Western Wildcats 1-0 Uddingston
Western Wildcats booked their place in the Women’s Scottish Cup Final through a 1-0 win over Uddingston in a close contest at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.
It was an even opening quarter with neither side creating any clear openings for a strike at goal. Uddingston fashioned one counter attack but the pass was over hit, and the ball rolled out of play.
Early in the second quarter Wildcats had a penalty corner opportunity but it broke down at the top of the D, and Uddingston emerged with the ball.
Cat Nelli looked sprightly for Uddingston with some powerful solo runs, while Fran Lonergan was strong and resolute at the back for Wildcats. The first half would end in stalemate in a tight contest.
The second half saw the contest spring into action. Wildcats nearly bagged the opener early in the second half when a deflected corner routine was well saved by Verity Shields at the left post.
Shields was soon called into action again when she made an excellent double corner save from Emma McDiarmid, from the top of the circle, and then from Rachel Bain on the follow up.
Uddingston began to believe in themselves as the quarter neared an end and the contest raced from end-to-end, but it still couldn’t find a goal.
It was all set up for a big final quarter and the quarter brought a big moment for Wildcats. The impressive Lonergan fired the ball into the circle and Alex Stuart was on hand to put the ball into the roof of the net for 1-0 and secure Wildcats their spot in the final.
Clydesdale Western 1-5 Watsonians
In a 5-1 victory over Clydesdale Western at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre, Watsonians claimed their spot in the Women’s Scottish Cup Final.
The game got off to a blistering start when Sarah Jamieson opened the scoring for Watsonians, blasting home on a counter attack for 1-0.
The quick tempo of the match soon prompted another goal, and it was the Edinburgh side who doubled their lead when Genevieve Hussell deflected home from an Emily Dark corner to make it 2-0 for Watsonians.
Watsonians kept coming in the second quarter. Clydesdale Western’s Cara McAllister made a great save to deny Jamieson finishing a tremendous solo run into the circle.
The Watsonians third goal would arrive soon enough and it was Katie Stott who went on a solo run from the left flank to finish at the near post for 3-0.
In the third quarter Clydesdale Western began to play their way back into the contest, but it would be Watsonians to strike the next goal.
Jamieson finished a three-on-one counter attack with a tap-in at the far post to make it 4-0 for Watsonians.
Then Katherine Holdgate made it 5-0 from the penalty spot with an unstoppable finish off the cross bar and in.
Clydesdale Western had a glorious opportunity to pull one back at the end of the third quarter when they were awarded a penalty stroke, but Lucy Camlin dived low to her left to save Laura Paul’s effort.
In the final quarter Clydesdale Western pulled one back through a far post finish by Annabel Ballantyne after a lovely passing move down the right. 5-1 to Watsonians, which was how the match ended with Watsonians progressing to the final.
