Watsonians win Edinburgh Derby

Watsonians held on to pole position in the women`s Premiership after a 3-0 win over Edinburgh University, but only on goal difference from Clydesdale Western who beat Grove to also finish on 24 points, and with a game in hand.

In the men`s Premiership, Grange marched back into second spot with a 6-4 win over Clydesdale at Titwood, but they are still two points adrift of Western who have a game in hand.

Watsonians opened brightly against Edinburgh University and scored twice in the first quarter. The first came from a penalty corner strike by Emily Dark which flew high into the postage stamp corner – probably considered unsaveable. The second came several minutes later, a cross was met by a diving Mairi Drummond who managed to force the ball over the line.

The students had the better of the second half, they had more chances but found Watsonians` keeper Lucy Camlin in determined form.

The result was finally sealed three minutes from the end when a long ball found Sarah Jamieson in space at the top of the circle and the Scotland striker ran on to beat the keeper for the third.

Watsonians` coach Keith Smith said: “This was a tough game and 3-0 does not tell the full story of the game. We had a good first half, but I felt University shaded the second, but we put in a good defensive performance which resulted in a clean sheet.”

Clydesdale Western travelled to Tayside and came away not only with the three points against Grove, but also 17 goals in the process. Heather Lang was top scorer with four, there were hat-tricks for Fiona Semple, Jenny Eadie and Holly Steiger while Bronwyn Shields got a couple, and the rest were singles.

The crowd at Titwood were graced with a ten-goal thriller but it was Grange who emerged winners by 6-4 in the end.

Andrew Allan put the home side ahead at a penalty corner, but Grange retaliated with a set piece conversion by Fraser Heigh, Jacob Tweedie scored from open play and Heigh added his own second for a 3-1 score at half-time.

The visitors further advanced their cause after the interval and further goals were added through John McCluskey and Heigh again for his hat-trick for a comfortable 5-1 lead.

Then came the comeback from Clydesdale that got the home crowd cheering: Ben Cosgrove at a penalty corner, Allan from the spot and then Cosgrove again brought the score back to a tantalising 5-4 situation. But any comeback was finally stifled by a late strike by Grange`s Matt Murphy to take the coveted three points back along the M8 to Edinburgh.Then came the comeback from Clydesdale that got the home crowd cheering: Ben Cosgrove at a penalty corner, Allan from the spot and then Cosgrove again brought the score back to a tantalising 5-4 situation. But any comeback was finally stifled by a late strike by Grange`s Matt Murphy to take the coveted three points back along the M8 to Edinburgh.

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