Ralph hat-trick sinks Czechs

WORLD LEAGUE ROUND 1 – PRAGUE – 14-19 AUGUST
2012

SCOTLAND  5  CZECH REPUBLIC 1

A hat-trick by Scotland vice-captain Catriona Ralph was
the catalyst in Scotland`s comfortable 5-1 win over the Czech
Republic in front of their home crowd in
Prague.  

After two rounds of matches Scotland share top spot with Belarus
and Italy, both won convincingly over Turkey and France
respectively.

The Scots had the game well won by the interval with a four goal
advantage, the opener came in just 7 minutes with a direct penalty
corner strike by Ralph.   Scotland`s set piece routine
had become a dangerous pursuit as Nikki Kidd succeeded in hitting
the umpire on the head with her first effort.   Ralph
quickly made it 2-0 when her reverse stick shot was swept into the
net after her initial penalty corner strike was saved by the
goalkeeper.

In a well worked routine at a set piece Kidd`s drag flick was
deflected into the net by Linda Clement.  Two minutes later
good work up the right by Vikki Bunce saw the ball released to
Ailsa Wyllie who swept it into the roof of the net for the
fourth.  However, it was far from one-way traffic as keeper
Amy Gibson was called upon to make three set piece saves during the
half.

The Czechs had a lively start to the second period, they hit the
post and then missed an open goal, but their resistance was snuffed
out by another penalty corner goal from Ralph to make it 5-0. 
The Scots fell away after this, they started to run with the ball
rather than passing, consequently put themselves under
pressure.  Although the home side snatched a goal near the
end, it proved little more than a consolation.

Today Scotland take on Belarus in the game that could well
decide the team to finish in pole position in the table at the end
of the tournament.  Coach Gordon Shepherd predicted that
Belarus could be Scotland`s toughest opposition, especially as they
have already crushed France (9-1) and Turkey (17-0) in their first
two games.  In the Europeans last year, the Scots lost to
Belarus in the pool stages, but pulled out the stops to beat them
2-0 in the final to ensure promotion.

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