CALA take the Title despite Glasgow dominance
East versus West was the billing for the Women’s Scottish Plate Final at the National Hockey Centre in Glasgow, between Glasgow University and CALA Edinburgh, and it was the side from the Capital who took the spoils.
Glasgow University started the stronger of the two playing some slick aggressive hockey. Captain Laura Murray was particularly influential in the early stages, and it was she who twisted and turned her way into the D for the first opportunity of the match, but she was eventually crowded out by hard-working CALA defenders.
An intentional foul in the D resulted in a penalty stroke to CALA. Lorna Crawford sent the stroke into the bottom left corner leaving the goalkeeper with no chance, despite guessing the right way for 1-0.
It was a conflict of styles, with Glasgow University enjoying most of the possession but CALA creating the better chances. Glasgow continued to probe throughout the first half but found the
CALA defence a tough nut to crack.
Into the second half and CALA started the stronger of the two, asking questions of the Glasgow University rear-guard.
They were rewarded with their second goal. From a penalty corner the evergreen Angie Davie set-up A J Russell to score from two-yards out.
The goal spurred Glasgow University on and they went hunting for a reply. Zara Bell had a good chance from a penalty corner but her effort deflected wide.
Then a flash of brilliance by Nicole Pike where she created the chance for herself and hammered the ball just wide of the target for Glasgow University.
CALA put the game to bed when they were awarded another penalty stroke. Lorna Crawford stepped up again and scored despite a great effort by Rowan Sinclair in goal for Glasgow University. 3-0.
The scoring was rounded off by Eleanor Desmulliez who slipped the ball past the advancing goalkeeper to make it a final score of 4-0 to CALA Edinburgh.
Images from the match will appear here over the next few days
Match report courtesy of Scottish Hockey
