CK Vallparadis 22-21 Trojans

After their defeat to Benfica on day two of the competition, the highest place Trojans could finish was 5th…

The 5th/6th playoff match at the 2016 Europa Cup was a repeat of the 2015 Europa Cup playoff. The Catalonian champions Vallparadis won the 2015 clash 21-22 with a free-pass goal in the last few seconds of the game.

Trojans made an excellent start to the match, racing into a 0-3 lead with goals from Johnny Nickerson, Amy Turner and David Brooks before Vallparadis scored their first goal in the fourth minute.

Everything was going to plan, Trojans were playing some great korfball. Vallparadis were forced to call their first time-out in the 18th minute with the scores at 5-9.

Then disaster struck for Trojans – star player David Brooks had to be stretchered off after an ankle injury.

Vallparadis continued to apply pressure and managed to reduce the deficit to a single goal at the halftime break; 9-10.

In the first minute of the second half Vallparadis equalised 10-10. The two teams continued to trade goals until 33 minutes when Vallparadis took the lead for the first time in the match 12-11.

There was nothing to separate the two teams over the next 10 minutes… 42 minutes played and the scoreboard read 18-18.

Vallparadis then scored four of the next five goals… It was 22-19 with just four minutes remaining. Sam Brooks and Tony Woodvine then scored a goal each… could Trojans equalise to take the match into extra time?

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be… the match ended. Final score 22-21. The same scoreline as the year before… Vallparadis had secured 5th place at the Europa Cup.

Amy Turner and Sam Brooks top scored for Trojans with five goals each during the match.