EHL KO16 Preview: Grinstead v Reading / OZ v RC Polo

The focus of our build-up to KO16 Bloemendaal shifts from Friday to Saturday, examining two potentially outstanding Euro Hockey League matches. Firstly, we look at the hugely-anticipated all-English meeting between Pool D winners East Grinstead and Reading HC, who were runners up behind HC Bloemendaal in Pool A. That match takes place at 09.30 (CEST) on Saturday morning, being followed by a match between two-attack minded teams as Rob Hammond's Oranje Zwart (NED) do battle with the iconic Real Club de Polo de Barcelona (ESP) at 12.00.

Euro Hockey League's KO16 Bloemendaal event will see sixteen teams reduced to the four tournament Semi Finalists over four days of intense knock-out competition. The event takes place in The Netherlands at HC Bloemendaal, the home club of Teun de Nooijer, from Friday 22nd till Monday 25th April 2011. More information about the tournament, including news, current broadcasting schedule and details about ticket sales can be found at www.ehlhockey.tv.

KO16 MATCH 5: EAST GRINSTEAD (ENG) V READING (ENG)
MATCH TIME: Saturday 23rd April - 09:30hrs (Central European Standard Time). Broadcast information about this match can be found at www.ehlhockey.tv.
WINNER PLAYS: Either KHC Dragons (BEL) or Rot-Weiss K├Âln (GER) in the Euro Hockey League Quarter Finals.

TEAM INFO - EAST GRINSTEAD HC
East Grinstead began their 2010-11 Euro Hockey League campaign in superb fashion, powering to victories over Scotland's Kelburne (8-1) and RC de Polo de Barcelona of Spain (4-3). Returning striker and penalty corner star Ashley Jackson, the 2009 FIH Young Player of the Year, was in marvellous form for a team that is aiming to become the first English side to win Europe's top club prize since KO16 opponents Reading HC in 2003. Sadly for East Grinstead, it would seem that a troublesome injury will keep Ashley Jackson out of the KO16 tournament. Despite this loss, Grinstead have a host of other exceptional players who are all capable of performing at the highest level. Internationals Glenn Kirkham, Niall Stott and Darren Cheesman are star performers, while ageless GB Olympians Danny Hall and Mark Pearn (player-coach) provide great skill and experience to this outstanding squad. Hall recently finished as top scorer in the England Hockey League, while the consistently excellent performances of Pearn must surely make him a candidate for the Player of the Season Award. Grinstead finished in first place in the regular league season in England, but were defeat in the final of the Championship Play-Off by fellow Euro Hockey League competitors Beeston. That result is unlikely to affect their performances at KO16, where the team faces familiar opposition in Reading HC, a side who they defeated on their way to the England Hockey League Championship Final.

ROUND 1 RESULTS - POOL D
East Grinstead HC (ENG) v Kelburne HC (SCO) 8:1 (5:0)
East Grinstead HC (ENG) v RC Polo (ESP) 4:3 (2:1)
POOL D RANKING: 1

RECENT FORM - ENGLAND HOCKEY LEAGUE (L) / CHAMPIONSHIPS (C)
19 March 2011: Reading 2-1 Beeston (L)
27 March 2011: Bowdon 4-1 Reading (L)
02 April 2011: Reading 2-1 Bowdon (C)
03 April 2011: East Grinstead 3-2 Reading HC (C)
09 April 2011: Reading 3-1 Surbiton (C) - Third Place Play-off.
FINAL LEAGUE POSITION: 2nd
TOP SCORER: Danny Hall (16)

EHL TOURNAMENT RECORD:
2007-08: Did not qualify for EHL.
2008-09: Quarter Finals. Defeated by HC Bloemendaal (NED) 3-2.
2009-10: Second Round. Defeated by Amsterdam H&BC (NED) 3-2.

TEAM INFO - READING HC
The 2003 European champions finished second in Pool A behind the mighty HC Bloemendaal, who defeated Reading 5-3 in the final game of the round. Although second best in that particular contest, Reading had assured their safe passage through to KO16 thanks to a crushing 7-2 victory over Belarusians SC Stroitel Brest, thanks in part to a double strike from England international forward Simon Mantell. Reading made an uncharacteristically slow start in this season's England Hockey League, but earned boost in confidence on 6th March 2011when Richard Mantell scored twice to help his team defeat league leaders and KO16 opponents East Grinstead 3-2. Grinstead gained revenge over their opponents in the Semi Finals of the England Hockey League Championships with a 3-2 win, although Reading bounced back to defeat Surbiton in the third place play-off, a result which may be enough for them to feature in next year's Euro Hockey League. Reading are expected to bring a large number of supporters with them to Bloemendaal, as this terrific domestic rivalry goes international for one weekend only.

ROUND 1 RESULTS - POOL A
Reading HC (ENG) v Stroitel Brest (BLR) 7:2 (5:0)
Reading HC (ENG) v HC Bloemendaal (NED) 3:5 (0:2)
POOL A RANKING: 2

EHL TOURNAMENT RECORD
2007-08: Quarter Finals. Defeated by H.C. Rotterdam (NED) 3-2
2008-09: Quarter Finals. Defeated by KHC Leuven (BEL) 2-1.
2009-10: Round 2. Defeated by RC Polo de Barcelona (ESP) 2-1.

KO16 MATCH 6: ORANJE ZWART (NED) V RC POLO (ESP)

MATCH TIME: Saturday 23rd April - 12:00hrs (Central European Standard Time). Broadcast information about this match can be found at www.ehlhockey.tv.
WINNER PLAYS: Either HC Bloemendaal (NED) or UHC Hamburg (GER) in the Euro Hockey League Quarter Finals.

TEAM INFO - ORANJE ZWART
Oranje Zwart proudly hosted EHL Round 1.1 and quickly established themselves as a genuine title contender by handing out a 10-1 thrashing to Poland's KS Pomorzanin Torun before seeing off Dinamo Kazan of Russia 7-2. The goal-scoring exploits of Lucas Judge turned many heads, netting four times in the opening game before adding another two to his tally in the match against Kazan to be the current top scorer in the Euro Hockey League. The Oranje Zwart squad contains a number of world class players such as Australian international Rob Hammond, David Alegre of Spain and legendary Dutch defender Jeroen Delmee, while former Amsterdam H&BC coach Sjoerd Marijne calls the shots from the sidelines. It could be an interesting match for Alegre in particular, having last week signed a contract to join KO16 opponents RC Polo at the start of next season. Their recent form has been mixed, having not won a competitive match since their 5-1 mauling of Tilburg on 30th March. However, the team are expected to be firing on all cylinders at KO16 Bloemendaal.

ROUND 1 RESULTS - POOL H
Oranje Zwart (NED) v Pomorzanin Torun (POL) 10:1 (7:1)
Oranje Zwart (NED) v Dinamo Kazan (RUS) 7:2 (2:0)
POOL H RANKING: 1

RECENT FORM - DUTCH HOOFDKLASSE
27 March 2011: HDM 0-2 Oranje Zwart
30 March 2011: Oranje Zwart 5-1 Tilburg
03 April 2011: Laren 4-2 Oranje Zwart
10 April 2011: Oranje Zwart 0-1 HC Bloemendaal
17 April 2011: Pinoke 1-1 Oranje Zwart
CURRENT LEAGUE POSITION: 3rd
TOP SCORER: Mink van der Weerden (12).

EHL TOURNAMENT RECORD:
This is Oranje Zwart's first season in the Euro Hockey League.

TEAM INFO - RC DE POLO DE BARCELONA
Real Club de Polo de Barcelona are one of Europe's most famous clubs, and have competed in every Edition of the Euro Hockey League so far. Last season saw the club achieve the best ever finish in the tournament, storming into the EHL Semi Finals only to be defeated by eventual champions UHC Hamburg in a dramatic penalty shootout. The team made a sluggish start to their 2010-11 campaign, only managing a draw against Scotland's Kelburne before falling to defeat against East Grinstead of England. However, it proved to be enough to reach the knock-out stages, and with an impressive squad containing players such as Pau Quemada, Alex Fabregas and Christian Wein they should never be under-estimated. Barcelona are currently sitting third in the Spanish Liga, but are some seven points behind leading pair Atl├®tic Terrassa and Club de Campo. Despite this, you can guarantee that RC Polo will be an extremely tough and talented opponent for their KO16 opponents Oranje Zwart.

ROUND 1 RESULTS - POOL D
RC Polo (ESP) v Kelburne HC (SCO) 2:2 (1:0)
RC Polo (ESP) v East Grinstead (ENG) 3:4 (1:2)
POOL D RANKING: 2

RECENT FORM - SPANISH LIGA (L) / COPA DEL REY (C)
29 March 2011: RC Polo 1-1 Atl├®tic Terrassa (L)
01 April 2011: RS Tenis 2-2 RC Polo (C)
02 April 2011: RC Polo 1-2 Atl├®tic Terrassa (C)
16 April 2011: Club Egara 3-3 RC Polo (L)
CURRENT LEAGUE POSITON: 3rd
TOP SCORER: Information unavailable at time of writing.

EHL TOURNAMENT RECORD
2007-08: Round 2. Defeated by Atl├®tic Terrassa (ESP) 2-2 (5-4 APS)
2008-09: Round 2. Defeated by Reading HC (ENG) 1-0.
2009-10: Semi Final. Defeated by UHC Hamburg (ESP) 2-2 (3-2 APS).

SOURCE: Euro Hockey League Media Release