WELSH HOCKEY UNION

William Barletta (GK)	Richard Jones
Jon Atkins (GK)	Michael Colclough
Jonathan Gordon	James Kyriakides
Clive Hardy	Daffyd Thomas
Dominic Valero	Tom Viney
Chris Nelson	Ben Lowe

Les Malinovszky (Manager)	Larry Valerio (Asst Manager)

MATCH SCHEDULE

Day 1: Friday 15 February 2008

11.00	A	HC Pliva Lipovci	5	HC Dias	1
12.00	A	HC Lokomotiv Sofia	2	Sagene IF	3
13.00	B	Swansea Bay	6	Kilimli Bld SC	0
14.00	B	HC Zuvedra-Tauras Vilnius	7	Sliema Hotsticks HC	1
15.00	A	HC Pliva Lipovci	9	Sagene IF	1
16.00	A	HC Lokomotiv Sofia	3	HC Dias	4
17.00	B	Swansea Bay	9	Sliema Hotsticks HC	1
18.00	B	HC Zuvedra-Tauras Vilnius	5	Kilimli Bld SC	0

Match Day 1

Having recently retained their Welsh national indoor title, Swansea’s first match in their EuroHockey Indoor tournament in Bulgaria against Kilimli Bld (TUR) proved to be equally successful with Chris Nelson scoring a hat-trick in a 6-0 victory. Jon Gordon opened the scoring as early as the 2^nd minute with Nelson opening his own account 8 minutes later. Micky Colclough converted a penalty corner to leave the ‘Bay’ 3-0 at half time. Without ever really stretching themselves Richard Jones scored their 4^th after a fast passing interchange with Nelson scoring his 2^nd after 27 minutes. A deliberate infringement on the goal line enabled Nelson to convert the resulting penalty stroke to leave Swansea comfortable winners.
In their second match of the day Silema Hotsticks (MAL) held Swansea to a 2-0 lead at halftime (goals from Colclough and James Kyriakides) but the overall superior skill of the experienced Welsh team enabled both Colclough and Nelson to record hat-tricks and Richard Jones a brace to guarantee the Welshmen a place in the Promotion pool. The result of their match against Zuvedra-Taurus (LTU) tomorrow (Saturday) will decide which of them will have the comparatively easier task in their final two crucial matches.

Day 2: Saturday 16 February 2008

10.00	A	Sagene IF	1	HC Dias	2
11.00	A	HC Pliva Lipovci	7	HC Lokomotiv Sofia	1
12.00	B	Sliema Hotsticks HC	4	Kilimli Bld SC	1
13.00	B	Swansea Bay	4	HC Zuvedra-Tauras Vilnius	1

16.00	D	HC Lokomotiv Sofia	3	Sliema Hotsticks HC	0
17.00	D	Sagene IF	4	Kilimli Bld SC	3
18.00	C	HC Dias	2	Swansea Bay	7
19.00	C	HC Pliva Lipovci	7	HC Zuvedra-Taurus Vilnius	2

Match Day 2
Swansea Bay continued their unbeaten run with a further two victories. In their final pool match, against Zuvedra-Taurus (LTU), 2 first half goals from James Kyriakides and a tap in from Richard Jones gave the 'Bay' a clear advantage and although their opponents pulled one goal back, Chris Nelson converted a penalty stroke to leave Swansea winners 4-1. This gave them the vital three points to carry forward into the promotion pool. In their second match of the day Swansea played some of the best hockey seen at the tournament in defeating HC Dias (GRE) 7-2. Whilst the Greek team had been reduced in numbers following an injury to one of their goalkeepers in their first game of the day, Michael Colclough calmed the early nerves with a well taken penalty corner and although their opposition twice levelled after Daffyd Thomas scored again, once half time came with the 'Bay' 3-2 ahead through Colclough's second, 2 goals in as many minutes from Clive Hardy and Richard Jones stopped Dias in their tracks. With the game now won, Swansea played some fast moving skilful hockey with the first of James Kyriakides brace of goals being the pick of the bunch.
With promotion confirmed, Swansea now face the only other unbeaten team in the tournament, Pliva Lipovci (SLO), for the winners medals in their final match.

Day 3: Sunday 17 February 2008

10.00	C	HC Dias	1	HC Zuvedra-Taurus Vilnius	6
11.15	D	Segene IF	3	Sliema Hotsticks	1
12.30	D	HC Lokomotiv Sofia	3	Kilimli Bld SC	0
14.00	C	Pliva Lipovci	4	Swansea Bay	4

Match Day 3
Despite drawing their final match against Pliva Lipovci (SLO), Swansea Bay narrowly failed to take the Gold medals by virtue of a 1 goal inferior goal difference. In a fast and furious match Swansea came back from a 2-0 deficit when a loose pass from a defender allowed Richard Jones to slip the ball under the advancing goalkeeper. One minute later and Micky Colclough had brought the 'Bay' level to go into the break at 2-2. Jones scored again early in the second half to put them in the lead for the first time but it was Pliva who levelled matters after 27'. The younger legs of their opposition enabled Pliva to take the lead again and despite Jones completing his hat trick in the final minute to bring the scores level at 4-4 Swansea had to settle for 2nd place. However they can be more than happy with the overall result with the main target of promotion having been achieved. Individually and as voted for by all the competing clubs, Billy Barletta was voted goalkeeper of the tournament and Jon Gordon best player of the tournament.

Final positions
1st     Pliva Lipovci (Promoted)
2nd    Swansea Bay (Promoted)
3rd     HC Zuvedra-Taurus Vilnius
4th     HC Dias
5th     Segene IF
6th     HC Lokomotiv Sofia
7th     Sliema Hotsticks (Relegated)
8th     Kilimli Bld SC (Relegated)

Last updated: 18/02/2008
Match schedule subject to amendment at the discretion of EHF or the Tournament Director.

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