Amazing matches at the Junior Schools Cup and Plate Finals 2024
Junior Girls’ Cup Final – Edinburgh Academy 2-2 (2-4) George Watson’s College
A thrilling Junior Girls’ Cup Final was won by George Watson’s College after their contest with Edinburgh Academy finished 2-2 and was won 4-2 in the shootout.
George Watson’s had the first chance of the match through a lovely move down the right, but the pass across goal evaded all sticks, and rolled clear.
Edinburgh Academy’s Amelia Wilson looked composed on the ball and played some neat hockey. It was Wilson who created the first chance for Academy with a slick pass through the defence for Freya Philip to turn and shoot, but the effort went just wide of the left post.
Then the opener eventually arrived. Freya Philip scored for Edinburgh Academy, rounding the goalkeeper after receiving the ball from her twin, Camille, to make it 1-0.
Only a few minutes later, the scores were level, and it was Sophie Hogarth who equalised for George Watson’s after a quick counter, and finish, to make it 1-1.
A superb solo strike by Lucy Scott, weaving through the defence, made it 2-1 for George Watson’s College early in the second half.
Good pressing by George Watson’s caused difficulty for Academy to play out, but when they did manage to play through the press, they bagged an equaliser.
A tremendous finish by Edinburgh Academy’s Anna Anstead, off the post and in, made it 2-2 with six minutes to play.
Both sides had a go at finding a winner, but it wasn’t to be, and the contest went to a shootout, with George Watson’s winning 4-2 to lift the trophy.
Junior Boys’ Cup Final – Edinburgh Academy 1-4 Fettes College
It was a 4-1 victory for Fettes College in the Junior Boys’ Cup final at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.
Fettes College took an early lead through a well-placed Cody Adams drag flick into the bottom left corner. 1-0.
Edinburgh Academy went on the front foot and some good skill by Adam Temperely fashioned the chance for him to strike at goal, but the effort was well saved by Archie Fletcher.
Then, up the other end, an Archie Strachan deflection fizzed just wide of the right post.
Fettes went 2-0 ahead through a rebound finish by Ollie Pillinger after a penalty corner effort struck the post.
It soon went to 3-0 for Fettes with Jonty Wilson finding the net from close range.
Into the second half and Edinburgh Academy pulled one back when Alexander Eckersall thundered home a rebound finish. 3-1.
Minutes later, Fettes restored their three goal lead through a powerful low Angus Fletcher strike. 4-1.
The game became a high-paced battle but neither side were able to add any further goals, and Fettes claimed the victory.
Junior Boys’ Plate final – Glenalmond College 1-3 Strathallan School
The Junior Boys’ Plate went the way of Strathallan School with a 3-1 victory over Glenalmond College at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.
After a blistering opening there was an early goal for Strathallan when Allen Clark sunk a penalty corner into the bottom right corner, to make it 1-0 to Strathallan.
Strathallan’s bright start brought another goal and Edward Wrigley made it 2-0 to Strathallan with a low shot into the bottom left corner.
Then Thomas Dixon went on a superb solo run, and finished to make it 3-0 a short time later, as the first half came to a close.
Strathallan had the opportunity from the penalty spot to score a fourth in the second half. Jamie Fox-Pitt in goal, however, had other ideas and a tremendous save at the bottom right corner kept them out.
Fox-Pitt was called into action again a short time later and denied Strathallan again with a save with his legs at a penalty corner opportunity.
The saves seemed to spring Glenalmond into life and the remainder of the match saw the team in sky blue on full throttle.
Lochlan McDermott pulled one back for Glenalmond from the spot, after a foul on Andrew Gordon, with a strike into the bottom right corner. There would be no further goals and victory went to Strathallan in the Junior Boys’ Plate Final.
Junior Girls Challenge Plate Final – Peebles High School 0-1 St Margaret’s School
A dramatic late winner saw St Margaret’s School win the Junior Girls Challenge Plate at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.
The game was end-to-end from the start with both sides peppering the circles, but not creating any clear opportunities.
St Margaret’s Dami Adeoti looked dangerous and Michaela Okosoda was powerful in midfield, while Nicola Amos was swift on counter attacks for Peebles.
Okosoda had a great chance for St Margaret’s with ten seconds of the half to go, but the final effort went wide of the left post.
Arabella Winn began to have a bearing on the contest for St Margaret’s, and almost opened the scoring from a penalty corner, early in the second half, but the final effort scooped just wide.
With ten minutes to go it was Pebbles’ turn to have a go with Alice Williams distributing the ball well from the back, and Ciara Quin showing some nice touches in midfield. Amos continued to threaten up top, with good running from Phoebe Franklin-Wight alongside.
The great chance came up the other end with five minutes to play, and Winn’s low penalty corner zipped wide of the right post.
With a couple of minutes left to play, another penalty corner opportunity went to St Margaret’s, and this time Winn made no mistake with an effort into the roof of the net. 1-0, and a goal that emerged as the winner in a dramatic finale.
Junior Girls’ Plate – High School of Glasgow 1-2 Dollar Academy
There was more late drama at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre as a penalty stroke won the Junior Girls’ Plate for Dollar Academy, with two minutes to go.
It was a very even affair in the early stages with both sides testing each other’s defences, and finding them both resolute.
Dollar’s Ellen Findlay caused some problems down the right with quick hands, and a stealthy change of direction, while Luisa Cartwright was influential in midfield for High School of Glasgow.
It was a great counter attack by High School of Glasgow, through the direct running of Cartwright, which brought the opening goal, finished off by Rosie Snedden to make it 1-0.
An exceptional save by Dollar’s Mhora Burns early in the second half denied High School of Glasgow a second goal. The keeper was out quick to block at the second phase of a penalty corner routine.
Early in the second half there was an equaliser for Dollar Academy through a lovely deflection by Maisie Chapman, at a penalty corner routine. 1-1.
High School of Glasgow thought they had the ball in the net with 14 minutes left to play, but Burns produced an outstanding double save, from close range, to deny the goal.
Then Dollar went 2-1 up from the penalty spot through Millie Cassels with two minutes to play, which won them the game, and the plate.
Junior Girls’ Challenge Cup – Jordanhill School 4-3 Robert Gordon’s College
In an absolute nail-biter of a cup final it was Jordanhill School who came out victorious against Robert Gordon College, with a 4-3 win in the Junior Girls’ Challenge Cup.
It was a very even first half, which was competitive and committed. Midway through the half, Jordanhill School took a 1-0 lead from the penalty spot through a Millie Parsons strike, despite the attempts of the goalkeeper to keep it out.
With two minutes to play in the half there was an equaliser for Robert Gordon’s College struck by Abby Cochrane, after a nice counter down the left. 1-1.
Jordanhill, however, struck right back, on the half time hooter, to take a 2-1 lead into the break through a penalty corner strike by Parsons.
The contest was equally competitive in the second half, but the next goal saw Jordanhill go 3-1 ahead through Charlotte Andrews, to extend their advantage.
Then, from a penalty corner, it went 4-1 for Jordanhill, and another goal for Millie Parsons.
Cochrane pulled one back for Robert Gordon’s College with a sweet low strike, making it 4-2 to Jordanhill with nine minutes to play.
Robert Gordon’s College weren’t done yet, and Cochrane struck again when she pulled it back to 4-3 with five minutes to go.
A late surge couldn’t find an equaliser and Jordanhill held out to win the cup.
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