Scotland beaten by South Africa in final test

 

Scotland Senior Women rounded off their warm weather training camp and international series with a 4-1 loss to South Africa in Pretoria today.
During hot and humid conditions, the Scots competed far more intensively than in yesterday’s fourth test, but two goals for South Africa Captain Sulette Damons, plus strikes from Quanita Bobbs and Celia Evans, ensured that the home side secured a 5-0 series win. Scotland’s goal came from Edinburgh University forward Sam Judge.
Summarising today’s performance, Scotland Senior Women Head Coach Gordon Shepherd said, “We were much improved today and the standard of performance was much better. We competed against South Africa, a side who are right at their peak after their summer programme.
“We did make mistakes at crucial times [during the series] and we were heavily punished by a pacey, clinical and well drilled team now on way to Argentina for a Test Series. However, the experience has been a great start to a Commonwealth Games year and the players have benefitted massively from being here as a squad.”
South Africa were on the front foot early in the match when Quanita Bobbs took advantage of a misplaced pass from the Scottish defence to drive a low shot past Nicki Cochrane and give her side a 1-0 lead in the second minute.
The Scots were unlucky not to secure an early riposte in the ninth minute after Cat Ralph’s penalty corner attempt was saved, with Becky Merchant sending the rebound wide of the target.
A half chance fell to Aileen Davis in the 13th minute, before the national side were back on level terms sixty seconds late courtesy of a sumptuous strike from Sam Judge, driving into the circle and sending the ball into the corner of the net to make it 1-1.
Scotland then had a good fifteen minute spell with lots of possession but the South African rear-guard limited chances for the away side.
In the 27th minute, a penalty corner attempt from Judge was well saved, and from the rebound, South African counterattacked with blistering speed, finding Celia Evans in the circle to restore the lead at 2-1.
Three minutes from half-time, the Scots were left frustrated as penalty corner mis-trap at the top of the ‘D’ was recovered to feed Sulette Damons, who rifled a low shot into the right corner.
The second half was a far quieter affair, possibly due to the heat and a heavy workload for both sides this week.
Nine minutes from time, good work from Sarah Robertson led to Nikki Lloyd collecting the ball and driving into the circle where she was illegally stopped and a penalty stroke awarded. Ralph’s strike was originally adjudged to have crossed the line despite the ball being smother by the South African goalkeeper, only for South Africa protests to see the decision changed and the goal chalked off.
Amid the confusion, South Africa worked the ball downfield and Damons found herself clear and one on one with keeper to easily wrap up the scoring at 4-1.

Scotland Senior Women rounded off their warm weather training camp and international series with a 4-1 loss to South Africa in Pretoria today.

During hot and humid conditions, the Scots competed far more intensively than in yesterday’s fourth test, but two goals for South Africa Captain Sulette Damons, plus strikes from Quanita Bobbs and Celia Evans, ensured that the home side secured a 5-0 series win. Scotland’s goal came from Edinburgh University forward Sam Judge.

Summarising today’s performance, Scotland Senior Women Head Coach Gordon Shepherd said, “We were much improved today and the standard of performance was much better. We competed against South Africa, a side who are right at their peak after their summer programme.

“We did make mistakes at crucial times [during the series] and we were heavily punished by a pacey, clinical and well drilled team now on way to Argentina for a Test Series. However, the experience has been a great start to a Commonwealth Games year and the players have benefitted massively from being here as a squad.”

Scotland Women Team Lineup

(Scotland team line-up for the final test against South Africa)

South Africa were on the front foot early in the match when Quanita Bobbs took advantage of a misplaced pass from the Scottish defence to drive a low shot past Nicki Cochrane and give her side a 1-0 lead in the second minute.

The Scots were unlucky not to secure an early riposte in the ninth minute after Cat Ralph’s penalty corner attempt was saved, with Becky Merchant sending the rebound wide of the target.

A half chance fell to Aileen Davis in the 13th minute, before the national side were back on level terms sixty seconds late courtesy of a sumptuous strike from Sam Judge, driving into the circle and sending the ball into the corner of the net to make it 1-1.

Sam Judge v SA 3

(Sam Judge was Scotland’s goalscorer)

Scotland then had a good fifteen minute spell with lots of possession but the South African rear-guard limited chances for the away side.

In the 27th minute, a penalty corner attempt from Judge was well saved, and from the rebound, South African counterattacked with blistering speed, finding Celia Evans in the circle to restore the lead at 2-1.

Three minutes from half-time, the Scots were left frustrated as penalty corner mis-trap at the top of the ‘D’ was recovered to feed Sulette Damons, who rifled a low shot into the right corner.

The second half was a far quieter affair, possibly due to the heat and a heavy workload for both sides this week.

Nine minutes from time, good work from Sarah Robertson led to Nikki Lloyd collecting the ball and driving into the circle where she was illegally stopped and a penalty stroke awarded.

Nikki Lloyd vs SA 4

(Scotland’s Nikki Lloyd on the attack against South Africa)

Ralph’s strike was originally adjudged to have crossed the line despite the ball being smother by the South African goalkeeper, only for South Africa protests to see the decision changed and the goal chalked off.

Cat Ralph v SA

(Scotland defender Cat Ralph was denied a ‘goal’ from the penalty spot).

Amid the confusion, South Africa worked the ball downfield and Damons found herself clear and one on one with keeper to easily wrap up the scoring at 4-1.

All Photo Credits: Reg Caldecott

 

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