Scotland’s senior women completed a win double over a Great Britain Elite Development squad to kick-start their build-up to the World Cup qualifiers.

They won 3-2 on Monday night, after leading 2-0 and 3-1, and claimed a 2-0 victory in the opening game on Sunday.

The new-look squad, who are experimenting with fresh styles of play, suffered two defensive lapses which allowed the visitors to net.

Otherwise, the women, coached by Edinburgh-based Chris Duncan and assisted by Vicky Bunce from Tayside, looked in control for long spells of both games played at Peffermill.

The high press utilised by the development squad in the second game did cause them home side problems, but the eager squad eventually found ways to overcome that difficulty.

They also found gaps in the visitors rearguard with some some slick, one-touch passing, particularly down both flanks.

Scotland are due to play Wales later this month as their preparations for the qualifiers in Rome in late October continue.

They were certainly up-beat after the two wins, claiming the second success thanks to goals from Millie Steiger and Bronwyn Shields in the first quarter and a third from Jen Eadie in the third.

Scotland’s opener followed a penalty corner gained in their first real attack after eight minutes, Steiger netting through a ruck of players from close in.

The second followed five minutes later and this featured a cool finish from Shields. The third after seven minutes of the third quarter came after a fast, flowing breakaway move with Eadie providing the killer touch.

It is obvious that the girls have worked hard in training in recent weeks, taking on new ideas and implementing them, but the coaching staff acknowledge that there is more work to do ahead of the qualifiers in which only one team qualifies for the FIH Women’s World Cup in Spain and The Netherlands in June 2022.

In Rome, however, they should be joined by Sarah Robertson (pictured), who won bronze with the Great Britain squad in Tokyo, and Amy Costello who was Great Britain’s travelling reserve in the recent Olympics, who are currently taking a break from playing.

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