Edinburgh University start EuroHockey challenge with win

Sophie Hinds netted the game winner as The University of Edinburgh opened their campaign in the EuroHockey Club Challenge II with a narrow 2-1 win over Swiss combine C Rotweiss Wettingen in Turkey.
Sam JudgeSam Judge
Sam Judge

Hinds netted eight minutes from time for the Scottish Cup runners-up in the Pool B game after the Scots went behind from Ria Muller after 28 minutes.

But coach Sam Judge saw her squad – without Ava Smith and Louise Campbell – bounce back to level only a minute later when Itske Hooftman scored from a penalty corner.

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There was success to be celebrated all across the Scottish teams in action and though like the students Clydesdale Western also went behind in their Pool A clash with SV Arminen (Austria), Maxine Collien netting after seven minutes, the Glasgow side hit four unanswered goals to claim the win.

Emma McGregor opened the Scots account after 19 minutes and Fiona Semple fired coach Derek Forsyth's squad ahead from a penalty corner after 33 minutes.

Two goals in the final ten minutes secured the win, Annabel Ballantyne scoring in 50 minutes and Heather Lang counting with a minute left.

Meanwhile skipper Rob Harwood and Andrew McConnell both netted doubles as Scotland's Grand Slam champions, Western Wildcats, opened their EuroHockey Club Trophy II campaign in Switzerland with a 4-1 victory over Danish side Slagelse.

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It is 11 years since the Auchenhowie men competed in an outdoor European event and McConnell scored their first goal in more than a decade to open from from a penalty corner after only five minutes and he added his second ten minutes later. Harwood opened his account two minutes after that for 3-0.

Nikolaj Christensen pulled one back for the Danish side after 42 minutes but Harwood secured the win with his second 12 minutes after that.

The tournament, European hockey’s third tier, has been reduced from eight to six teams after the withdrawal of Polish and Italian sides.

Coach Vishal Marwaha had been aiming for a positive start having warned pre-match “it's important we start the tournament well as any slip up could be costly," and his players duly delivered.