poznan and Dutch outfit Oranje Zwart in Pool G of the continent’s top club competition. The top two in each pool will progress from each pool to the KO16 round next year.
Assessing his side’s chances, Player-Coach Mark Ralph said, “It’s been tough as we have had a few injuries recently, which means we have been struggling. We were going to take 18 players but now we are down to 16. This just means players will have to take a bit more responsibility during both games, not just for one.
We play the Dutch team first, which is a tough one, but also good to experience for the players playing against a team of that stature as they have a lot of quality players.”
As outlined by Ralph, Dutch heavyweights Oranje Zwart are the opponents (13.30 BST) on Friday in the first match. Making their return to the EHL for the first time in three years, their squad is packed with outstanding talent, including London 2012 Silver medallists Sander Baart, Marcel Balkestein, Bob de Voogd and penalty corner star Mink van der Weerden.
The group also contains the considerable talents of Belgian international Thomas Briels as well as Pakistan trio Rashid Mehmood, Fareed Ahmed and the brilliant Muhammad Rizwan Sr. It is a seriously impressive squad, ensuring that they will rightly be considered amongst the tournament favourites.
Ralph’s side then take on WKS Grunwald Poznan in their second match on Sunday (13.30 BST). This is likely to be the key match in determining whether Kelburne reach their ambition of emerging from the pool in the top two qualification positions.
“It’s a great chance for our players to have a chance to put their wits against them and for me it’s all about the second game”, said Ralph. “If we focus on good performance in the first match then we can really push forward against the Polish champions. It will be tough but we have to make sure we are ready for them.
The Polish champions have been a fixture in the EHL since the very first edition of the tournament way back in 2007-2008, making it through to the KO16 phase on a number occasions.
However, they narrowly missed out on qualification for the KO16 last season when they were drawn in the same pool as England’s Beeston and Dutch champions Amsterdam H&BC.
These two games will not be an easy draw for the Paisley side, but ex-Scotland international Ralph is optimistic ahead of the trip to Catalonia, “We need to relax, take our chances and play our own game, there’s no point going if we play one way to get into the EHL and then change our system.
“We need to play the same way as a team. We did it last year. We are missing a few players from last year’s team but it gives a few players the chance to step up [this year].
“We have new players and some young players stepping forward like Lee Morton, who has been playing brilliantly for us this season and I know he will thrive in the EHL with a bit more responsibility. I am hoping for the same when we’re out there.”
Both matches are live on the EHL website http://www.ehlhockey.tv/
Friday 11 October: MHC Oranje Zwart v Glynhill Kelburne HC, 13.30 BST
Sunday 13 October: WKS Grunwald Poznan v Glynhill Kelburne HC, 13.30 BST
Glynhill Kelburne squad (as appears on EHL website):
1 Mark Fulton
2 Fergus Barrows
3 Nicolas Riemann
4 Michael Bremner
5 Adam Bain
6 Ian Horsfield
7 Stuart Allan
8 Michael Christie
9 Johnny Christie
11 Mark Ralph
12 Chris Nelson
13 Edward Greaves
16 Lee Morton
17 John Martin
18 Jack Mcallister
19 Ross McIntyre
22 Fraser Hutchieson
24 Michael Nicol
25 Fabian Goldie
26 Jack Mckenzie
27 Andrew Duff
32 Scott Sutherland

Last season’s Aberdeen Asset Management National League Division 1 Champions Glynhill Kelburne travel to Barcelona, Spain this week for Round 1.1 of the Euro Hockey League (EHL), taking place from 11-13 October.

The Scottish side will face a tough test of their credentials against Dutch outfit Oranje Zwart and Poland’s WKS Grunwald Poznan in Pool G of the continent’s top club competition. The top two sides will progress from each pool to the KO16 round next year.

Team Huddle

(Kelburne will need strong team performances this weekend. Credit: EHL website)

Assessing his side’s chances, player-coach Mark Ralph said, “It’s been tough as we have had a few injuries recently, which means we have been struggling. We were going to take 18 players but now we are down to 16. This just means players will have to take a bit more responsibility during both games, not just for one.

“We play the Dutch team first, which is a tough one, but also good to experience for the players playing against a team of that stature as they have a lot of quality players.”

As outlined by Ralph, Dutch heavyweights Oranje Zwart are the opponents (13.30 BST) on Friday in their first match.

Making their return to the EHL for the first time in three years, their squad is packed with outstanding talent, including London 2012 Silver medallists Sander Baart, Marcel Balkestein, Bob de Voogd and penalty corner star Mink van der Weerden.

Oranje Zwart

(Mink van der Weerden will prove a threat for Oranje Zwart. Credit: EHL website)

The group also contains the considerable talents of Belgian international Thomas Briels as well as Pakistan trio Rashid Mehmood, Fareed Ahmed and the brilliant Muhammad Rizwan Sr. It is a seriously impressive squad, ensuring that they will rightly be considered amongst the tournament favourites.

Ralph’s side then take on WKS Grunwald Poznan in their second match on Sunday (13.30 BST). This is likely to be the key match in determining whether Kelburne reach their ambition of emerging from the pool in the top two qualification positions.

“It’s a great chance for our players to have a chance to put their wits against them and for me it’s all about the second game”, said Ralph. “If we focus on good performance in the first match then we can really push forward against the Polish champions. It will be tough but we have to make sure we are ready for them.”

The Polish champions have been a fixture in the EHL since the very first edition of the tournament way back in 2007-2008, making it through to the KO16 phase on a number occasions.

However, they narrowly missed out on qualification for the KO16 last season when they were drawn in the same pool as England’s Beeston and Dutch champions Amsterdam H&BC.

Grunwald

(Thomas Dutkiewicz of WKS Grunwald Poznan. Credit: EHL website)

These two games will not be an easy draw for the Paisley side, but ex-Scotland international Ralph is optimistic ahead of the trip to Catalonia, “We need to relax, take our chances and play our own game, there’s no point going if we play one way to get into the EHL and then change our system.

“We need to play the same way as a team. We did it last year. We are missing a few players from last year’s team but it gives a few players the chance to step up [this year].

“We have new players and some young players stepping forward like Lee Morton, who has been playing brilliantly for us this season and I know he will thrive in the EHL with a bit more responsibility. I am hoping for the same when we’re out there.”

Both matches are live on the EHL website

Friday 11 October: MHC Oranje Zwart v Glynhill Kelburne HC, 13.30 BST

Sunday 13 October: WKS Grunwald Poznan v Glynhill Kelburne HC, 13.30 BST

Glynhill Kelburne squad (as appears on EHL website):

1 Mark Fulton

2 Fergus Barrows

3 Nicolas Riemann

4 Michael Bremner

5 Adam Bain

6 Ian Horsfield

7 Stuart Allan

8 Michael Christie

9 Johnny Christie

11 Mark Ralph

12 Chris Nelson

13 Edward Greaves

16 Lee Morton

17 John Martin

18 Jack Mcallister

19 Ross McIntyre

22 Fraser Hutchieson

24 Michael Nicol

25 Fabian Goldie

26 Jack Mckenzie

27 Andrew Duff

32 Scott Sutherland

 

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