Hockey: Doerner flicks aside Reading in Euro final
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Your support makes all the difference.Reading had to settle for silver on home turf in the EuroHockey Cup-Winners' Cup after losing 4-2 to the Dutch side Bloemendaal in an entertaining final.
It was the fourth time they had finished second in this competition, having been runners-up in 1997, 2000 and 2002.
Bloemendaal's Australia international Luke Doerner proved the difference with three unstoppable drag flicks at penalty corners while Reading's own set-piece specialist Richard Mantell was absent on England duty at the World Cup qualifier in China.
The Dutch played all the hockey in the first half as Reading, 2003 European Cup champions, strove to frustrate their opponents and break on the counter-attack.
Three times the former Great Britain and England goalkeeper Simon Mason made good saves, from Doerner, Australian Olympic gold medallist Jamie Dwyer and world player of the year Teun de Nooijer.
Mason was named goalkeeper of the tournament but admitted it was little consolation, although he paid tribute to the quality of Doerner's corners. "His flicking is up there with the best. He is flicking for Australia when he gets in the team," Mason said. "To be honest, I didn't see the last."
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