Tough start for Grange in EuroHockey League Ranking Cup

Grange 0 Waterloo Ducks 8

There is no doubt that Waterloo Ducks deserved their victory in the opening game of the EuroHockey League Ranking Cup, but the 8-0 score line certainly flattered the Belgian outfit – they were lethal in front of goal.

Grange Manager Martin Shepherdson said: “The score line was not really a fair reflection and we acquitted ourselves well. The effort level was outstanding. We now look forward to another really tough game tomorrow.”

However, the defeat means that Grange will now play Hampstead & Westminster tomorrow in the next ranking game, the English side went down 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out to Mannheimer from Germany after the game finished 3-3 in normal time.

Grange were the more enterprising side in the opening exchanges, they won an early penalty corner but it failed to produce a shot. There were no real chances to either side in the first quarter which ended goalless.

The Edinburgh side continued to defend well in the next quarter and denied a talented Belgian side who seemed at that stage somewhat devoid of ideas.

Just when the Ducks seemed to be getting frustrated, the Grange defence lost a bit of concentration and Guillaume van Marcke was allowed to deflect the ball past David Forrester for the opening goal – a rather cruel blow for all Grange`s effort.

The Duck`s tally was doubled within a minute with a penalty corner drag flick by Frenchman Victor Charlet and that was the score at the interval.

The contest was effectively over two minutes into the second half with another penalty corner conversion by Charlet for the Duck`s third. The Belgians then turned up the heat and just before the end of the third quarter Charlet buried two more set pieces inside a minute for a 5-0 score line.

Grange then conceded a penalty early in the final quarter and Tommy Willems sent his spot effort high past Forrester.

Grange then had their best spell of the contest, they won a penalty corner, the routine broke down but the ball was passed on to Fraser Heigh whose reverse stick effort cannoned into the side net. The Alan Johnston won another penalty corner but Albert Rowling`s flick was batted away by the keeper`s stick but the rebound effort went wide.

As Grange perhaps tired at the end of the match the clinical Belgians added two more inside the final minute through William Ghislain for a rather flattering score line.

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