Scotland: Clydesdale Western Grasp Control Of Pole Position In The Women`s Indoor Division 1

Clydesdale Western have extended their lead to six points in the women`s National League division 1 after seeing off rivals Watsonians, they lead by six points but the champions do have a game in hand.  Elsewhere, Wildcats purred into third spot with a couple of victories today, and below GHK, Inverleith and Dundee Wanderers lurk a further three points adrift.

Clydesdale Western started off their day with a 5-2 win over Wildcats and extended their lead at the top of the table.  They were two up at the interval through Anna Hoolaghan and Jennifer Eadie at a penalty corner.    But it was far from plain sailing at the start of the second half when Olivia Finch and Alex Stuart brought the scores back level…and was there an upset in the offing.   Perhaps not as Clydesdale put their foot on the pedal and Lucy Williamson, along with Eadie and Hoolaghan again secured the three points for the leaders.

Watsonians also got off to a winning start with a 4-1 victory over Dundee Wanderers.   The basis of the triumph came in the first half with a double from under-21 international Jess Garden and one from Emily Dark for a three goal advantage.   Wanderers made a slight dent in the lead when Charlotte Watson pulled one back from the penalty spot, but a fourth from Katie Stott with three minutes left put the game beyond the Taysiders.

And so to the big one between Clydesdale and Watsonians for the first time this indoor season.

And it`s advantage Clydesdale on the day with a 6-3 win over rivals Watsonians…but there is a long way to go before the denouement.

It was a somewhat unbalanced game of two halves.   The Dale stormed into a six goal lead in the opening half, it started in three minutes through Ava Graham…and the goals continued to flow thereafter.  Jennifer Eadie notched a hat-trick, Lucy Williamson and Frances Lonergan piled in with one each.    Clydesdale failed to find the net at all in the second half, but Watsonians did through Emily Dark, Ailsa Small and finally Jess Garden – but not enough to balance the books.

A narrow 2-1 win over GHK allowed Inverleith to climb up the table into the top echelons.   It took the Edinburgh side only two minutes to move into the lead with a strike from Steph Bain, and that is how it stood until just before half time when Elerie Jones doubled their tally.   GHK were unable to make any inroad into Inverleith`s advantage until two minutes from the end when Jess Halley finally found the net…but too little too late by then.

However, Inverleith failed to capitalise on their early success and unexpectedly went down 2-1 to bottom side Grange who promptly moved out of the bottom rungs.   It started well enough for Inverleith, in 11 minutes Chloe Brown came on as a substitute and promptly scored.  But by the interval Grange had levelled through Iona Syme.   And that is how it stood until five minutes from the end with a spot conversion by Hannah Coll for the vital points.

Despite losing out to Clydesdale in the day`s opening match Wildcats recovered their composure and saw off Dundee Wanderers 5-2 to move closer to the top.  They were two up at the interval, Jess Freeland scored in the opening minute and that was soon followed by Emma Blackstock.  The Cats continued to have their noses in front in the second half with goals from Alex Stuart and a double from Kate Holmes, although Wanderers twice pegged back the lead through a brace from Amy Snelle.

Wildcats gained a further three points in their final game of the day with a 4-2 win over Inverleith to move into third spot.  It was goalless at half-time, but the goals came in the second half.  Becky Bruce, Corrie Hay and a double from Alex Stuart were on target for the Cats while Steph Bain and Jenn Tait replied for Inverleith…but the honours went to the Cats.

Despite losing their earlier match GHK recovered to see off Hillhead 3-1 to move up the table.  They were two up at the break with strikes from Carly Bisset and Beth Campbell.    Wendy McIntyre`s goal gave Hillhead a glimmer of hope but a further strike from Bisset settled the affair for GHK.

After losing their opening two games to Watsonians and Wildcats, Dundee Wanderers bounced back to finish the day with a 6-4 win over Grange.  The latter were 3-1 up at the interval through Freya Philip, Kirsten Turnbull and Iona Syme, Charlotte Watson replying for Wanderers.  But the second half belonged to the Dundonians and Watson, the GB Olympian scored a hat-trick with Ishbel Smith and Jess Martin also on target, Bella Lochwood got Grange`s only reply.

At the foot of the table Hillhead and Grange fought out a 3-3 draw, and therefore still remain level on a point each.  Hillhead`s Orla Millar and Grange`s Iona Syme shared goals in the first half.  They also shared the second half, Wendy McIntyre and Alex Burdon were on target for Hillhead while Syme again and Hannah Coll replied for Grange.