Northern Devils 2-3 (1-2) Western Thunder (Aspiring Girls)
Western Thunder aspiring girls got off to a winning start in the Brave Cup with a 3-2 win over Northern Devils. The also bagged an extra point for winning the shootout and finish the day with four points on the board.
The Devils sprung the first attack of the contest with a burst down the left, but it was crowded out, and the danger cleared.
Then back-to-back corner opportunities for the Devils were well defended, as the hosts looked dangerous.
Up the other end of the pitch, Lucy MacMillan came close for Thunder with a powerful penalty corner fizzing wide low to the left.
A goal was in the air and it was Orla Parsons who gave thunder the opener. With players pouncing on a loose ball it was Parsons who struck a close range finish, under pressure, for 1-0.
In the second quarter the Devils pressed well but Thunder looked dangerous on the counter.
Hazel Murison finished off a counter with a finish into the bottom left corner to make it 2-0.
Soon after, it was almost 3-0 but for a series of tremendous saves by Morven Begg in goal for the Devils.
The third goal wasn’t far away. A penalty corner rebound found Mhairi Low who picked out the roof of the net for 3-0.
The third quarter was a tight contest. Thunder came close when a penalty corner superbly cleared off the line.
Then Devils got their reward.
Lexie MacMillan pulled one back for the Devils at the end of the third quarter when she slipped low shot into the bottom left corner. 3-1.
The final quarter brought good pressure from Thunder, which was met by a strong Devils defence.
A Devils counter was concluded by a good near post save, before a sensational double save by Begg denied Lily McKaig from bagging a fourth for Thunder.
The Devils fight back continued when Tallulah McMorris fired the ball high into the far corner for 3-2.
There would be no further goals and Thunder secured the win and three points.
The shootout also went the way of Thunder with a 2-1 victory that saw them take the bonus point as well.
Northern Devils 1-6 (3-2) Western Thunder (Aspiring Boys)
It was an excellent win for Western Thunder aspiring boys with a 6-1 victory over Northern Devils, but Devils took the bonus point for winning the shootout 3-2.
Devils started the contest on the front foot and won the first corner of the game, but the resulting effort was booted clear by the keeper.
It wasn’t too long before the game saw the opening goal and it came through Findlay Wyatt when he spun and shot low into the goal. 1-0 to Thunder.
Devils were still in the contest and an excellent penalty corner routine at the end of the first quarter went just wide of the right post.
Then Thunder struck another goal in the second quarter. It came through a glorious Sam Hunt drag flick into the top right corner for 2-0.
The Devils showed good aggression in the second quarter and nearly equalised through a drag flick, but a sensational block on the line by Cormac Briody denied them.
Before long, Thunder bagged a second, and another Hunt drag flick into top right corner made it 2-0 right on half time.
Devils came close to pulling one back at the beginning of the second half but Murray Griffiths watched his drag flick zip just wide of the right post.
They got their goal soon enough and a Calum Bradford stealthy run into the circle and finish pulled it back to 3-1 Devils.
Thunder scored right away through Scott Love, swiftly followed by a johnny Bradley deflection at a penalty corner for 5-1.
It was a tetchy final quarter littered by cards, and the quarter struggled to get going. Then Hunt completed a hat trick of drag flicks when he made it 6-1 with a superb finish.
The game ended 6-1 to Thunder but it was the Devils who won the shootout with an excellent 3-2 win for the bonus point.
Northern Devils 1-1 (1-2) Western Thunder (Emerging Girls)
A fiercely competitive emerging girls contest between Northern Devils and Western Thunder ended in a 1-1 draw, but Thunder earned a bonus point after winning the shootout 2-1.
Devils started strong and pressured the Thunder circle from the first whistle. They were rewarded for their early pressure when they took the lead. Sarah Cassels struck home the goal from close range to make it 1-0.
Early in the second quarter Devils were denied a second when a powerful corner strike by India Stevens was well saved.
Then Thunder equalised. Heidi Logan sailed a drag flick into the roof of the net to make it 1-1
Logan almost struck again on half time but an excellent sliding save kept the score level at the back.
The third quarter was tight and competitive with neither side grasping control. Each team had a corner opportunity but were unable to capitalise.
Devils started the final quarter well and won a penalty corner. Stevens took the opportunity to blast at goal, but the effort fired just wide of the left post.
As the minutes ticked away, Devils looked the more hungry for the win, but there would be no last gasp winner and the points were shared.
With a bonus point to play for the shootout was a nerve jangler, but it was Thunder who came out on top with a 2-1 win.
Northern Devils 4-2 (4-1) Western Thunder (Emerging Boys)
It was a successful start to the emerging boys’ Brave Cup for Northern Devils after they beat Western Thunder 4-2, before taking the bonus point in the shootout with a 5-1 win.
In a quick start Devils threatened first through a stealthy attack down the right, but the cut back evaded the attacker arriving at the far post.
Then Ryan Dunbar opened the scoring for the devils. A quick exchange opened up the defence and a low finish by Dunbar gave his side a 1-0 led.
A tremendous burst of pace by Dunbar almost saw the Devils go two ahead, but a touch took him wide, and the danger was cleared.
The second quarter saw Devils go 2-0 ahead when a shot from Jack Tasker found its way into the net from a tight angle.
Thunder pulled one back before half time through Harry Watson, who popped up with a far post finish for 2-1, after a good exchange down the left.
The second half started with Thunder pressure and Angus Menzies nearly equalised with a low effort but the outstretched keeper kept them at bay.
A Thunder counter attack saw the attacker fouled as he was about to strike at goal, and a penalty stroke was awarded. Adam Jack then equalised for Thunder from the penalty spot despite a valiant attempt from the goalkeeper 2-2.
Another penalty was awarded soon after, this time to the Devils, and Tom Richardson put his side back in front, with a finish into the bottom left corner. 3-2.
The final quarter was end-to-end with both sides hunting goals.
Devils looked sharp when a great run into the circle by Giles Law was snuffed out by the goalkeeper.
Thunder took their keeper off for the final six minutes and were immediately punished. A Devils counter saw the ball ran into the empty net by Dunbar to make it 4-2, which was how it ended.
The prolific Devils scored all their penalties in the shootout to win 5-1, and take home the bonus point as well.
