Watsonians captain Bethan Mann praised the squad and, in particular goalkeeper Lucy Camlin, after they secured a Scottish Cup and Premiership double with a narrow victory over The University of Edinburgh.
The 1-0 win came courtesy of a solo run and blistering shot from 21-year-old Emily Dark. The Dundee-born defender picked up the ball in her own 25 and took off, leaving the students in her slipstream, and then she let fly with a rasping drive into the top corner.
The sizeable Watsonians contingent of fans in the packed stand at The Peffermill Playing Fields jumped to their feet to celebrate and the stunning strike, fit to win any game, came at an ideal time, seconds from the break.
The University of Edinburgh, urged forward by coach Sam Judge, piled on the pressure in the second-half and forced Lucy Camlin into a number of good saves, two coming late-on, but Watsonians held out.
Mann, pictured with the cup by Nigel Duncan, said: “There was quite a lot of pressure on the girls as it is the first time we have ever been in a Scottish Cup Final. We were fairly confident going into the game given that we had won the league, but it is the Cup Final and we knew that anything could happen.
“The girls worked so hard on the pitch defensively the whole game, it was a really tough game but, in the end, the result is ours and this is an amazing achievement for us.”
She added: “The last time we played them we had already won the league and that possibly took a bit of pressure off us (the game ended 2-2) and we may not have played as we hard in the previous two games which we won. They always give us a good game, they are our toughest game in the league, and we have to give 100 per cent every time we play them.
“We defended really well and that was mentioned in our team huddle at the end. Our defence at corners kept us in the game, Lucy (Camlin) in goal and Ellie Wilson and Emily Dark keep us in line and everybody knows their job, and that was crucial for us.
“Lucy is an absolutely fantastic keeper. She probably isn’t as busy these days as we have progressed, but in the earlier years she kept us in games and we owe so much to Lucy Camlin, she is so important to the team and we don’t take that for granted.”
The students had five corners throughout a tense clash in which Dark’s goal was a highlight. Sarah Jamieson carried real threat with his pace while, on the other side of the pitch, Amy Costello, a Great Britain player, who was a reserve for the Toyko Olympics, was cool, calculated and produced a string of superb passes for her team-mates.
Sadly for the students, they did not take the chances which came their way but they now prepare for going into Europe in two weeks when they fly to Turkey for a EuroHockey Club Challenge, Division Two, in Alanya from June 3 to 6.
Experienced news, business, arts, sport and travel journalist. Food critic and managing editor of a well-established food and travel website. Also a magazine editor of publications with circulations of up to 200,000 and managing director of a long-established PR/marketing company with a string of blue-chip clients in its CV. Former communications lecturer at a Scottish university and social media specialist for a string of successful and busy SMEs.
