Premiership: men: Western Wildcats 7, Uddingston 1; Watsonians 0, Grange 5; Kelburne 5, FMGM Monarchs 1; Dunfermline 6, Erskine Stewarts Melville 2; Edinburgh University 3, Inverleith 0; Clydesdale 4, Hillhead 1. Premiership: women: Gordonians 0, GHK 3; Western Wildcats 5, Dundee Wanderers 1; Hillhead 0, Clydesdale Western 1; Uddingston 0, Watsonians 11.
Watsonians coach Keith Smith admitted to making a slight tactical change which had a significant bearing on the club’s comprehensive victory over Uddingston in Lanarkshire.
The move involved Scotland international Sarah Jamieson dropping a little deeper allowing the quicksilver striker more room to run at the home side’s defence.
Smith’s ploy worked a treat as Jamieson ran riot, scoring two goals and setting up several others with darting runs which tormented the Uddingston defence.
Lanarkshire side eventually capitulated 11-0 in a one-sided game. Indeed, the Watsonians goalkeeper was a virtual spectator as the Edinburgh side pressed forward relentlessly.
It was a thoroughly professional, all-round team performance and Watsonians registered their first goal inside the first two minutes.
They continued to press and were 4-0 ahead at the first break and 6-0 up at half-time. Another two goals followed in the third quarter and three more arrived in the final session, Jamieson waltzing around several bemused Uddingston players in the D before laying the ball off on a plate for a colleague to net for one of the best goals in the game.
Smith said he asked his squad to start quickly and they did. Jamieson, he said, had a quiet first-half but he asked the quality player to sit slightly deeper to give herself more room and the switch worked to a treat.
The fact that so many of the Watsons players netted goals will boost confidence and the signs are ominous for the chasing pack even this early in the season.
Elsewhere, Western Wildcats men also opened their defence of their title with an emphatic 7-1 victory over Uddingston at Auchenhowie and last season’s runners-up, Grange, travelled to Capital rivals Watsonians and won 5-0, Fraser Heigh, last season’s top marksman, netting twice with other strikes from Duncan Riddell, Dylan Bean and Alan Johnston.
Edinburgh University, who were third last season, won 3-0 at home to city rivals Inverleith with a double from Jack Cahalin and a single from Declan Bradley.
PICTURE: Goalmouth action at Uddingston by Nigel Duncan
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