Hockey: Bray puts Ipswich on road to victory: Hounslow fall to Spaniards while champions start brightly

BRITAIN'S women took the honours on the opening day of the European Club Championship A Division here yesterday with wins for Ipswich and Glasgow Western, while Hounslow's men were beaten 2-1 by Egara.

Helen Bray, following up at a penalty corner, gave Ipswich the lead after seven minutes against Amiens, with Vicky Dixon making sure with a last- minute goal from their 13th penalty corner.

Sue MacDonald scored twice as Glasgow Western beat Real Sociedad 4-1, with Wendy Fraser and Eilen Murray completing the scoring.

Hounslow, after an indifferent start in which they allowed Egara to hustle them out of their stride, exploited the Spanish team's reduction to 10 men after the temporary suspension of Arturo Gispert to take the lead in the 29th minute. Rob Thompson thumped home Nick Gordon's cross from the edge of the circle.

In a second half that was dominated by the Spanish for long periods, Hounslow conceded penalty-corner goals from Victor Pujol and Santi Amat. In attack Thompson worked like a Trojan but with little support and Simon Hazlitt was sound in defence but Hounslow were let down by their experienced international midfield which never really got to grips with the game.

Earlier, the German defending champions in both competitions gave notice of their intent. Seeking their seventh successive title in the men's event, Uhlenhorst cruised to a 6-1 win against Ska Samara of Russia while Russelsheim beat the Lithuanians Taurus Eurovil 3-1.

EUROPEAN CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP (Bloemendaal) Men, A Division, Pool A: Uhlenhorst (Ger) 6 Ska Samara (Rus) 1; Durkheim (Ger) 3 Baudouin (Bel) 1. Pool B: Hounslow 1 Egara (Sp) 2; Bloemendaal (Neth) 6 Racing Club (Fr) 0. Women, A Division, Pool A: Russelsheim (Ger) 3 Taurus Eurovil (Lith) 1; Glasgow Western 4 Real Sociedad (Sp) 1. Pool B: HGC (Neth) 4 Cus Catania (It) 0; Ipswich 2 Amiens 0.