Classic day of indoor Gala Day action

Women’s Indoor Final – Watsonians 5-4 Clydesdale

Watsonians were crowned the 2023 women’s indoor champions after coming from behind twice to secure the title at the Bells Sport Centre in Perth, defeating Clydesdale 5-4.

Both sides came into this game unbeaten, with their only meeting being a 2-2 draw with both aspiring of championship glory and a place in Europe.

Watsonians tried to take control early on and had two good chances denied by Jess Buchanan within the first minute of the game. The balance seemed to change straight away, with the early scare sparking Clydesdale into life. With the momentum stating to be on their side they took advantage, and grabbed the lead through a Carly Bisset goal after the ball somehow got through the circle to find her and she was left an easy tap in.

The lead was soon doubled as a Clydesdale short corner was converted by Margery Justice, who kept her shot low, as she guided it into the lower right of Lucy Camlin’s goal.

Watsonians got themselves back on track at the start of the second quarter, with Sarah Jamieson receiving the ball on the edge of the circle and she fired the ball across Buchanan’s goal to make it 2-1.

Clydesdale were quick to respond, as they went straight up the other end and made it 3-1 with Bronwyn Shields chipping over an outstretched Camlin. There weren’t too many chances after that in the half, with both sides putting on strong defensive displays. After a long spell of Watsonians searching, they finally got their second, with Jamison scoring again, this time rounding the keeper and cut Clydesdale’s lead to one goal. With just over a minute left of the third quarter Jamieson completed her hat-trick as well as the Watsonian comeback. A run from Emily Dark was able to draw in the Clydesdale defenders and her pass across the circle was met by Jamieson who guided her shot in to make it 3-3 and set up a tense last 10 minutes.

Moments after having a great chance denied by Camlin, Clydesdale restored their lead with Anna Hoolaghan receiving the ball just outside the circle and she tapped the ball through the legs of the oncoming Camlin. The lead was short lived as Dark rifled a short corner into the goal to bring Watsonians level again. Camlin made an important save with less than two minutes of play, as she got down to block a good short corner from Clydesdale.

With less than 30 seconds on the clock Watsonians took the lead for the first time in the game, as a loose short corner pass was held up by Dark, who got the ball to Katie Stott, whose shot deflected over Buchanan to make it 5-4.

Clydesdale were unfortunate to lose in the end and will be frustrated after only being behind for less than 30 seconds all game, but Watsonians can take great pride in a resilient performance that sees them crowned indoor champions for the first time, as well as securing their spot in Europe next year.

Photo by Duncan Gray

Men’s Indoor Final – Western Wildcats 9-6 Inverleith

It was a quick start to the contest that burst into life with a high speed mazy Inverleith run through the Western Wildcats defence, but the attack was well dealt with by the resolute Callum Duke.

Stephen Dick was pulling the strings for Inverleith as they probed the Western rear guard, and Gavin Sommerville was called on to produce a sensational diving save to his right to keep the score to zero.

Inverleith then struck the opener through a powerful Keir Robb low strike to make it 1-0 in the first quarter.

Western began to make progress on the left channel and looked dangerous through good combinations between Andy McConnell and Hamish Galt.

The defending champions struck back early in the second quarter when Andy McConnell equaliser through a low hard strike from a corner to make it 1-1.

The goal saw Western burst into life and took the lead through a tremendous Rob Harwood spin and strike to make it 2-1.

A third goal arrived soon and it was Joe McConnell who scored at the third attempt after some valiant defending on the line. 3-1.

Then on the stroke of half time Harwood made it 4-1 to Western Wildcats after some unbelievable build up play by Andy McConnell. McConnell beat two players, bouncing the ball off the boards, then picked out Harwood to tap in.

Just like they did in the first half, Inverleith started the second half well as they went on the hunt for goals. Ewen Mackie then scored a wonder goal for Inverlieth to make it 4-2. A penalty corner saw Mackie as the injector and the ball was returned to him before he picked out the far top corner.

Minutes later and Stephen Dick slammed the ball home to make it 4-3 – the comeback was well and truly on.

Andy McConnell then scored a fifth for Western with a close range finish after good work by Hamish Galt on the left.

It was raining goals as Ollie Wilson struck for Inverleith from close range to make it 5-4 before Western struck again for 6-4 through Fraser Moran.

An Andy McConnell drag flick made it 7-4 as Western pulled themselves towards the title.

If you blinked you’d miss a goal, and the ball hit the net again when Harwood struck another with a low effort at the left post for 8-4.

A Stephen Dick drag flick pulled it back to 8-5 before Moran struck instantly for Western to make it 9-5.

Alex Wilson had the chance from the penalty spot to strike for Inverleith but his effort cracked against the post and away.

Inverleith scored right at the death through Dick to make it 9-6 but it was not enough to stop Western Wildcats from retaining their title.

Relegation/Promotion Women’s playoff, Edinburgh vs Uddingston

A clinical Edinburgh performance secured their National League 1 status for the next indoor season, with Cheryl Valentine scoring four of their goals as they dispatched a spirited Uddingston 5-2 at the Bells Sports Centre in Perth.

The relegation/promotion game between Edinburgh Hockey Club women and Uddingston women’s started off in with both sides scoring early on. Cheryl Valentine gave Edinburgh the lead through a short corner, with her shot flying into the bottom left of the goal.

The lead was short lived as Scotland youth international Cat Nelli fired back from the top of the circle, but it wasn’t long till Uddingston found themselves behind again, with Valentine scoring almost a copycat of her first from another short corner.

After this Edinburgh started to take control of the young Uddingston side, Madeline Richie making a number of important stops to keep the deficit to one goal at the end of the first quarter.

At the start of the second quarter Edinburgh started to take more control of the tempo as they attempted to keep Uddingston pressed within their half, with the team in blue and yellow continuing to stand tall against the pressure. That was until Angie Davie found herself free at the back post when a well driven pass allowing her to tap the ball into the net to extend Edinburgh’s lead, making it 3-1.  That goal seemed to open the game up with Uddingston chasing a second goal, but both sides were unable to find the back of the net again by half-time.

The third quarter was mostly a cagey period, with the first chance only coming after halfway through, with a driven pass from Edinburgh nearly floating in after bouncing off a stick, the resulting short corner was saved by Richie, but the following one from that saw Valentine complete her hat-trick with yet another well placed shot off the corner to make it 4-1 to Edinburgh.

The match almost looked settled as the end of the third quarter approached, but some neat stick work from Lucy Hogarth down the left wing got her through on goal and against the angle she forced her shot into the bottom left of the goal, re-igniting Uddingston’s promotion hopes.

Uddingston were on the front foot for the first time in the game at the start of the fourth quarter, that late goal in the third shifted the momentum in their favour, but their early push forward gave Valentine her fourth of the game, making it 5-2 and restoring the three goal cushion. This didn’t deter Uddy who continued to push Edinburgh.

Despite their best efforts Uddingston couldn’t overturn the three goals, with their season ending with confirmation that they will be staying in the second division. Meanwhile Edinburgh can look forward to another of top-flight indoor hockey.

 

Men’s Relegation/ Promotion playoff: Watsonians 11-9 Hillhead

Watsonians came out the victors in a 20 goal thriller, as they defeated a resilient Hillhead 11-9, condemning Hillhead to another year in the second division.

In the second game of the Indoor Gala Day Watsonians looked to secure their status against promotion chasing Hillhead Hockey club.

Facing the peril of relegation, it was Watsonians who were first to strike, with Danny Cain taking control of a loose ball in the circle and turning swiftly and powering a shot across goal to give his side the lead. Cain quickly doubled his tally and Watsonians with some quick running down right wing and with the same cross goal shot he beat Robert Black in the Hillhead goal.

Hillhead didn’t let the early setback stop them with Jimmy Lynch-Small getting their scoring account open. Watsonians responded almost immediately with Fraser Sands scoring a short corner. With yet another quick response Hillhead closed the gap. A slick pass from the left wing found Andrew Black, with the captain hitting into an almost open game to see the first quarter end 3-2 in Watsonians favour.

Only about a minute into the second the Watsonians restored their two-goal lead, another short corner was sent flying into the top of the net by Sands. Sands completed his hat-trick with a shot from the right side of the circle, making it 5-2.

Watsonians weren’t done, as Daniel Coultas picked up a loose ball just outside the Hillhead circle and a controlled chip beat Black. Making 6-2 with three minutes left of the first-half. Just as it looked like the scoring was done for the half, Coultas smashed home a short corner with seconds left on the clock, making it 7-2 with two quarters played.

Hillhead continued to fight at the start of the second-half, with Black pulling the score back to 7-3 with a smart finish through an advancing Peter Brown’s legs. Black could’ve had his hat-trick when Hillhead received a penalty, but Campbell saved his shot, keeping the four goal difference intact. That was until Fraser Ward caught a loose ball in the Watsonians circle and smashed the ball home to make it 7-4.

With a comeback seemingly now on, Hillhead had another penalty with just over two minutes of third quarter left with Ward stepping up this time, launching the ball into the top left of the goal making it 7-5. With the drama not over in the third, Hillhead saw Black sent to the sin bin following stick contact in the closing moments, with Coultas scoring the subsequent short corner to restore a three goal cushion.

Early in the fourth Campbell came to Watsonians with two great saves protecting his sides lead. Off the back of that Coultas scored his fourth, this time receiving the ball off a reverse pass on the short corner to casually finish and make it 9-5. Right after Campbell made another fantastic save, diving across goal to block yet another Hillhead chance.

Hillhead refused to accept defeat and three and a half minutes left Yan Adams scored after two smart saves from Campbell. Moments later Ward scored a penalty which saw Pedro Garcia sent to the sin bin making it 9-7. Watsonians got their own pen which Coultas scored to make it 10-7, with Tom Cole scoring for Hillhead to bring it back to 10-8, but in search of a ninth Sands scored into an empty goal to make it 11-8. Adams scored again with the last play of the game, bring it back to 11-9.

The result keeps Watsonians in the top-flight for another year, while Hillhead can hold their heads high with a strong performance only being snuffed out by some fine goalkeeping from Campbell on multiple occasions.

 

Recent posts:

Back to all news
Back to top