Grange are annihilated by Rotterdam

Grange were humbled 13-0 by Dutch masters Rotterdam in Barcelona yesterday in their return to the European Hockey League (EHL) for the first time in five years.

The defeat was the worst in EHL history. The Scots held Rotterdam in the opening quarter, limiting them to just one goal, but the floodgates opened after that.

The Scots shipped three goals in each of the second and third quarters. And the Dutch side, who finished top of the table last season but were beaten by arch rivals Amsterdam in the play-offs, showed no mercy.

They substituted their No. 1 goalkeeper at the start of the final period, introducing an 18-year-old.

And they continued to power forward, giving the Scots no respite, scoring six in the final quarter as the dejected Edinburgh side tired.

Grange, runners-up to Kelburne in Division One and the Scottish Cup, brought off 
No. 1 goalkeeper Sean Hadfield and introduced back-up Dave Woodcock with the scoreline at 10-0.

The Scots did have chances. Scottish international Cammy Fraser sent a diagonal ball into the D which Scotland under-21 international Matt Conner just failed to connect with.

Fraser then shot straight at the Dutch goalkeeper when in good position and Duncan Riddell fired just wide as the opposition concentration slipped.

But the Scots had no answer to the slick-passing Dutch who drove forward at every opportunity.

And the razor-sharp Dutch netted their final goal from a penalty corner on the final whistle, their fourth successful set-piece from seven attempts.