Premiership drama brings some big wins

Clydesdale Western won the game of the day in the women`s Premiership with a 3-1 score against champions Edinburgh University, while in the men`s competition it is Western Wildcats who clawed their way to the top of the table after a 7-2 victory over Kelburne.

Clydesdale were always in charge of their home fixture against the champions, it took them only six minutes to take the lead when Naomi Harkness took advantage of some slackness in the students` defence to slide the ball into the net from close range.

The home side continued to dominate and it was no surprise when Heather Lang latched on to a long pass into the circle and unmarked fired a low shot past the keeper.

There were no further additions to the score until the final quarter, the result was settled with a penalty corner conversion by Jen Eadie to put Clydesdale three up. Margery Justice replied for the students from a set piece but it was little more than a consolation.

However, the Titwood-based side remain in second spot on goal difference as leaders Dundee Wanderers won 6-0 at Merlins Gordonians. The procession of goals started with Vikki Bunce, Emily Dark got a couple, schoolgirl Hannah Young found the net, and the others came from Ellie Wilson and Jess Martin. In all the goal scoring coach Iain Strachan made special mention of 14-year-old keeper Hannah Mackland who made her debut and kept a clean shoot.

Meanwhile, Watsonians moved up to third place in the table with a more than comfortable seven-goal win over Glasgow University. A Lucy Lanigan brace gave the Edinburgh side a two-goal lead at the interval. In the second half Lanigan added two more to her total for the day, Ailsa Small and Ellie Mackenzie both scored from a breakaway and the scoring was completed when Sarah Jamieson waltzed past three defenders, drew the keeper, and flicked the ball into the net.

Hillhead moved away from the bottom echelons with a 5-3 over Grove Menzieshill in the final match of the day.

In the men`s Premiership Western Wildcats clawed their way into pole position with a 7-2 defeat of Kelburne at Auchenhowie. The Paisley side were on the verge of a big win with a 2-1 advantage at the interval, Finn Halliday and Pol Albericio were on target. The score sat at 2-2 going into the final quarter, but the Wildcats put their paws on the pedal and scored five. There were two each for Rob Harwood and Fraser Moran while Fraser Calder, Euan Cowan and Niall Sommerville also found the net.

12 October 2019 at Titwood, Glasgow. Scottish Hockey Premiership match – Clydesdale v Grange – photo by Duncan Gray

Grange, with a game in hand, slipped into second spot with a 3-0 win over Clydesdale at Titwood. The contest was goalless at the interval, but then Aussie import Josh McRae with a double of rebounds and Dan Coultas from a penalty corner secured the points for the Edinburgh side.

Meanwhile, challengers Grove Menzieshill fell after going down 4-3 to Uddingston. It took a last minute strike from Chris Boyle to secure the points for the Lanarkshire side. Boyle had scored earlier along with a double from Blake Hinton while Luke Cranney, Alex Blaikie and Cyril Varghese replied for the Taysiders.

Again a late strike from Jack Jamieson retained Edinburgh University`s fourth spot after they overcame Dundee Wanderers 5-4 on Tayside. With the game poised at 4-4 a share of the points looked the most likely outcome, Frank Mulgrew (2), a Bobby Ralph turn and powerful shot and 50-yard solo run and finish by Elliott Sandison were the Taysiders strikes while Kevin Wong in the opening minute, Jamieson, David Mawhinney and Nathan Leggett replied for the students. Drama at the end, Jamieson notched a late counter for Edinburgh, Wanderers were awarded an overtime penalty but the spot effort was saved by the students` keeper Martin Rose.

Edinburgh`s coach Graham Moodie admitted: “This was not our best performance, we were certainly below par, and I felt we got out of jail but at least we collected the three points.”

Again it was a last minute affair at Watsonians where a late strike by Ross Jamieson secured the points for Hillhead with a 4-3 victory and lift them off the lower echelons.

The Edinburgh side looked good for the points with a 3-2 lead, Danny Cain, Gus Fraser-Harris and Paul Ritchie were the scorers. But strikes from Jamieson, George Anthony and Graeme Campbell pulled the score back to 3-3 until the last gasp winner sealed the points in dramatic fashion.

Meanwhile, in Malaysia Scots Jamie Golden and Callum MacKenzie were part of the Great Britain under-21 side that beat New Zealand 2-0 in the opening match of the Sultan of Johor invitation tournament.

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