This is Sussex --EAST Grinstead Hockey Club remain unbeaten in indoor hockey this season after being crowned champions of the EuorHockey Indoor Trophy B division in Vienna at the weekend.
The Gladiators won all five games in Austria to gain promotion back to the Champions Cup division at the first attempt and in doing so, complete a double success of titles domestically and in Europe.
Grinstead won all three of their pool matches to take their place in the promotional pool, where they went on to beat Ukrainian side Kolos Sekvoya Vinnitsa and host-club NAVAX-AHTC.
It all started on Friday with victories against Portuguese side AD Lousada and Scottish outfit Grove Menzieshill.
Niall Stott was the hero in Grinstead's first game, continuing his good form from the Maxifuel Super Sixes Championships to score a hat-trick in the Gladiators' 7-2 win.
Ashley Jackson also bagged a brace on his return to the side after winning the inaugural Hockey India League with the Ranchi Rhinos, while Adam Jordan and Mark Pearn were also on target.
That win set Grinstead up nicely for an all-British clash with Scottish outfit Grove Menzieshill, a side that included Niall Stott's brother Ross.
And although Niall was not on target this time for Grinstead, the Sussex side still emerged victorious, with Great Britain internationals Jackson and Richard Smith both scoring twice as Grinstead fought back from 5-2 down at half-time to win.
This left them top of the pool overnight ahead of a clash with Belarussian side HC Minsk, which they went on to win 6-2 to maintain their 100 per cent record in the competition.
Glenn Kirkham scored twice in the victory, with Jackson, Stott, Pearn and Jordan also on target on Saturday morning.
Grinstead then had an eight hour break before their next match, but they did not let it affect them, coming back from two goals down to score a late winner and seal one of the two promotions spots with one game to spare.
Stott scored twice in the victory, with Pearn and Smith also on target for Grinstead .
And Grinstead capped off an incredible start to 2013 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against the Austrian hosts, with Stott again bagging a brace to continue his own scintillating form in front of goal in the indoor version of the game.
It meant Grinstead were crowned champions of the B division, putting them back in the top tier of European indoor hockey for 2014, much to the delight of first team manager, Matt Jones.
He said: "It is the first time we have ever won five games out of five in Europe and it is great to repeat our success of three years ago, when we were last in Vienna and gained promotion." Reported by This is 7 hours ago.