Reading have finished fifth in Europe’s top-level club hockey competition, the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup., with an emphatic 4-0 win over German club HC Berliner in the Netherlands.
The English club had the better of the first half with Susannah Townsend and Alex Danson making a nuisance of themselves in the German circle. They created a well-worked goal finding Becky Halle perfectly placed to score. The second goal came from a similar move, this time Ellie Cockburn was best placed.
The second half was a repeat of the first as Berliner struggled to find their form. A deliberate foul by Berliner led to stroke in the 49th minute, which Leah Wilkinson converted and stretched Reading’s lead to 3-0. The final goal came via Liana Smith in the 59th minute.
Reading lost their opening game in the knockout format to Uhlenhorster on Good Frdiay. The game finished 1-1, but the Germans took the first shootout of the weekend. Reading defeated Atasport 3-1 the following day, ensuring a top-six finish.
Amsterdam were crowned European champions following a shootout defeat of the hosts HC ‘sHertogenbosch. The final finished 2-2 and the visitors took the sohotout 3-0.
In another shootout, this time after a 1-1 draw, Uhlenhorster HC of Germany took third place ahead of Spain’s Real Sociedad de Futbal.
Railway Union from Ireland finished seventh, defeating Azerbaijan’s Atasport 5-2. The Dublin club’s goals came from Sinead Dooley (2), Kate Dillon and Kate Lloyd (2).
Player of the Tournament: Lidewij Welten (Den Bosch)
Top Goalscorer: Eva de Goede (AHBC)
Best Goalkeeper: Yvonne Frank (UHC Hamburg)
Final Ranking:
1 Amsterdam H & BC (NED) EuroHockey Club Champions Cup 2014 Winner
2 HC ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED)
3 Uhlenhorster HC (GER)
4 Real Sociedad de Futbal SAD (ESP)
5 Reading HC (ENG)
6 Berliner HC (GER)
7 Railway Union HC (IRL)
8 Atasport (AZE)
