Brave Cup finals delivers a day of trophies, drama, and amazing hockey

13th August 2023

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Eastern Lightning 6–1 Western Thunder (Emerging Girls)

Eastern Lightning won the emerging girls’ Brave Cup Final with a 6-1 victory over Western Thunder at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.

The game got off to a great start with both sides playing attacking hockey, and hunting for goals.

A penalty corner was awarded to Lightning and the resulting effort was blocked by a leg on the line, resulting in a penalty stroke.

It allowed Eva Hodge to open the scoring with the stroke placed into the bottom left corner for 1-0.

In the second quarter a superb drag flick by Thunder’s Heidi Logan prompted an excellent diving save to the keeper’s right to keep the ball out of the net. Shortly later, Logan was at it again, this time her drag flick zipped over the crossbar.

Up the other end of the pitch and an attack down the right saw the ball switched to Lightning’s Sophie Davidson to strike at goal, but the effort went wide of the left post.

A second goal for Lightning arrived soon and it was Davidson who forced the ball over the line from close range to make it 2-0.

Lightning started the second half on the front foot and won an early penalty corner, but Thunder dealt with the danger well.

Then Thunder tore forward and Logan looped a shot on the reverse but it landed on top of the net.

But it was Lightning who struck next, and a good run down the left teed up Lucy Coull for a low finish to make it 3-0.

Then Amy Edgar struck for Lightning when she rounded the keeper to put her team 4-0 ahead.

Early in the final quarter Lightning went 5-0 ahead through Izzy Hogarth with a cool finish under the advancing goalkeeper.

Soon there was a sixth goal for Lightning. They went 6-0 ahead when a cut back from the left deflected into the net off a Thunder stick to make it 6-0.

Thunder got a deserved goal as the game reached its finale. Heidi Logan slammed the ball into the bottom right corner from the penalty spot to pull one back for Thunder. Lightning ran out 6-1 winners to claim the emerging girls’ Brave Cup Final.

Eastern Lightning 3–1 Northern Devils (Emerging Boys)

Eastern Lightning lifted the Emerging Boys’ Brave Cup after the beat Northern Devils 3-1 at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.

Both sides had chances in the early stages as the game got off to a quick and competitive start.

It was Lightning who struck first when Finlay Duncan opened the scoring with a powerful low shot across the keeper into the bottom right corner. 1-0.

The game settled down in the second quarter and became a more tactical affair, both sides trying to outplay the other.

Lightning won a series of penalty corners and it was in the second phase of one of these corners that Greg Wardlaw put his side 2-0 ahead with a finish from a tight angle.

Devils almost pulled one back a few minutes later when a counter attack sent Ryan Dunbar through on goal, but the keeper was out quick to block, and clear the danger.

Into the second half and some sensational goalkeeping by Devils’ Finlay Ross, prevented a number of penalty corner efforts, as Lightning set about hunting for more goals.

As the third quarter reached an end it went to 3-0 for Lightning through a close range finish by Cody Adams.

The Devils kept searching for goals in the final quarter and made good progress, winning penalty corner opportunities.

It was from a corner that the Devils pulled one back from a low penalty corner slammed home by Gillies Law. 3-1.

Despite a late push there would be no further goals and Lightning won the trophy with a great win.

Eastern Lightning 4–1 Western Thunder (Aspiring Girls)

Eastern Lightning were crowned Brave Cup Aspiring Girls’ champions after a 4-1 victory at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.

It was a tentative opening to the contest with neither side grasping control of the match.

The first opportunity of the game came midway through the opening quarter when Lightning managed to carve open the Thunder defence. A lovely through ball allowed Gabriella Fontenla to shoot at goal, but her effort slid wide of the right post.

A penalty corner late in the quarter gave Thunder the opportunity to shoot at goal, but Ava Graham’s powerful drive went wide of the left post.

Thunder struck the post early in the second quarter after some patient build up down the left, and they looked threatening from the whistle.

An instinctive effort by Lightning’s Darcy Littlefield tested the leg guards of the goalkeeper, and it led to a penalty corner, which was prodded wide of the left post by Imogen Aitken.

Then a good move down the left by Thunder gave Orla Miller the chance shoot, but her effort slide wide of the far post, across the face of goal.

The opening goal eventually came, and Lightning took the lead right on the half time hooter through Maddie Lumsden. A lovely three pass move gave Lumsden an empty net to tap the ball home for 1-0.

Then Fontenla made it 2-0 for Lightning with a brave finish under the advancing keeper.

Almost immediately Orla Parsons pulled one back for Thunder. Parsons swivelled and shot to find the bottom right corner for 2-1 to Lightning.

Thunder almost equalised moments later when a lovely exchange at a penalty corner allowed Lily Creighton to shoot, but the effort slipped just wide of the right post.

Lightning bit back to go 3-1 ahead through a composed finish, off the post and in, by Jenna Park.

Ava Wadsworth came close to scoring for Thunder at the start of the final quarter, with a low penalty corner that fizzed just wide of the left post.

Any prospect of a comeback was put to bed when Park struck again for Lightning, with a shot into the bottom left corner, to go 4-1 up, and claim the title.

Eastern Lightning 2–3 Western Thunder (Aspiring Boys)

In a final of tremendous quality it was Western Thunder who came out on top with a 3-2 victory at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.

The first chance of the match fell early doors to Lightning, after some good build up play down the right set up Owen Hunter for an effort, but it was well blocked at the near post.

The game was tight, but the quality was high, with a lot of talent on show.

Thunder took the lead early in the second quarter with a lovely finish into the top right corner by Andrew McGrane, to make it 1-0.

The side from the West kept probing and Thunder went 2-0 ahead through a precise Benjamin Young finish into the bottom right corner.

Lightning threatened early in the second half with a penalty corner but it was well charged down. Then a good save denied an attempt at goal at the near post.

Up the other end of the pitch a Sam Hunt drag flick was well saved, but he was on hand to slam the second phase into the corner of the net for 3-0.

Lightning pulled one back at the end of the third quarter through penalty corner rebound by Ben Turtle. 3-1.

In the final quarter Lightning looked certain to get the ball in the back of the net but an incredible goal line clearance by Calum Darroch, kept them out.

Then, Lightning pulled another one back. A swift attack down the left set up Oliver Travers for a far post finish, to pull it back to 3-2.

Lightning took off their goalkeeper and piled on the pressure in the closing stages – the air was tense, but Lightning couldn’t find the equaliser, and Thunder lifted the trophy.

Pitch 2

Northern Devils emerging girls 2-1 East District

Northern Devils emerging girls defeated East District Girls’ invitational team with a 2-1 victory at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.

The game was thirty three minutes old when they made the breakthrough and it was India Stevens who struck from open play, to make it 1-0.

East District battled back, and they were rewarded with a goal through Thea Wright to level the scores.

Devils struck the winner in the 52nd minute when Amy Jenkinson found the net to make it 2-1, and claim the victory.

Western Thunder emerging boys 6-0 East District

A 6-0 victory saw Western Thunder Emerging Boys finish their Brave Cup campaign with a win.

Five minutes into the opening quarter and Tom Hunt found the net with a drag flick to make it 1-0.

Murray Bett was next to add his name to the score sheet when he made it 2-0 just after the half hour mark, making for a 2-0 lead at half time.

The second half was goal leden. Bett struck again to make it 3-0 before a quick fire double by Oscar Lochrin made it 5-0.

The scoring was completed by Corbin Miller as Thunder rounded off their tournament with a solid win.

Northern Devils Aspiring Girls 16-0 East District

Northern Devils Aspiring Girls were on top form with a 16-0 victory over East District.

Lexie MacMillan struck four goals in the win, as did Gracie Gray-Giles and Kiera Foster.

Emily Norval struck a double and goals for Riley Thomson, Olivia Jones, in the victory.

Northern Devils Aspiring Boys 9-1 East District

Northern Devils Aspiring Boys finished up their Brave Cup campaign with a 9-1 victory over East District at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.

Findlay Duncan opened the scoring in the second minute, before Josh Love scored a few minutes later.

Duncan scored his second, and Devils’ third, before Love matched him by completing a double.

Lewis Mutch was next to find the net for Devils before the captain, Murray Griffiths, made it 6-0.

Alistair Clark made it seven before Ollie Cooper added his name to the score sheet.

East struck one back through Noah Gray, before Love completed his hat trick, and the scoring, in a 9-1 win.