The
first of the Plate Quarter-Finals saw DHL
Prague Red take a well earned rest. They
were straight through to the semi-finals as their
3 rd placed finish in Group A meant they were
straight through to the Semi-Finals with a BYE.
The
remaining games were all 5th versus 4th clashes.
Joining DHL Prague Red in the top half of the
draw were JNJ Global Services
and Hays. We were
therefore guaranteed a Czech semi-final and, in
turn, a Czech finalist. JNJ Global Services will
consider themselves unfortunate not to have picked
up a point as they were drawn in a particularly
tough group. Hays on the other hand had managed
to taste victory and were looking to taste victory
again when they raced into a 2-0 lead in this
game. They were to hold on to the lead and make
it through to the semi-finals in a game that ultimately
finished 3-1. The main architect of JNJ Global
Services downfall was Marc Folkard with a hat-trick
for the Hays team.
Real
Sociable Lads and Reading
Royals were the teams coming head to head
in quarter-final 3. Reading Royals finished 4
th in their group so would enter the game as favourites.
In reality though there was very little in the
game in the first half. Three goals were scored
and Reading Royals edged it thanks to Nick Brown
and James Morrison. In the second half Reading
Royals extended their lead to take a grip on the
game as Nick Brown went on to claim a hat-trick
and James Dalley scored his first goal of the
day. Real Sociable Lads came into it late on but
they had given themselves too much to do. Ian
Butler scoring all 3 of the Real Sociable Lads
goals in this game.
The
final quarter-final would see Harp
Hospada play AON
Top Guns. AON Top Guns given their group
record were probably up their as second favourites
behind DHL Prague Red. They would expect to beat
Harp Hospada and they did so comfortably. The
game provided a great opportunity to boost their
forwards chances in the top goalscorer competition.
Chris Mould aided his cause with 5 goals and there
was a hat-trick for John O'Brien. Leon Barber
scored twice, Matt Doran and Laurence Smith one
each as AON Top Guns swept their Czech opponents
aside with an easy 12-0 win.