Aspiring Boys
Thunder 3-0 (2-1) Lightning
A 3-0 victory saw Thunder triumph over Lightning at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre on the second day of Brave Cup 2024. Thunder also scooped up the bonus point with a 2-1 shootout victory.
Thunder took an early lead when a swivel and shot thumped into the bottom right corner to make it 1-0.
It almost went to 2-0 at the end of the quarter when Murray Bett slipped an effort across goal.
Early in the second quarter Thunder had the ball in the net but the goal was disallowed for a foul in the build-up.
Bett came close to scoring for Thunder after half time when a quick exchange opened the defence but his effort swept wide of the right post.
Moments later, Thunder did strike the second goal. A lovely through ball sent Adam Crawford running at the goalkeeper, and sublime scooped finish saw the ball find the bottom right corner for 2-0.
Then in the blink of an eye it was 3-0 when Ruaridh McDonald slid the ball into an empty net after a quick pass eliminated the goalkeeper.
The bonus point also went to Thunder with a 2-1 shootout victory to seal a successful day for the team.
Aspiring Girls
Thunder 1-0 (3-1) Lightning
Thunder Aspiring Girls earned a 1-0 victory over Lightning on day two of Brave Cup 2024 at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre, and also claimed the bonus point with a shootout victory.
It was a very even and competitive opening to the contest with both sides battling hard to outmuscle the other.
Izzy Molyneux came close for Lightning right at the end of the quarter when she flung herself forward to strike the ball towards the bottom right corner, but Fallon Thomson was a match to it in goal for Thunder.
Early in the second quarter Lightning almost found the when a pass zipped across goal narrowly evaded on the onrushing sticks arriving at the far post.
Up the other end and Alex Burdon almost broke the deadlock with a powerful low strike from a penalty corner, but it fizzed just wide of the right post.
Lucy MacMillan was next to come close after a nice one-two opened up the Lightning defence, but a good block cleared the danger.
Maddie Shepherd pulled off a stunning save to deny Thunder a goal after half time; the ball looked destined for the bottom left corner before an outstretched leg from the keeper deflected it wide.
In the final quarter a superb triple save by Fallon Thomson denied Lightning the lead as they went pressing for a goal.
The deadlock was finally broken with five minutes left on the clock and it was Kate Grace Kellock who gave Thunder the lead with a low smash against the backboard from a tight angle. A 3-1 win in the shootout gave Thunder the bonus point in a successful day in Glasgow.
Emerging Boys
Thunder 1-5 (4-3) Lightning
An excellent 5-1 win saw Eastern Lightning Emerging Boys beat Western Thunder on day two of Brave Cup 2024 at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre. Thunder won the bonus point with a 4-3 victory in the shootout.
It was an explosive start for Lightning as they bolted into an early lead through a surging Noah Gray run and finish to make it 1-0.
Before long Lightning doubled their advantage when Olly Pillinger fired a drag flick into the top right corner for 2-0.
A third goal for Lightning arrived after the break as the ball was forced home from close range to make it 3-0.
Gray made it 4-0 for Lightning with his second drag flick of the match, this time he launched the ball into the roof of the net leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
A tap in early in the final quarter made it 5-0 for Lightning, but Thunder quickly struck one back through a powerful low effort by Corbin Miller. 5-1.
Thunder had a chance to pull another goal back from the penalty spot but Oscar Lochrin’s effort went wide of the top right corner. The bonus point was won by Thunder with a 4-3 shootout victory.
Emerging Girls
Thunder 1-5 (4-2) Lightning
Lightning Emerging Girls got their Brave Cup 2024 campaign off to a winning start with a 5-1 victory over Western Thunder at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre. Thunder took the bonus point with a 4-2 shootout victory.
It was a great start for the visitors as Amelia Leitch opened the scoring for Lightning with a neat deflection to make it 1-0.
It soon went to 2-0 when Freya Ballantine knocked the ball home from close range and doubled her side’s advantage.
In the second quarter Thunder had the chance to pull a goal back from the penalty spot. Autumn Hunter stepped up but was denied at the bottom left corner by the outstretched leg of Anna Bailey.
Just after half time Larissa Hogg made it 3-0 for Lightning with a delightful finish into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Hunter avenged her earlier penalty miss with a sensational solo run and goal to pull the score back to 3-1.
Sophie Hogarth soon restored the Lightning three-goal advantage capitalising on a loose ball to make it 4-1, before Hogg converted a penalty corner at the far post to make it 5-1. Thunder earned a bonus point winning the shootout 4-2.
