Stott targets Tigers

GREAT BRITAIN SUPER LEAGUE – LILLIESHALL

Dave Stott, head coach to Scotland women`s under 21
squad currently playing under the guise of Caledonian Cougars,
maintained that participation in the Great Britain Super League was
not about results at this stage, but he has targeted the last pool
game against English side Saxon Tigers to try and reach Sunday`s
final.

The Tigers and Stott`s charges are both locked on three points
with a win each, but the English have their noses in front on goal
difference, so the Scots need to win to face the Pennine Pumas in
the final.   Reaching the ultimate game would be a
psychological boost to the Scots youngsters, but Stott`s real
target is to gain promotion from the European Junior Nations
Championships 11 in Aleksin this July.   There Scotland
are in the same pool as Czech Republic, Wales and hosts Russia, and
the 3-0 win over the Welsh last weekend bodes well for Stott`s
target.

Both the Tigers and the Scots lost 3-0 to the Pumas last
weekend, and although Stott was already heading north when the
English sides clashed last Sunday, the Scotland coach conceded that
the Pumas with full points are the strongest team at
Lillieshall.  

“I would like another opportunity to play the Pumas, and with
the improvements we made against the Welsh, I would expect the game
to be competitive and close.   Our tactics will be far
more aggressive than the conservative approach in the first game,”
said Stott.

Although the Scots youngsters scored three times against the
Welsh Panthers, Stephanie McInally, Louise Campbell and Hazel Hall
finding the net, Stott believes his charges could have been more
composed in front of goal.  “The performance improved in the
second game, although the opposition was not as good, but in both
games we found the scoring circle but didn`t capitalise – this will
be a key feature moving forward.”

There are three changes to last weekend`s squad, goalkeeper
Siobhan Cowie from second division Granite City Wanderers is in
place of Grove Menzieshill`s  Nicki Cochrane while GHK`s Jenny
Morris and Lucy Lanigan of Giffnock replace the Edinburgh
University pair of Kirsty Hill and Bethan Mann. 

Saturday`s game against the Tigers is crucial, a win would put
the Scots into the final, a defeat would set up a rematch with the
Welsh the following day for third place.

Results are not the prime objective of men`s coach Graham Moodie
either in Lillieshall, finding the strongest squad possible to take
on Germany, Belgium and Spain in the European Junior Nations
Championships in Holland next summer is the ultimate target,
nonetheless the former Olympian could hardly have been encouraged
by the defeats at the hands of Pennine Pumas (8-0) and Celtic
Panthers (4-1).

However, Moodie is sticking to his original
game-plan.   “We are at the start of our programme and
last weekend has given me a good indication of the current level of
performance of our squad.

“The target for this weekend is pretty similar for me, a chance
to see more new players in a tough competition, and we are looking
to learn and improve from last week.”

A concerning factor was the fact that the young Scots only found
the net once in the two games, but the addition this weekend of
free-scoring Alan Forsyth should solve that issue.  In
addition, the midfield will be strengthened by the presence of
Glynhill Kelburne teammate Michael Bremner, both players are now
regulars in the senior squad.  

Moodie will also get a chance to see Scott Lyndsay (Clydesdale),
Adam Walker (Grange) and Stuart Allan (AAM Gordonians) who have
also been added to the squad.   But, if the Scots are to
have any chance of recording their first victory against English
side Saxon Tigers on Saturday, the defence will have to be a little
less generous than last weekend.

The young Scots have little chance of qualifying for Sunday`s
final and will have to be satisfied with a third place tussle,
probably against Welsh side Celtic Panthers.

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