Day 1 of the EuroHockey Club Champions Trophy at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre, featuring some of the best men’s hockey club sides in Europe.
A total of 7 teams have made it through to the finals of one of European hockey’s showpiece tournaments. Bromac Kelburne, winners of the Scottish title for a 12th season in a row represent the host country and are joined in Pool A by Swiss side HC Rotweiss Wettingen, HC Minsk from Belarus and Banbridge from Ireland. Pool B is made up of three teams, SK Slavia Prague from Czechoslovakia, HC Bra from Italy and Cardiff & Met HC from Wales after Atasport from Azebaijan were a late withdrawal.
Photo: Duncolm Sports Photography
Bromac Kelburne will be quietly confident having already completed a domestic treble this season (winning the National League, Scottish Cup and National Champions Trophy) and with a team full of international experience in the shape of former Scottish players Chris Nelson, Iain Scholefield, Michael Christie and Johnny Christie, the latter back after a long term injury. With 100+ caps each and veterans of multiple Commonwealth Games they form a strong nucleus in the team complemented by up and coming talent such as Scotland U18s player Neil McIntyre, not to mention goalkeeper Ben Rennie who is the Australian Indoor keeper and played in the last Indoor World Cup.
The opening day of action features three matches starting at 1.15pm with Pool B action in the shape of SK Slavia Prague versus the Italians HC Bra. Then at 3.30pm the action switches to Pool A for HC Rotweiss Wettingen against Irish side Banbridge, the latter one of the fancied teams in the tournament with a number of top players including three who are in the Irish squad training for the Rio Olympics this summer. That match is followed by the opening game for Bromac Kelburne at the revised time of 6.30pm against the champions from Belarus, HC Minsk.
This is the daily draw in full via the EuroHockey website that includes the results so far and the latest pool standings.
It promises to be a fantastic four days of hockey at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre. At stake is not only the prize of 2016 EuroHockey Club Champions Trophy winners, but also points that could guarantee entry to next season’s Euro Hockey League giving the teams a double incentive. Let the EuroHockey Club Champions Trophy begin!
First match is at 1.15pm.
Admission is on the day priced: Adults £8/Juniors (12-16 years) £4/Children (5-11 years) £2.
A season ticket for all four days of the tournament can also be purchased priced: Adults £30/Juniors (12-16 years) £10/Children (5-11 years) £5.
The pool action continues over the weekend, ahead of the 3rd/4th and 5th/6th play-offs and the final which take place on Monday.