MACEDONIA 7 MONTENEGRO 19

Competition favourites Montenegro outplayed Macedonia to ensure a place in Saturday’s semi-final.

Macedonia, who, like Montenegro, were formerly part of Yugoslavia, performed well but were blown out the water by the fluid play of their near-neighbours.

Boris Zlokovic and Saso Popovski exchanged extra-man goals at the start of the match before Montenegro edged ahead through Nikola Janovic’s strike. Vladimir Gojkovic scored his first to double the advantage and Predrag Jokic scored to establish a three-goal lead. Popovski claimed his second of the quarter when Nenad Petrovic was excluded.

Gojkovic opened the second-period scoring, but Mladan Janovic was then excluded, allowing Ivan Vuksanovic to pull score. Zlokovic grabbed his second of the game and skipper Veljko Uskokovic his first to take the lead to four. Zlokovic scored another before Petrovic replied. Petrovic was then excluded and Gojkovic scored again.

Gojkovic grabbed his fourth at the beginning of the second half before Vladimir Kreckovic replied with an extra-man goal following Drasko Brguljan’s personal foul. Radislav Kocovski conceded a penalty which was converted by Gojkovic before Vjekoslav Paskovic scored and Kreckovic pulled one back for Macedonia. But Uskokovic hit back and Mladan Janovic (two) and Nikola Janovic completed the scoring for the quarter.

Vuksanovic grabbed a goal to reduce the deficit to nine before Nikola Janovic scored his third of the game. Mladan Janovic completed his hat-trick and Aleksandar Ivovic completed the scoring with his first of the match.

Result: 7-19 (2-4; 2-5; 2-7; 0-3)

Macedonia: 1 Milos Urosevic, 2 Sava Isakovski, 3 Ivan Vuksanovic (2 goals), 4 Risto Maljkovic, 5 Nenad Ivanovski, 6 Saso Popovski (Capt, 2), 7 Marko Micic, 8 Vladimir Kreckovic (2), 9 Nenad Petrovic (1), 10 Marko Basic, 11 Radislav Kocovski, 12 Bobi Kuzmanovski, 13 Darko Stosic

Montenegro: 1 Zdavko Radic, 2 Drasko Brguljan, 3 Vjekoslav Paskovic (1 goal), 4 Damjan DaniLovic, 5 Nikola Janovic (3), 6 Milan Ticic, 7 Mladan Janovic (3), 8 Veljko Uskokovic (Capt, 2), 9 Aleksandar Ivovic (1), 10 Boris Zlokovic (3), 11 Vladimir Gojkovic (5), 12 Predrag Jokic (1), 13 Milos Scepanovic

GREAT BRITAIN 8 POLAND 9

A dramatic goal 2.4 seconds from time led to Poland's first win of the LEN European Nations Trophy at Manchester Aquatics Centre.

However, the match was marred by two controversial moments in the final 90 seconds when two refereeing decisions went against Britain. Coach Eelco Uri is likely to protest * after venting his frustrations on the final buzzer.

Firstly, Poland’s Robert Sekula – one of three Poland players to foul out of the game – failed to exit the pool in the correct way – a move which should have seen a penalty awarded to Britain. Then, after Poland’s strike, Britain were denied the chance to set up an attack in an attempt to find an equaliser following a time out.

It was a thrilling contest, level right until the moment of Tomasz Rozycki’s winner, his fourth of the game. Alex Parsonage and Tom Curwen each scored twice, Curwen taking his tally for the competition to 19.

Rob Parker opened the scoring from a man-up before Mark Banwell doubled the lead. But then Poland hit back. Rozycki drilled the ball beyond Manchester goalkeeper Ed Scott from the right wing, and Rozycki scored his second to level.

Parsonage he scored from the right wing after Adam Scholefield had been fouled by Marek Debski. Britain doubled their advantage when Scott fed Parker on the fast break who in turn found Curwen, and the Lancaster man scored his first of the game. Marcin Scierwicki and Rozycki scored again for Poland.

Parsonage claimed his second of the game from a man-up but Wojcik equalised again for Poland as the half ended all-square.

Poland tried to impose themselves on the host nation with a physical press in the third period and they took the lead when Rafal Wocik scored an outside shot. Curwen scored his second from a penalty but Poland edged in front once more through Perka’s shot from six metres. Figes replied with a goal from the centre forward position to equalise with 1 minute 20 seconds to go in the third.

Leszek received his third personal foul before Scott denied Wojcik with a fabulous reflex save. Michal Bar and Debski were excluded simultaneously, with the latter earning his third major, and Scholefield put Britain ahead.

Sekula fed Wojcik to equalise before receiving his third exclusion and Poland called a time-out with 20.2 seconds remaining after Britain had failed to convert the man-up. Wojcik did not leave the pool through the exclusion box and was substituted. Britain should then have been awarded a penalty, but the referees failed to intervene.

From the Polish time-out Rozycki scored from the left wing, Scott half-blocking the shot which had too much power and travelled over the line with 2.4 seconds remaining.

Britain used their second time out, but again time elapsed before they could set up their attack and the game was lost.

Result: 8-9 (2-2; 3-3; 2-2; 1-2)

Great Britain: 1 Ed Scott, 2 Sean Ryder, 3 Mark Banwell (1 goal), 4 Scott Carpenter, 5 Craig Figes (Capt, 1), 6 Andrew Squires, 7 Alex Parsonage (2), 8 Tom Curwen (2), 9 Rob Parker (1), 10 Adam Scholefield (1), 11 Chris Gilbertson, 12 Matthew Thresher, 13 Matthew Birch

Poland: 1 Michal Diakonow (Capt), 2 Marcin Scierwicki (1 goal), 3 Piotr Michalski, 4 Adam Perka (1), 5 Marek Debski, 6 Pawel Ulchurski, 7 Tomasz Rozycki (4), 8 Michal Bar, 9 Radoslaw Haraczko, 10 Robert Sekula, 11 Piotr Wojcik (2), 12 Wojciech Leszek, 13 Rafal Wocik (1)

*Great Britain did not make a formal protest following the match

TURKEY 14 MALTA 9

Halil Beskardesuer led his team to victory over Malta with six goals to take his personal tally for the tournament to 13.

Turkey’s extra-man play was far more clinical than that of their Group A rivals, ultimately swaying the contest in their favour.

Matthew Zammit put Malta ahead before Beskardesuer grabbed one back when Michele Stellini was excluded. Malta went in front once more when Stellini converted a 6-on-5 following Anil Sonmez’s personal foul, but Berk Gunkut levelled once more for Turkey from an extra-man.

Turkey missed the chance to go ahead when Can Guven saw his penalty saved by Josie Cachia, but they did take the lead moments later when Steve Camilleri was excluded and Emre Coskun scored. Camilleri pulled Malta level with a man-up goal, but Turkey hit back through Anil Sonmez. John Soler converted a man-up to level once more, but then Turkey scored successive goals from Gunkut, with a lob on a fast break, and Beskardesuer from a man-up to take a two-goal half-time lead.

The Turkey captain completed his hat-trick to open the third period before Zammit demonstrated his power, turning the centre defender before firing beyond Atila Sezer in the Turkey goal. Zammit received a bloody nose for his efforts. Niki Lanzon scored on the fast break to take Malta within one, but Turkey scored again through Hakan Hatipoglu and then Beskardesuer, after Camilleri had received his third personal foul. Soler brought Malta to within two with 1.8 seconds left of the period with a man-up goal.

Guven scored his first of the game before Beskardesuer scored again from a man-up to establish a four-goal lead. The Turkey captain grabbed his sixth but then Malta’s Karl Montfort pulled one back to give his team slim hope of a recovery.

However, Malta’s indiscipline cost them again as Turkey’s man-up brought a goal for Aytag Yegin and then Guven scored his second of the quarter before Clint Mercieca pulled one back with 1.3 seconds to go.

Result: 14-9 (2-2; 4-2; 3-3; 5-2)

Turkey: 1 Atila Sezer, 2 Ali Can Gagatay, 3 Omer Yaman, 4 Anil Sonmez (1 goal), 5 Ruso Yakimouig, 6 Hakan Hatipoglu (1), 7 Sezai Kiziltan, 8 Berk Gunkut (2), 9 Aytag Yegin (1), 10 Emre Coskun (1), 11 Halil Beskardesuer (Capt, 6), 12 Can Guven (2), 13 Tan Diptas

Malta: 1 Josie Cachia, 2 Niki Lanzon (1 goal), 3 Paul Fava, 4 Paul Privitera (Capt), 5 Mark Meli, 6 John Soler (2), 7 Steve Camilleri (2), 8 Jurgen Borg, 9 Karl Montfort (1), 10 Matthew Zammit (2), 11 Clint Mercieca (1), 12 Michele Stellini, 13 Ian Bugeja

BELARUS 27 BELGIUM 7

Belarus secured their second win of the LEN European Nations Trophy with an emphatic triumph over Belgium.

The young Belgian side are bottom of Group A with one match remaining – they play Turkey on Thursday – and are still to win a point in the competition.

Bealrus romped to victory, trouncing Belgium in each quarter. Siarhei Fralou scored six goals, while Armenaic Elizbaran grabbed five.

Belarus scored five goals without reply at the start of the game, with Ivan Kulakov scoring twice and Dzmitry Vankevich, Elizbaran and Fralou each scoring one. Belgium captain Tom Van Oost replied with a penalty when Aleksey Kuzmenko was penalised, but Belarus goals from Fralou, Kuzmenko and Dzmitry Kulik took Belarus to eight, while Michael De Boever replied for Belgium.

Elizbaran opened the second-quarter scoring and Vankevich made it double figures. Kuzmenko, from a man-up, scored before Van Oost grabbed a second penalty following Vladimir Basic’s foul on Cedric Grammens. Aliaksandr Andrayuk found the back of the Belgian net before Stefen Van Tieghem received his third personal foul of the match. Elizbaran added to the tally for Belarus to open up a 10-goal half-time margin.

Niels Verhegge scored from a 6-on-5 at the start of the second half for Belgium to pull one back, but Belarus were rampant, with Basic, Fralou (two) and Vankevich all scoring. Van Oost replied from a man-up after Kuzmenko had received his third major. But Belgium failed to score again in the quarter and Belarus broke to score through Fralou, Uladzimir Martyniuk and Kulik to increase the margin to 15.

Fralou opened the final period scoring and Kulakov grabbed his third. Vankevich scored again before Sammy Claes replied. Basic scored off the post in a 6-on-5 and Aliaksandr Navumenka troubled the scorers for the first time in the game.

De Boever scored his second to stop the rot, but Elizbaran had the final say, scoring twice, the latter with 4.9 seconds remaining, to take his personal tally to five.

Result: 27-7 (8-2; 5-1; 7-2; 7-2)

Belarus: 1. Mikhail Yazerski, 2 Ivan Kulakov (3 goals), 3 Aliaksandr Andrayuk (1), 4 Dzmitry Kulik (2), 5 Alexcei Zalugnyi, 6 Armenaic Elizbaran (5), 7 Aliaksandr Navumenka (1), 8 Dzmitry Vankevich (Capt, 4), 9 Siarhei Fralou (6), 10 Aleksey Kuzmenko (2), 11 Uladzimir Martyniuk (1), 12 Vladimir Basic (2), 13 Kanstantsin Kavaleuski

Belgium: 1 Pieter Van Snick, 2 Stefen Van Tieghem, 3 Kevin Chavepeyer, 4 Thomas Delorge, 5 Niels Verhegge (1 goal), 6 Ken De Wilde, 7 Samuel Gomez, 8 Michael De Boever (2), 9 Cedric Grammens, 10 Tom Van Oost (Capt, 3), 11 Sammy Claes (1), 12 Niels Vanderlinden, 13 Michael Callens

IRELAND 9 ISRAEL 15

Israel earned their first win of the competition at the expense of Ireland, who remain winless and firmly rooted to the bottom of Group B.

A frantic opening period saw 10 exclusions and 12 goals, with Israel opening up a two-goal lead, which they extended to three by half-time by edging the second period 2-1. And a 4-1 third period domination by Israel ended any Irish hopes of a comeback.

Ayal Keren, who scored four times in the first two games, was missing his second game for Israel with a perforated ear drum incurred in the match with Poland on Day Two, but his side were still strong enough to see off Ireland.

Or Keren and Jonathan Kirk exchanged man-up goals, before Maoz Gaver scored and Kirk again levelled. Itamar Schwartz found the back of the net, only for Michael Kelleher to equalise at the other end after four minutes. Or Keren got his second and Israel captain Amit Seker scored a penalty to establish a two-goal lead.

Dolev Koifman scored his first of the match and Ireland scored through Alan Fogarty and Jonathan Donnelly. Ofir Golombek hit the net, and Navot Luria concluded the scoring for the quarter.

Kirk completed his hat-trick with an extra-man goal before Or Keren got his third. Shy Hemed was wrapped before Ori Raz got on the score-sheet.

Israel’s lead became four when Golombek scored again, but Donnelly hit straight back. Seker scored a penalty and Golombek got his second of the quarter before Luria grabbed his first of the game as Ireland tired.

The final period was evenly matched, but Israel had already ensured the win. Gil Lunliner scored and Luria added his second from a penalty. Alan Fogarty replied with a final-quarter double to complete his hat-trick.

Result: 9-15 (5-7; 1-2; 1-4; 2-2)

Ireland:  1 Christopher Hodgkinson (Capt), 2 Alan Fogarty (3 goals), 3 Eoin Nolan, 4 Kevin Thornton, 5 Graham Fogarty, 6 Patrick Lowery, 7 Darren McHugh, 8 Jonathan Donnelly (2), 9 Ciaran Walshe, 10 Jonathan Kirk (3), 11 Michael Kelleher (1), 12 Stephen Murphy, 13 Eoin Doyle

Israel: 1 Itamar Inbar, 2 Shy Hemed (2 goals), 3 Ofir Golombek (2), 4 Navot Luria (3), 5 Maoz Gaver (3), 6 Or Keren (2), 7 Gil Lunliner (1), 8 Amit Seker (Capt, 2) 9 Ayal Keren, 10 Ori Raz (1), 11 Dolev Koifman (1), 12 Itamar Schwartz (1), 13 Alex Malkis

FRANCE 11 UKRAINE 7

France all but ensured their passage to Saturday’s semi-finals with a win over Ukraine in the opening game of Day Four at the LEN European Nations Trophy at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.

France sit at the top of Group B with 12 points and a 100 percent record – after dishing out the first loss of the competition for Ukraine – and must now beat Israel on Thursday to earn a rest day on Friday.

France won the first and third periods without conceding and captain Frederic Audon scored five in the game. Tymur Shylin scored four for Ukraine, for whom three players fouled out.

Ukraine’s indiscipline cost them early on. Serhiy Grishyn was excluded before Kostyantyn Shevchenko conceded a penalty after failing to retreat when sent out. Yevgen Obedinskyy – a scorer of seven goals in the competition so far – attempted to sabotage Frederic Audon’s penalty shot and the referee ruled him out of the remainder of the match. Audon scored when the penalty was eventually re-taken. France doubled their lead when Audon fed Yann Clay on the fast break.

Sergiy Pantyukov scored twice to equalise before Tymur Shylin put Ukraine in front for the first time with a penalty. Audon and Shylin exchanged strikes for Ukraine to stay one ahead. France centre forward Mickael Bodegas then won two penalties, but both Audon and Clay were denied by Denys Volonchuk, each time at full stretch. Igor Piperko then put Ukraine into a two goal lead, but Clay scored his second and Audon lobbed Volonchuk on the buzzer as the half closed level.

Clay completed his hat-trick from five metres when Pantyukov was sent out. Pantyukov received his third personal foul shortly afterwards. Yann Vernoux and Audon scored to give France a three-goal lead.

Yann Vergeade opened the fourth-period scoring before Shylin replied with an extra-man goal. Shevchenko received his third personal foul and France called a time out and Bodegas scored his first of the game. Quentin Chipotel conceded a penalty and Shylin converted to put Ukraine three behind. When Roman Olefirenko was given his third major with 1:52 remaining France used their second time out, but their man-up failed again. Audon scored on the fast break with 7.4 seconds left.

Result: 11-7 (2-0; 3-5; 3-0; 3-2)

France: 1 Jonathan Moriame, 2 Romain Blary, 3 Arnaud Jablonski, 4 Frederic Audon (Capt, 5 goals), 5 Yann Vergeade (1), 6 Remi Saudadier, 7 Mickael Bodegas (1), 8 Jean Baptiste Favry, 9 Yann Vernoux (1), 10 Yann Clay (3), 11 Marc Amardeilh, 12 Quentin Chipotel, 13 Soufien Riabi

Ukraine: 1 Denys Volonchuk, 2 Kostyantyn Shevchenko (Capt), 3 Tymur Shylin (4 goals), 4 Vadym Kozlov, 5 Volodymyr Voytenko, 6 Roman Olefirenko, 7 Denys Kolesnikov, 8 Vladyslav Soslovskiy, 9 Sergiy Pantyukov (2), 10 Yevgen Obedinskyy, 11 Igor Piperko (1), 12 Serhiy Grishyn, 13 Petro Radivilov