Watsonians have their noses in front

After three consecutive victories, Watsonians have opened up a three-point lead at the top of the women`s indoor division 1 table, but they have played a game more than rivals Clydesdale Western, and the two rivals meet head-to-head next weekend to settle the issue.

Edinburgh University moved up to third in the table with a comfortable 4-0 win over Inverleith, Ruth Blaikie was the catalyst with a hat-trick. Blaikie scored towards the end of the second quarter to give the students a slender lead at the interval. Sophie Hinds doubled their tally after 28 minutes and in the final quarter Blaikie added two more.

There was another hat-trick in Watsonians` 5-0 win over Grove – this time it was penalty corner expert Emily Dark.

In addition, Katie Stott also netted from a set piece while Nikki Stobie scored the only open play goal.

Wanderers and Wildcats fought out a 1-1 draw in the third game of the day. In only three minutes Amy Snelle opened for Wanderers, but with three minutes to go in the second quarter Alex Stuart levelled for the `Cats…and that was the end of the scoring.

Clydesdale Western kept in touch with Watsonians at the top after a 7-2 win over Hillhead. After a goalless first quarter, Laura Paul and Margery Justice put the Titwood-based side two up before Ava Wadsworth pulled one back for Hillhead.

Jen Eadie and Justice, again, gave Clydesdale a 4-1 lead, before Hillhead`s Jenny Sinclair converted a penalty corner to reduce the deficit to two goals. No chance of a comeback, though, as Eadie scored for her second, and Fiona Semple and Millie Steiger advanced Clydesdale`s tally to seven before the end.

Edinburgh University continued their good day with a second victory and briefly moved to the top of the table, although with two more games played. Their defeat of Grove was hardly a high scoring affair – in fact they won with the only goal of the game scored by Ruth Blaikie.

Watsonians kept their unbeaten run going with a 3-1 victory over Inverleith. Katie Stott opened for Watsonians in only two minutes but, still in the first quarter, Jenn Tait had levelled for Inverleith. A penalty corner strike by Ellie Stott gave Watsonians a 2-1 lead at the interval. That is how the score line stood until near the end when an open play goal from Nikki Stobie made Watsonians` three points secure.

The return of former Scotland player Vikki Bunce seems to have revitalised Dundee Wanderers; she scored twice in their 4-0 win over Hillhead to move up to the seven-point mark. Bunce scored the only goal of the first half, but Wanderers added three more after the interval through Jess Martin and Heather Howie, with Bunce finishing off the scoring with three minutes left.

Clydesdale continued to shadow Watsonians at the top of the table after a 5-0 win over Wildcats. Jen Eadie opened at a penalty corner after only four minutes, then Bronwyn Shields added a second just before the interval. In the third quarter Fiona Semple and Margery Justice doubled Clydesdale`s tally, and the scoring was completed by Shields for her second of the game.

However, even Bunce`s presence could not prevent Wanderers losing their final game 3-2 to Inverleith for their first three points of the tournament. In fact, Bunce did put Wanderers ahead in the second quarter at a penalty corner. Stella Hunger replied for Inverleith, only for Heather McEwan to put the Taysiders ahead for the second time in the contest. However, up stepped Jenn Tait with two strikes in the last five minutes to clinch Inverleith`s first victory.

In the final encounter of the day, title-chasing Watsonians showed Hillhead little sympathy with an 11-1 victory, a result that keeps the Edinburgh side at the top of the table. Mairi Drummond was the main striker with four, Ellie and Katie Stott both netted a couple each, and the other goals came from Katherine Holdgate, Nikki Stobie and Emily Dark.

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