New Premiership season gets underway with goals aplenty

It was an action-packed start to the new Premiership season, in the women`s league there were wins for champions Watsonians along with Clydesdale Western and Western Wildcats, while in the men`s Western Wildcats, Grange and Edinburgh University all won with something to spare.

In the Women’s Premiership champions Watsonians beat Uddingston 11-0 in their opening defence of their title. Sarah Jamieson got two for the champions and there were nine other scorers in a strong opening day performance to send a powerful message out to the other title hopefuls.

Last year`s runners-up Clydesdale Western had a narrow 1-0 win over Hillhead, the only goal came in the first quarter from Paz Medina at a penalty corner.

Western Wildcats got their claws out and sunk them into Dundee Wanderers at Auchenhowie with a 5-1 victory. The Cats were three up after the first quarter with a double from Rona Stewart and one from Emma McDairmid on her return to Milngavie. In the second half a brace from youngster Lucy MacMillan added to the tally, while Jess Martin got a Tayside consolation with a tap-in at a penalty corner.

GHK went up to Aberdeen to take on Gordonians and came away with a 3-0 victory. It was goalless at the interval but in the third quarter two quick strikes from Lucy Williamson and Katie Mackenzie sealed the points. A late penalty corner variation resulted in a further goal from Lynsey Waddell added a third in the final quarter.

Western Wildcats set out their stall that they are in no mood to surrender their men’s title with a comprehensive 7-1 win over Uddingston at Auchenhowie. The champions went ahead in the first quarter when Andrew McConnell converted from the spot. By the interval the score had advanced to three with a double from their Clydesdale import Jack Mackenzie, the first was from open play while the other came from a well-worked set piece move.

Western’s goal machine continued to flourish in the second half with another from McConnell and a brilliant team move which ended with Adam Mackenzie finishing it off at the back post.

Johnny McDonald pitched in with a consolation for the visitors, but Western’s goal flow was not affected with further strikes from Andrew McAllister at a penalty corner and Rob Harwood in the final quarter.

Photo by Mark Pugh

Grange hit the ground running with a convincing 5-0 win over city neighbours Watsonians. And last season’s runners-up took only five minutes to get on the scoresheet with Fraser Heigh, last season’s top scorer, finishing off with a deflection at the right post. Heigh doubled his tally in 22 minutes with a solo run from half way and a clinical finish, and that is how it stood at the interval.

Grange continued to dominate in the second half with Duncan Riddell adding a third with a reverse stick shot. Two further goals were added in the final ten minutes, Aussie Dylan Bean converted a penalty corner and finally Alan Johnston scored with a deflection. The Grange manager said: “We totally dominated the play today but we failed to take advantage of the many penalty corners we got – something to work on this week.”

Edinburgh University, last season’s third placed side, wasted no time in setting out their stall with a 3-0 win over Inverleith at Peffermill. Jack Cahalin with a double along with Declan Bradley were on target.

Dunfermline Carnegie also gathered up three points with a 6-2 win over Premiership newcomers ESM. Prominent in the scoring front was Andrew Doyle with a hat-trick, the other goals came from Gordon Anderson, Oliver Hobdell and Iain Bruce. But it was not always so convincing for the Fifers, at one point in the second half they only led 3-2 courtesy of ESM strikes from Rich McCorkell and Rich Wright who sent the ball high into the net… but then Carnegie ran away with the game in the latter stages.

Kelburne started this season with a convincing 5-1 win over Premiership newcomers Monarchs. Jay Berry got a couple while the others came from Tommy Austin, veteran Iain Scholefield and Ciaran Wilcox – Ross Glashan got the Dundonians` consolation.

Meanwhile, at Titwood Clydesdale were 4-1 winners over Hillhead, Matt Carder got the latter`s only goal.

 

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