Hook Hockey

Rovers face Bulgarian promotion playoff

Three Rock Rovers are within a win of regaining ‘C’ division status on the European indoor scene after a comfortable win over Finland’s ABC Team before snatching a spirited 3-3 tie with hosts Anadolu Atesi.

It means Three Rock need to beat Lokomotiv Sofia in the final group game on Sunday to claim the second promotion place after Atesi confirmed their place with that draw.

The former was won by prising open a deep Finnish defence early on, Peter McConnell starting the run with a penalty corner. Jody Hosking added the next before McConnell got his second en route to a hat-trick, helping the side into a 4-0 lead.

ABC pulled back a couple late on to counter Garry Ringwood’s effort but too far into the tie to create any drama.
The tie against the Turkish hosts was a more fraught affair with passions running high and a partisan crowd making for a hostile atmosphere in the Yesiltepe arena.

Indeed, the catcalls were deafening enough to see Rovers not realise was chalked off as the umpire attempted to rule out a corner effort for taking it before the defence was settled.

Ringwood opened the account but the Turks have been the stand-out side to date in the competition and nudged ahead with a couple of goals before McConnell charged forward to sweep home from the top of the circle.

Atesi led again on half-time before a fired up second half saw Three Rock win a series of corners but – like in the National Trophy- missed out on numerous occasions. Ross Canning, though, nabbed an equaliser with 90 seconds left after Colin Huet’s reverse pass bounced his way. Stephen West held out some late drama to secure the draw.

It makes for an all-or-nothing date with Bulgarian champions Lokomotiv Sofia on Sunday morning after they ran up wins over Sagene (5-4) and Batumi (7-2).

EuroHockey Club Champions Challenge II: RHC Lokomotiv 1929 5 Sagene 4; Adjaria, Batumi 3 Anadolu Atesi 15; ABC Team 2 Three Rock Rovers 5 (Peter McConnell 3, Jody Hosking, Garry Ringwood); RHC Lokomotiv 1929 7 Adjaria, Batumi 2; Anadolu Atesi 3 Three Rock Rovers 3 (Peter McConnell, Garry Ringwood, Ross Canning); Sagene 4 ABC Team 5

Day two standings: 1. Anadolu Atesi 17pts (+27) 2. RHC Lokomtiv 1929 15pts (-2) 3. Three Rock Rovers 13pts (+13) 4. ABC Team 8pts (-3) 5. Sagene 7pts (-6) 6. Adjaria, Batumi 2pts (-29)