International: women: Scotland 3, Italy 0 (at Peffermill, Edinburgh). 4-Nations tournament: men: Ireland 5, Scotland 3; Wales 5, USA 0 (at Uddingston)
Amy Costello claimed a glory double as Scotland beat Italy 3-0 in a physical contest at Peffermill and declared: “We deserved the win.”
Her opener came after goalkeeper Nicola Cochrane, formerly of the University of Edinburgh, made two telling stops early on and it arrived after Costello dummied a strike from the top of the D and then fired high into the net from Scotland’s first penalty corner in eight minutes.
Scotland dominated possession into the second half and were rewarded with a second, Costello, a University of Edinburgh player, this drag flicking the ball home.
The home side saved the best to last when early in the final quarter they sliced open the Italian defence and quicksilver Watsonians forward Sarah Jamieson finished clinically.
The sides meet again on Monday (7pm) also at Peffermill and Edinburgh-born Costello, who is a member of the Great Britain squad, said: “They will come at us again, but we should have enough to deal with it.
“We took time to get up to pace and they were physical. They provided good opposition as we prepare for the Commonwealth Games at the end of this month.”
Coach Chris Duncan, who is also director of hockey at The Edinburgh Academy, praised the Italian side who he said proved one of the best teams Scotland have come up against in their Commonwealth Games build-up.
They were strong, well-organised and unpredictable as well as being physical, said the coach, who added: “They played as a team rather than individuals and they pressed us in the first quarter but we were really excellent in the second-half.”
At Uddingston, Cammy Golden, Jamie Golden and Alan Forsyth netted for Scotland in a 5-3 defeat by Ireland in the final of the 4-Nations event.
Wales took third place with a 5-0 victory over USA with Gareth Furlong netting a double.
PICTURE: Amy Costello scoring Scotland’s opener by Nigel Duncan
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