Pinoké hold the aces in the women’s EuroHockey Indoor Club Trophy with a perfect record so far in the top four group following impressive wins over KPH Rača and, crucially, Šiauliai Ginstrektė-Akademija.

The latter came in Pool D – the top four group – and it proved their first major test as they certainly did not have things their own way.

Dovilė Kuklienė put the Lithuanian side in front from a corner in the closing seconds of the first quarter and it was locked at 1-1 at the break via Lana Kalse.

The Dutch side edged in front in Q3 via Elin van Erk and the victory was confirmed when Imke Verstraeten tacked on the third.

It lifts them to 10 points while the losing bonus point has Siauliai on six points where they are just behind KS Hokej Start Brzeziny on goal difference.

The Polish side had picked off a 3-1 win over HK Zelina with a confident performance with Dziana Varanovich adding to her tournament total of goals with a double either side of Monika Polewczak’s goal for a 3-0 lead.

Petra Hrupec’s goal got one back to keep Zelina mathematically in the hunt for promotion but they would need to win and turn around a 16-goal deficit over the sides above them to do so.

On Sunday morning, Pinoké can win the title and promotion with a draw or better when they face hosts Start Brzeziny.

The outcome of that tie will then set the target for Šiauliai and Zeilina to see what they need.

Earlier in the day, Zelina’s wild 6-6 draw with Cambrai saw them make it into the top four. They trailed 6-3 with five minutes to go but an amazing run of three goals in two minutes earned the two points to jump above KPH Rača.

Rača then were undone 9-0 by Pinoké to remain in third place and Pool C which, unfortunately, brings relegation with it.

In Pool A, Wiener Neudorf got their first win of the tournament when they defeated Penarth 3-1 for third place in the group, both sides going into Pool C.

Šiauliai scored twice in the closing six minutes to earn a 3-2 win over Start Brzeziny to top Pool A.

In Pool C in the evening, Cambrai defeated Penarth 4-1 and Neudorf won 2-1 against Rača; it means the Austrian side is in fifth position with a four point gap over Rača in second place.

** To see the fixtures and scores from the event, click here: https://eurohockey.altiusrt.com/competitions/327