Menno Boeren’s cracking strike on the run earned HC Rotterdam a memorable 4-3 win over Bloemendaal in the men’s Hoofdklasse topper on Saturday evening.
In a spectacular match, they earned just their second victory over the sparrows in eleven matches, a vital one which keeps them within range of the top four playoff spots.
Pepijn van der Heijden put the home team ahead, but Casper van der Veen equalized. Jeroen Hertzberger put Rotterdam back in the lead and Olivier Hortensius increased the margin to 3-1.
Things got exciting when Bloemendaal came back to 3-3 via penalty corners by Marc Miralles and Zach Wallace before Boeren won the day.
“I hardly ever score,” joked Boeren. “I don’t get into the circle that often either.”
It was the third league victory in a row for Rotterdam while Bloemendaal suffered its third defeat in the last five matches.
That run saw them relinquish top spot on Sunday afternoon to AH&BC Amsterdam after they ran up a 3-1 win over Klein Zwitserland with goals in quick succession from Dayaan Cassiem, Sam Steins Bisschop and Thije Harm.
Rotterdam are level with fourth-placed Kampong on 30 points; Amsterdam are on 38 with Bloemendaal and Den Bosch on 37.
