Scots continue warm-up preparations against South Africa

 

Scotland Senior Women continued their training preparations for forthcoming international competitions with another warm-up match against South Africa today.
The Scots lost 4-1, Ailsa Wylie netting for the national side, but the official international matches start on Friday with less of an experimental squad approach.
Scotland Senior Women Head Coach continued to ring the changes and commented, “Today we used a large squad with lots of players getting pitch time again. The conditions were very hot, around 30 degrees, and this was after a pitch and gym session earlier on in the day. It wasn’t about the result today, we had a good promising first half but a couple of goals that could have been avoided in the second period. First test is on Friday and the players are looking forward to it.”
After a pretty even first ten minutes, Scotland’s Robyn Collins and Catriona Ralph combined to give Heather Elder a chance inside the circle but the Dundee Wanderers’ midfielder was stopped by a strong stick block.
In the 15th minute, Sam Judge’s dangerous cross to Ailsa Wylie was blocked, before Scottish goalkeeper Siobhan Cowie was called into action three minutes later to make a good save from a fierce reverse stick shot.
The national side took the lead in the 21st minute with a wonderful Wylie goal; Judge found Nikki Lloyd in space, whose drive to circle and shot was deflected brilliantly past the South African goalkeeper into the top corner after a lung-bursting run and dive from the Grove Menzieshill striker.
With the Scots having much of the first half, they were left to rue their missed chances after an equaliser for the home side in the 32nd minute. A ball bobbling around the Scottish circle wasn’t cleared and a subsequent shot from a South African attacker hit the left hand post and rolled along the line. The ball was adjudged to have crossed the line to leave the score 1-1 at half-time.
South Africa came out of the blocks quickly following the interval, with Nicki Cochrane forced into a making a fine save in the 36th minute. Cochrane was on hand again to save an initial penalty corner attempt only sixty seconds later but the rebound was lifted high into the corner of the net to make it 2-1 to South Africa.
Captain Linda Clement came close to a Scotland equaliser two minutes later, just missing out on Sarah Robertson’s cross.
South Africa then began to enjoy the majority of possession and territorial advantage having appeared to lift intensity in hot conditions and Scotland continuing to ring changes in an attempt to try different options with several players playing out of normal positions.
Nine minutes from time, a break from the hosts led to another great save from Cochrane but the rebound was stroked home to make it 3-1.
Shortly after, a long aerial down left hand side led to a cross that eluded the Scottish defence was turned in at the far post to leave the final score at 4-1.
The Scots now focus on the official test series beginning this Friday.

Scotland Senior Women continued their training preparations for forthcoming international competitions with another warm-up match against South Africa today.

The Scots lost 4-1, Ailsa Wylie netting for the national side, but the official international matches start on Friday with less of an experimental squad approach.

Scotland Senior Women Head Coach Gordon Shepherd continued to ring the changes and commented, “Today we used a large squad with lots of players getting pitch time again. The conditions were very hot, around 30 degrees, and this was after a pitch and gym session earlier on in the day.

“It wasn’t about the result today, we had a good promising first half but a couple of goals that could have been avoided in the second period. First test is on Friday and the players are looking forward to it.”

After a pretty even first ten minutes, Scotland’s Robyn Collins and Catriona Ralph combined to give Heather Elder a chance inside the circle but the Dundee Wanderers’ midfielder was stopped by a strong stick block.

In the 15th minute, Sam Judge’s dangerous cross to Ailsa Wylie was blocked, before Scottish goalkeeper Siobhan Cowie was called into action three minutes later to make a good save from a fierce reverse stick shot.

The national side took the lead in the 21st minute with a wonderful Wylie goal; Judge found Nikki Lloyd in space, whose drive to circle and shot was deflected brilliantly past the South African goalkeeper into the top corner after a lung-bursting run and dive from the Grove Menzieshill striker.

With the Scots having much of the first half, they were left to rue their missed chances after an equaliser for the home side in the 32nd minute. A ball bobbling around the Scottish circle wasn’t cleared and a subsequent shot from a South African attacker hit the left hand post and rolled along the line. The ball was adjudged to have crossed the line to leave the score 1-1 at half-time.

South Africa came out of the blocks quickly following the interval, with Nicki Cochrane forced into a making a fine save in the 36th minute. Cochrane was on hand again to save an initial penalty corner attempt only sixty seconds later but the rebound was lifted high into the corner of the net to make it 2-1 to South Africa.

Captain Linda Clement came close to a Scotland equaliser two minutes later, just missing out on Sarah Robertson’s cross.

South Africa then began to enjoy the majority of possession and territorial advantage having appeared to lift intensity in hot conditions and Scotland continuing to ring changes in an attempt to try different options with several players playing out of normal positions.

Nine minutes from time, a break from the hosts led to another great save from Cochrane but the rebound was stroked home to make it 3-1.

Shortly after, a long aerial down left hand side led to a cross that eluded the Scottish defence was turned in at the far post to leave the final score at 4-1.

The Scots now focus on the official test series beginning this Friday.

 

 

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