Demotion for English

HOCKEY

HOCKEY

BY BILL COLWILL

Uhlenhorst, the German champions, won the European Club Championship for the eighth successive year in Terrassa, Spain yesterday with a Henning Helwig goal in a 1-0 win against Amsterdam.

With both teams familiar with each other's style, the match was inevitably a tense one. Greater entertainment was provided by the host club, Atletic Terrassa, who beat the Italians, Cernusco, 4-1 for the bronze medal in which Xavier Arnau scored a hat- trick.

Havant's desperate fight, on behalf of Teddington, to retain England's position in the A Division next year, finally failed in a penalty shoot-out against Royal Baudouin after the Belgians had equalised in the final minute to make it 3-3.

After a taut opening, the 16-year-old James Perryman gave Havant a 30th- minute lead when he deflected home Calum Giles's long corner. Six minutes after the interval the Belgians were leading 2-1, but Havant, driven on by Don Williams, were quickly on terms with a fine goal from Giles and then, when the England striker won a penalty stroke, he confidently claimed his second. Eric van der Gracht scored the late Belgian equaliser.

Giles got Havant off to a poor start in the shoot-out by firing wide and when Matthew Bartlett's shot was easily blocked by the goalkeeper, the Belgians ran out 4-2 winners.

A disappointed Havant manager, Chris Pickett, in his last game, said he could not fault his side's commitment but could not see an England club succeeding again in Europe until there were more water-based pitches. Also the league structure was such that there was no gap between the end of the league season and European competition. Havant have now twice surrendered England's place among Europe's elite.

Balsam Leicester just retained England's position in the women's A Division, beating Swansea 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out following a 2-2 draw.