After the German powerhouse, came English resolve. A day after Rot-Weiss Köln’s 5-1 win over Surbiton stopped their route to what would have been an improbable, unforgettable final berth, the English side did become the first to win a medal for 11 years at the men’s Euro Hockey League with a superb 24-hour turnaround.
In 2011, Reading won bronze after losing to Club de Campo de Madrid. England’s club side for 2022 beat the same Spanish outfit 2-1 to finish third in what was a breakthrough moment for England’s three-time domestic champions.
David Goodfield and Gareth Furlong handed Surbiton the advantage in a gutsy display for Mark Pearn’s side before the inevitable nervy ending as Club Campo tried to take it to a shoot-out following Ignacio Rodriguez’s crucial touch late in the game.
However, victory was also down to Ore Ogunlana’s agility and glovework in goal as Surbiton held on to spark jubilant scenes on the hooter.
Surbiton had two senior and two junior sides playing in Amsterdam over the week and Pearn said that these club performances could usher in the start of a legacy.
Pearn said: “This is the first part of it.
“It’s an amazing club and we have some great aspirations. In terms of the people, they back all of the teams and it is amazing for us to be able to support our Under-14s in the last couple of days.
“They did brilliantly, the girls getting a silver medal and the boys just missing out on bronze. To have four teams over here for the last number of days, it says a lot about where we are and we can compete with the best in Europe at all ages and both genders.”
A world-class performance from HC Bloemendaal saw the Dutch side to a record fifth men’s EHL crown as they produced a dominant performance to see off Rot-Weiss Köln, 4-0, in front of a rocking Wagener Stadium crowd.
AH&BC Amsterdam‘s fresh-faced team produced the performance of their lives to land the women’s EHL title, beating the Den Bosch powerhouse in a shoot-out.
Amsterdam won 3-2 after the reigning champions Bosch twice led in the first half from Frédérique Matla goals before Filiz Tüzgol and Fay der Elst took the game to a dramatic shoot-out.
At the Euro Club Trophy, East Grinstead women rounded off a memorable campaign to claim bronze after a 6-2 win over Argentia in Milan.
