Scotland: Amazing hockey on show in Brave Cup day three

Eastern Lightning 2–0 (0-1) Northern Devils (Emerging Boys)

Eastern Lightning emerging boys took a 2-0 victory over Northern Devils at Peffermill. The Devils took the bonus point in a 1-0 shootout victory.

It was a sprightly start to the match in the drizzle of Peffermill. The first attack of the contest came from the devils, with a swift attack down the left, but it found no connection at the far post.

Lightning was awarded the first corner of the game but found the Devils defence robust, and solid.

Lightning took the lead right before the end of the first quarter. The ball bounced kindly for Oliver Bennett, who forced the ball over the line for 1-0.

Bennett nearly scored a second after the break, but a great save, by Lachlan Law, one-on-one, kept the score at 1-0.

Law was called into action again at a corner, a short time later, and again stood up to the challenge with a double save.

Lightning started the second half strong, carrying on their form from the second quarter. The strong start to the half was rewarded by a goal.

An excellent team move, sweeping down the right, was finished off by Cody Adams to make it 2-0 at the far post.

Devils almost pulled one back at the end of the third quarter when a penalty corner rebound was crunched against the post by Alex Flockhart.

The final quarter saw Lightning continue to threaten, but the Devils always looked dangerous on the counter.

The longer the quarter got, the greater the Lightning pressure became, but some stern defending, and great goalkeeping, kept them out, and there were no further goals.

The shootout was tight but it was the Devils who took the bonus point with a 1-0 victory.

Eastern Lightning 5–3 (3-1) Northern Devils (Emerging Girls)

A highly entertaining emerging girls clash between Eastern Lightning and Northern Devils went the way of Lightning with a 5-3 victory at Peffermill. It was double success for Lightning as they won the shootout for the bonus point as well.

Devils began the game fired up, and took an early lead when Lois Weir was sent through on goal, and slammed the ball into the bottom left corner to make it 1-0.

The early Devils pressure was sustained, and while they looked hungry for goals, only a clearance off the line denied them a second before the first break.

The second quarter saw Lightning win an early penalty stroke, and Izzy Hogarth’s effort zipped just wide of the left post.

Hogarth was involved soon after with a quick solo run into the circle to win a corner. Hogarth’s strike from the top of the D was well blocked, and the danger cleared.

Lightning struck two goals in a minute to go 2-1 ahead. First Hogarth burst into the circle, rounded the keeper, and slotted the equaliser home. Then a swift attack down the right was finished off by Aela Thomson from close range to make it 2-1.

Lightning then went 3-1 ahead right on half time through a low penalty corner strike by Luisa Brown.

Devils started the second half fast and almost found the net when Erin Lee rifled a penalty corner effort just wide of the left post.

It was Amy Jenkinson who would soon deliver for the Devils, when she smashed home a low penalty corner to pull it back to 3-2.

Some great goalkeeping prevented a Devils equaliser when the outstretched keeper blocked a pass across goal for a certain tap-in, before the end of the third quarter.

Into the final quarter and Emily Clark cracked the right post for Lightning as they looked to kill the game off with a fourth goal.

Clark soon got her goal when she made it 4-2 with a strike through the goalkeeper’s legs, which was closely followed by a fifth goal to make the game safe.

Not that anyone told the Devils; they won a penalty stroke and Rachel Newton pulled one back from the spot to pull it back to 5-3, which was how it remained.

Lightning was also victorious in the shootout as they won 3-1 to take the bonus point home.

Eastern Lightning 5–4 (2-3) Northern Devils (Aspiring Boys)

In a candidate for game of the tournament Eastern Lightning aspiring boys won 5-4 against Northern Devils at Peffermill. A close shootout was won 3-2 by the Devils to secure them the bonus point.

Devils made a fast start and took an early lead through a well worked penalty corner, deflected home by Lewis Mutch, for 1-0.

Then Alistair Clark smashed the ball into the bottom right corner for 2-0 to Devils.

Clark bagged his second, and Devils’ third, with a penalty stroke into the roof of the net before the end of the quarter. 3-0.

The second quarter was end-to-end as Lightning sparked into life, but the Devils also looked threatening as they searched for more goals, and it was the Devils who struck next as Murray Griffiths found the bottom left corner to make it 4-0.

Ben Turtle almost immediately pulled one back for Lightning with a far post finish to make it 4-1.

Lightning struck twice, as Murray Banks scored to make it 4-2 – the comeback was on as the half time hooter sounded.

Early in the second half Lightning looked as if they would bag their third, but a lovely swept pass across goal only just evaded the onrushing Andrew McCutcheon, at the far post.

It didn’t take long for Lightning to come close again when Owen Hunter had an effort cleared off the line.

The final quarter began with a Lightning penalty corner opportunity, but it was blasted wide of the right post.

Lightning piled on the pressure and some last gasp defending kept them at bay. That was until Drew Lobb smashed home to make it 4-3.

Both sides went to war for the last five minutes and it was Lightning who made an impact, when they equalised through a penalty corner rebound with three minutes to play.

Lightning completed the comeback to take a 5-4 lead with seconds left to play. Lobb again provided the goal to scoop the three points.

Even in the shootout there wasn’t much between the teams, but it was the Devils who won the bonus point with a 3-2 shootout victory.

Eastern Lightning 3–2 (1-3) Northern Devils (Aspiring Girls)

A 3-2 victory saw Eastern Lightning defeat Northern Devils in the Aspiring Girls’ Brave Cup on day three at Peffermill. A 3-1 win in the shootout gave Devils the bonus point.

The right post of the Lightning goal took a beating in the early stages as Devils pressed for a goal. First Keira Foster hit the near post on the turn, then Lexie MacMillan also smashed the post with a fierce shot to the keeper’s left.

The first goal of the match came right before the end of the first quarter. Rebecca Gordon of Lightning opened the scoring with a composed finish into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.

Lightning moved the ball around well in the second quarter as they set about attempting to break down the stubborn Devils defence.

A ball zipped across the face of goal by Lightning’s Jenna Park threatened, but nobody was able to get on the end of it to convert.

Devils equalised early in the second quarter when MacMillan blasted the ball low for 1-1.

Moments later, Devils nearly went 2-1 ahead when MacMillan zipped the ball across goal for Foster, hurling herself at the far post, but the ball just evaded her stick.

Their second goal did arrive quickly and Devils went 2-1 ahead through a Tallulah McMorris close range finish.

As the third quarter came to a close Georgia Fraser equalised for Lightning from a powerful penalty corner. 2-2.

The final quarter was end-to-end with both sides going for the win. MacMillan was first to come close for Devils with a sharp shot across goal, before Maddie Lumsden tested the Devils keeper up the other end on a counter.

Then Lightning took the lead with a goal swept home from a tight angle by Rebecca Gordon. 3-2.

Devils took their goalkeeper off for the final five minutes as they went searching for an equaliser. It prompted a Devils onslaught but they couldn’t find a goal and Lightning took the points.

The shootout went the way of Devils and they took the bonus point with a 3-1 win.