Clydesdale Western and Watsonians will contest the women’s final

The unbeaten pair Clydesdale Western and Watsonians pulled out the stops in the championship semi-finals and both sides ended 6-1 winners over Dundee Wanderers and Wildcats respectively. They will fight it out in next weekend`s GALA finals in Perth.

FINAL POOL MATCHES

Well, there`s nothing better than starting the day off with an eye-catching result… in their final pool match Dundee Wanderers held the free-scoring Watsonians to a 3-3 draw. Not that the result changed anything in the table – Watsonians still top the pool and Wanderers are still runners-up.

But this is only the second time Watsonians have dropped a couple of points this indoor season.

The game started as if the usual floodgates would open up, in only two minutes Emily Dark converted a penalty corner for Watsonians. However, the floodgates remained closed as that was the score at the interval.

Watsonians seemed to have stepped up early in the second half with further open play goals from Sarah Jamieson and Kirsten Laurison for what seemed a comfortable three goal lead.

But then entered Wanderers` Amy Snelle, in six minutes her hat-trick brought the score back level at 3-3…and that is how it finished.

Inverleith ensured their survival in the top flight with a 6-3 win over Edinburgh HC who are now consigned to the later relegation play-off. A penalty corner strike by Inverleith`s Jenn Tait was all that divided the sides in the first half.

However, Inverleith spurted into a 5-1 lead midway through the second half through Ellie Hutcheson`s double, Jo Boyle and Kirsty Dinwoodie, Emma Davie replied for Edinburgh from the spot. Tait scored another penalty corner for Inverleith while Emma and Angie Davie scored for Edinburgh but Inverleith emerged comfortable 6-3 winners and safety.

Clydesdale Western and Wildcats both won their final pool B matches but you might have had the feeling that they were saving something for the semi-finals later in the day.

Clydesdale were 2-0 winners over Edinburgh University, it was goalless until just before the interval when Fran Lonergan sunk a penalty corner. Fiona Semple added a second after the break, and that was the scoring complete.

Wildcats went one better with a 3-0 win over Grove Menzieshill, a result that consigned the Taysiders to the relegation play-off. Rachel Osborne got the only strike of the first half, thereafter Olivia Finch and then Alex Stuart at a penalty corner finished the scoring.

 

SEMI-FINALS

After only beating Edinburgh University 2-0 in the final pool match earlier in the day Clydesdale took an immediate hold on the semi-final game with Anna Hoolaghan at a penalty corner, Millie Steiger and Margery Justice putting the champions three up in only 13 minutes. Although Amy Snelle pulled one back for the Taysiders, Clydesdale remained undaunted and added three further goals in the second half, former Scotland striker Fiona Semple scored twice and Tamilla Matchett added another.

If Wildcats were hoping for an upset in the other semi-final they found themselves a goal down in nine minutes scored by Watsonians`Katherine Holdgate. The turning point in the contest came just before the interval when Katie Crawford and Emily Dark both scored inside a minute for a comfortable three goal lead.

Just after the break Dark added a fourth and the tie looked beyond Wildcats although Alex Stuart did pull one back. Watsonians were not to be denied their victory and in the final minutes penalty corner expert Emily Dark scored another for her hat-trick and Ellie Stott ended the scoring from open play.

 

OTHER GAMES

In the 3v3 play-off the contest ended in a 2-2 draw between Edinburgh University and Inverleith. The students were one ahead at the interval through a spot conversion from Jika Nyirenda, but Inverleith retaliated with second half goals from Stella Hunger and Jo Boyle. With five minutes left Edinburgh levelled through a penalty corner goal from Anne Steingold…and so it finished level.

The relegation play-off between Edinburgh HC and Grove Menzieshill was a goalless stalemate at the interval. Six minutes into the second half Robin Robeson and Cheryl Valentine put Edinburgh two up. But Grove Menzieshill retaliated with goals from Martha Baldwin and Sophia Donald to level at 2-2. Edinburgh then avoided the immediate drop with a couple of late strikes from Iona Syme…and they live to fight another day next weekend against division two`s runners-up.

Finally, it was Wildcats who finished the season in third spot with a narrow 2-1 win over Dundee Wanderers. After a goalless first half it was Wildcats` Lucy Findlay who broke the deadlock after seven minutes. Then, in a last minute flourish Becky Bruce doubled the Wildcats tally only for Amy Snelle to get Wanderers first goal of the game…and that is how the contest ended.

 

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