Promotion scuppered by Kolos
19 February 2012
EUROPEAN INDOOR CLUB TROPHY IN EDINBURGH
Inverleith`s promotion hopes vanished out the window with a disappointing 5-2 defeat at the hands of Ukrainian side Kolos-Sekvoia Vinnitsa in the European Indoor Club Trophy, as a consequence the Edinburgh slipped back into third place behind Belgian side Racing Club Bruxelles after they trounced Rakovnik (Czech Republic) 16-3 in an earlier match today.
Stuart Neave`s charges failed to cope with the clinical finishing of a well-drilled Kolos outfit, while at the other end several chances were spurned by an off-colour Inverleith attack.
Inverleith were caught cold in the opening two minutes, they had to rely on goalkeeper Allan Dick to save from the spot to keep the score blank, then immediately fell behind to a goal from Artem Ozerskyi. After three more crucial saves by Dick the Scots retaliated, a Stephen Dick shot was saved on the line by a defender, then Inverleith equalised through a low shot from Callum Duke.
The Scots had their chances to take the lead, Adam MacKenzie`s penalty corner was saved by the keeper as was a Tom Cousins` shot, then Salmond missed an open goal after good work by MacKenzie and Graham Moodie. In the meantime Kolos had taken a 2-1 lead, again through Ozerskyi.
However, just before the interval Inverleith were back on level terms, it came from a solo run by Moodie who then had the composure to slip the ball past the advancing keeper. But the Scots allowed Kolos to take a 3-2 lead into half time, Lurii Moroz scored from a rebound at a penalty corner.
The second half was a catalogue of missed chances, five penalty corners came to nothing, Stephen Dick had a couple of efforts blocked by the keeper, while uncharacteristically Derek Salmond failed to find the net when earlier in the tournament he would have put them away. Perhaps the turning point came three minutes into the half, Dick`s set piece snap shot was illegally saved by a defender on the line, but Chris Duncan`s effort from the spot rebounded off a post.
Kolos went into a 4-2 lead through Ozerskyi for his own hat-trick, then with three minutes left Vitalii Bondarchuk made it five from a penalty corner. In a frantic effort to save the contest and with Kolos reduced to five players, the Scots pressed but MacKenzie`s chances from set pieces were dealt with by some fine saves from the Ukrainian keeper.
With Racing Club Bruxelles winning their final game against the Portuguese side Lousada, Inverleith`s final clash with top side Lille now has no further bearing on the promotion stakes.
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