The Thistles Over-60s squad arrived in Tilburg with determination and optimism, hoping to better their performances from previous years. Armed with a strong lineup — including a couple of energetic “youngsters” — the team was ready to take on Europe’s finest.
The opening match pitted us against the formidable England A side. Opting for a half-court press and man-to-man marking, we held our structure well but found ourselves 4–0 down after 30 minutes. Despite the result, the performance was a marked improvement from previous campaigns, and there was a real sense that the team had more to give.
Adjustments were made, and they paid off. In our second outing, we changed tactics and earned a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Wales. Momentum built from there: a narrow loss to Germany followed by a frustrating 1–1 draw with Alliance — a match we dominated and could easily have won 4–0.
Our final group game was a standout moment: a tactical masterclass against the full Dutch side. Despite their relentless efforts, the hosts simply couldn’t break us down. We not only held firm defensively but carved out scoring opportunities of our own. The 0–0 draw was a well-earned and impressive result.
These performances saw us through to the playoffs for 5th to 9th place. There, we narrowly lost to Germany B and were edged out by LX due to an unfortunate deflection — the sort of fine margin that defines tournament hockey.
In the end, this was a tournament to be proud of. The squad showed significant progress, resilience, and flashes of real quality. There’s no doubt the foundation is now set for even stronger performances ahead.
Man of the Tournament: Geoff Weston — for keeping the squad hydrated and spirits high, one jug at a time.
