Cougars show quality in day 2 of Futures Cup

Futures Cup 2

Celtic Jaguars Girls U16 1-8 Caledonian Cougars Girls U16

Caledonian Cougars U16 Girls went into their clash with Celtic Jaguars full of confidence following a good performance against Mercia Lynx, despite a 2-1 defeat.

The team made a sensational start, scoring three goals in 23 minutes. First to hit the net was Cailin Hart in just the second minute of the game. The Cougars then doubled their lead in the 16th minute when Lucy Smith netted, striking across the goalkeeper.

Katie Swanson scored the third in the 23rd minute, blasting low into the bottom corner to give her side an excellent 3-0 lead, which was how it stayed until half time. The Cougars play three at the back making for a naturally very attacking style of play. The midfield was strong and working hard while the forwards caused lots of problems for the Jaguars.

The second half was almost entirely played in the Jaguars’ half, and it didn’t take the Cougars long to further their lead with Georgia Jones making it 4-0 on 40 minutes.

Celtic Jaguars pulled one back through an Emily Drysdale penalty flick, but immediately Kirsten Cannon restored the Caledonian Cougars 4-goal advantage to make it 5-1 after 53 minutes.

Kirsten Cannon then made it 6-1 from a penalty corner on 56 minutes before Susannah Godfrey-Faussett finished off another penalty corner routine to make it 7-1 with a back post tap-in.

Lucy Smith arguably scored the pick of the bunch when she added an eighth in the last minute, smashing the ball across the keeper into the bottom corner to make it 8-1.

The Cougars finished second in Pool B on three points and will play Saxon Tigers for third place at 11.45 tomorrow full of confidence.

 

Wessex Leopards U16 Boys 7-2 Caledonian Cougars U16 Boys

Caledonian Cougars U16 Boys faced a well-drilled Wessex Leopards side in a game that will serve as a great learning experience for the team.

The Cougars went behind in 15 minutes when Robbie MacLean made it 1-0 after 15 minutes. The fighting spirit was strong in the Cougars and Struan Walker equalised a few minutes later. It was a well-worked move at the top of the D which saw Walker strike the ball into the right corner chest height. 1-1.

The Leopards took the lead again when Jay Piset made it 2-1 after 24 minutes. Walker then hit the post for the Cougars with a drag flick from a penalty corner. Despite good Cougars pressure, it was Owen Pastides who hit the net next when he put Wessex Leopards 3-1 up just before half time.

After the restart, Alex Pendle put the Leopards 4-1 up on 45 minutes. The goal prompted a difficult ten minutes for the Cougers as Toby Pallister made it 5-1 on 50 minutes, before Alex Pendle added a sixth for the Leopards three minutes later.

For the final ten minutes the Cougars had a real go and played some great hockey. Louis Wrenn scored a seventh for Wessex before Struan Walker pulled one back for Caledonian Cougars in the final minute to complete the scoring.

Despite the 7-2 result there were some excellent performances in the Cougars’ ranks. John Stephen was absolutely superb, Andrew McAllister was excellent at the back, and the goal-scoring Walker led the line superbly for the Cougars. The team could have scored four more in the game but finished up as 7-2 losers with a lot to build on.

 

Celtic Jaguars U18 Girls 2-3 Caledonian Cougars U18 Girls

A superb Caledonian Cougars U18 Girls performance saw them claim a well-earned 3-2 victory over Celtic Jaguars in their second Futures Cup outing.

It was the Jaguars who took the lead when Sarah-Jayne Thornburn opened the scoring from a penalty corner in the twelfth minute of the game.

Lauren Dunn then doubled the Jaguars’ lead on 23 minutes from another penalty corner, taking advantage of a slow start by the Cougars.

As half time approached, and following a tactical change to be more proactive, the Cougars clicked into gear and played some irresistible hockey. A quick-fire double from Lexi Sabatelli levelled the score just before half time. For her first, Sabatelli created and scored the goal herself – droving into the D to finish. Her second was again fashioned by Sabatelli herself, a quick exchange saw Sabatelli pounce on a rebound off the goalkeeper to score and make it 2-2.

In the second half Caledonian Cougers were much more confident in their play and it sparked a momentum shift. The Cougars were on top throughout the second half but it took them until almost full time to finally take the lead.

Ella Watt put the Cougars 3-2 ahead with only 4 minutes remaining after she won the ball and finished from the top of the D. The win showed the tremendous grit and determination of the team to overturn a two-goal deficit and win the game.

 

Mercia Lynx U18 Boys 1-0 Caledonian Cougars U18 Boys

The Caledonian Cougars U18 Boys came into the game against Mercia Lynx on the back of a late goal defeat, but with a lot of positivity about their play. But it was Mercia Lynx who came out on top in a close battle thanks to a first half strike from Gareth Griffiths.

Chances came at either end but final product was hard to come by with the massed ranks of defences doing their job.

Ten minutes before the break the deadlock was broken. A penalty corner was played out of the circle but Lynx were able to recycle the ball and work it back in, where Griffiths was on hand to slot home.

With both sides desperate to avoid having to compete in the 5th -6th playoff the game became stretched as the time wore on with both goalkeepers being called upon as the clock ticked down. There was a barrage from the Cougars in the dying seconds to try and force and equaliser, but it was Mercia who managed to cling on for the victory.

 

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