Scotland: Clydesdale Gallop To The Top Of The Women`s Indoor National League

The top of the women`s indoor National League Division 1 seems to have a familiar look, Clydesdale Western top with nine points from their three games along with a massive goal difference while Watsonians are on six after only two matches. GHK, Inverleith, Dundee Wanderers and Wildcats have three point and Hillhead and Grange have yet to get off the mark.

Well, the women`s indoor National League certainly started off with a bang and a surfeit of goals. Clydesdale turned up with a strong outfit, they put in a powerful performance, and came away with a 13-1 victory over Dundee Wanderers on the opening game of the new indoor season. The Titwood side seem to have set their stall out.

There was no mercy for the Taysiders as Jennifer Eadie fired in five goals, Millie Steiger got four and the rest were singles. In the midst of the goal avalanche, Sam Sangster managed to sink a penalty corner for Wanderers` consolation

Clydesdale then proceeded to put Grange to the sword in their second outing – this time 16-1. Bizarrely it was 1-1 after six minutes, Millie Steiger opened for Clydesdale and then Iona Syme replied for Grange. Then the floodgates opened…Jennifer Eadie was again top scorer with four, the same tally as Lucy Williamson while Ciara Forgie and Kayleigh Justice both recorded hat-tricks – the latter`s three goals came in as many minutes.

Finally Clydesdale saw off GHK in their final match of the day – it was a somewhat more sedate affair at 7-2.  And it was only a single goal at the interval through Kayleigh Justice. Then Laura McCabe levelled for GHK. So what now – well it was six more for Clydesdale with doubles from Jennifer Eadie, making it eleven for the day, and Millie Steiger along with strikes by Lucy Williamson and Margery Justice, pushing the score to 7-1 before a late consolation for GHK`s Joanne Boyle.

Watsonians also started off their campaign in defence of their title with a win, but of lesser proportions with a 4-1 score over Wildcats.  The champions were two up at the interval through a penalty corner by Emily Dark and open play from Katie Stott. A minute into the second half Alex Stuart pulled one back for the Cats, but the three points were confirmed with further Watsonians strikes from Jenna Park and Millie Skidmore.

The champions picked up full points on the day but their local derby against Inverleith proved to be testing – at least as far as the score goes. It seemed relatively plain sailing when Watsonians strolled to a 2-0 lead through Katie Stott and Emily Dark, but before half-time Jenn Tait pulled the score back to 2-1. The second half proved problematical as Bopi Monte and then Tait again pushed Inverleith into a 3-2 lead – and a shock was in the offing.

But no, with three minutes to go Emily Dark scored twice for a 4-3 winning score and the points were secured.

GHK made a solid start to this season`s campaign with an opening 7-2 win over Grange. They were three up at the interval through Joanne Boyle, Heather Currie and Emma Tennant. In the second half GHK moved to six, Boyle got another two for her hat-trick and Tennant scored her second. A mini revival from the Edinburgh side with a brace from Iona Syme for 6-2, but near the end Robin Robeson added GHK`s seventh.

However, GHK could not manage to capitalise on their initial success and went down 2-1 to Dundee Wanderers in their second outing. Jess Martin put the Taysiders in front in only two minutes but not long after Heather Currie levelled for GHK…and that is how it stood at the break. The winner for Wanderers came midway through the second half when Martin converted a penalty corner – and that was the end of the scoring with the three points going to Wanderers.

Inverleith were also early winners with a 3-0 win over Hillhead.  A two goal lead at the interval through a penalty corner conversion by Bopi Monte and Elerie Jones. That`s how it stood until the final minute when Monte added a late third and the three points.

Towards the end of the day Wildcats purred to a seven goal win over Hillhead to collect their first three points of the campaign.  It was three at the interval through Kate Holmes, Alex Stuart and Lucy Macmillan at a penalty corner.  The second half was a procession of further goals – Stuart, Holmes and Macmillan grabbed their second of the contest while Jess Freeland also found the net.