Scotland secure series success over South Africa with 3-1 win

 


Scotland women clinched a fine series win (2-0) over an Investic
South African side ranked five places above them in the world with
a convincing 3-1 win in Dublin on Sunday morning as Gordon
Shepherd’s preparations for the EuroHockey Nations Championships in
Poland received the perfect boost.

As in previous games the tourists started strongly winning two set
piece awards in the opening minutes which were competently dealt
with by a well organised Scottish defence. Then, as in the previous
games, Scotland began to take control of proceedings Shepherd’s
team opening the scoring in five minutes when following good
combination work from Catriona Ralph, Ali Bell and Vikki Bunce,
Laura Bartlett was obstructed and from the resultant penalty stroke
Bunce powered the ball high to the right of the helpless South
African keeper.

Minutes later the Scots doubled their advantage when Nikki Kidd’s
drag flick was illegally stopped on the line by a defender and
Ralph, this time, stepped forward to confidently send the ball into
the keeper’s right hand corner. However the visitors hit back when
Dirkie Chamberlain was on hand at the far post to send the ball
past keeper Abi Walker  and another effort moments later just
went wide of the target as South Africa tried to get back on level
terms.

Scotland had further efforts from Linda Clement and Holly Cram
before Clement restored the two goal lead getting a touch on a
Bunce rebound effort from a set piece midway through the half. Cram
had another effort denied and Walker made an important block for
the Scots just before the interval.

The second half saw Scotland remain tight and controlled with the
visitors finding it hard to penetrate the well organised Scottish
defence and on the odd occasion they did Walker stood firm.
Shepherd’s team created opportunities of their own and Cram and
Louise Baxter saw further efforts thwarted. South Africa did have a
couple of late efforts but they flashed wide of the goal which left
Scotland well deserved winners.

Even allowing for the fact that South Africa were minus a couple of
their stalwarts including Pietie Coetzee, who holds the world
record number of International goals, this was a notable scalp for
Scotland to claim in the build up to the all important European
challenges which lie ahead.

Scotland Women clinched a fine series win (2-0) over a
South African side ranked five places above them in the world with
a convincing 3-1 win in Dublin, as Gordon Shepherd’s preparations
for the EuroHockey Nations Championships in Poland received the
perfect boost.

As in previous games the tourists started
strongly winning two set piece awards in the opening minutes, which
were competently dealt with by a well organised Scottish
defence.

Scotland began to take control of proceedings and they opening
the scoring in five minutes when, following good combination work
from Catriona Ralph, Ali Bell and Vikki Bunce, Laura Bartlett was
obstructed and from the resultant penalty stroke Bunce powered the
ball high to the right of the helpless South African keeper.

Minutes later the Scots doubled their advantage when Nikki
Kidd’s drag flick was illegally stopped on the line by a defender
and Ralph, this time, stepped forward to confidently send the ball
into the keeper’s right hand corner.

However, South Africa hit back when Dirkie Chamberlain was on
hand at the far post to send the ball past keeper Abi Walker, and
another effort moments later just went wide of the target as South
Africa tried to get back on level terms.

Scotland had further efforts from Linda Clement and Holly Cram
before Clement restored the two goal lead getting a touch on a
Bunce rebound effort from a set piece midway through the half. Cram
had another effort denied and Walker made an important block for
the Scots just before the interval.

The second half saw Scotland remain tight and controlled with
the South Africans finding it hard to penetrate the well organised
Scottish defence and on the odd occasion they did Walker stood
firm. Shepherd’s team created opportunities of their own and Cram
and Louise Baxter saw further efforts thwarted. South Africa did
have a couple of late efforts but they flashed wide of the goal
which left Scotland well deserved winners.

Even allowing for the fact that South Africa were minus a couple
of their stalwarts including Pietie Coetzee, who holds the world
record number of International goals, this was a notable scalp for
Scotland to claim in the build up to the all important European
challenges which lie ahead.

 

 

 

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