Edinburgh club side Grange held Belgian cracks Waterloo Ducks scoreless for 25 minutes in their opening EuroHockey League Ranging Cup clash in Terrassa, Spain, then the roof fell in.
Ducks, who were the first Belgian side to win the EuroHockey League in 2019, then rammed home eight unanswered goals, three coming in six confidence-sapping minutes.
Three more followed in two minutes near half-time and a tiring Grange side lost another couple in the last two minutes.
Big, bustling forward Victor Charlet claimed four, all from penalty corners, and William Ghislain two field goals late on in the defeat, but Grange’s Albert Rowley did hit the frame of the Ducks goal late on.
The Edinburgh side now meet London-based Hampstead & Westminster, champions of England in 2019, in their next game on Saturday after they drew 3-3 in regulation time with German Division One side Mannheimer but then lost 5-4 in the shootout.
Martin Shepherdson, Grange’s team manager, believed the scoreline was not a fair reflection. He added: “Our effort in the first-half was outstanding. Their set-piece was very impressive and we were pleased we made them work hard for their victory. We now look forward to a tough game on Saturday against Hampstead & Westminster.”
EuroHockey League Ranking Cup: Waterloo Ducks (Belgium) 8, Grange (Edinburgh) 0; Mannheimer (Germany) 3, Hampstead & Westminster 3 (London) (Mannheimer won 5-4 in the shootout) (in Terrassa, Spain)
PICTURE: Grange on the attack in a recent domestic game. Picture by Nigel Duncan
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