Jen Eadie returned from eight weeks on the sidelines from injury to net a glory double as much-changed Scotland beat new-look Wales 6-0 in the first of a double-header international at Edinburgh’s Peffermill and Grange move top of their pool in the men’s Club Trophy in Vienna.
The 27-year-old admitted to feeling the pace of the game in the final quarter but the Glasgow-born Wimbledon player, who is a member of the Great Britain squad, showed her class in the first game as Scotland kick-start their build-up to the European A Division in Germany in August.
Scots, with a number of new faces in the squad and minus most of their Great Britain players, struggled to find their rhythm in the opening quarter, but they turned it on during the second when they fired four goals to stun the Welsh combine.
Two more followed later, but it was that second quarter burst which turned the game.
The pair meet again at Peffermill on Sunday (10am) and captain Katie Robertson said: “We went out there today to prove why we are the team going to A Division and Wales are in B Division.
“We took a bit of time to settle in during the first quarter but, once we settled in, we showed our true colours. The new girls stepped-up today and played a brilliant game which is exciting.”
Fife-born Robertson, who played for The University of Edinburgh, added: “We will look at the video overnight and there are always things to work on. It was 6-0 today and we are looking to improve on that.”
Millie Steiger (Clydesdale Western), Heather McEwan (Royal Victory, Belgium), razor-sharp vice-captain Sarah Jamieson (Watsonians), who had several snap shots well saved by the Welsh goalkeeper, plus Lunjika Nyirenda, who has been scoring freely for The University of Edinburgh this season and took her goal well from a rebound, added to the scoreline and the Scots were under pressure in the opening quarter.
However, they weathered the early storm, re-grouped after the first break, and began to spray the ball around the pitch, two passes, in particular, from influential Jess Ross, catching the eye.
Defender Fran Lonergan from Clydesdale Western, made several key challenges and used her strength to muscle the Welsh forwards off the ball and Kate Holms (Western Wildcats) was also effective in the back line.
Meanwhile, In Vienna, Austria, Grange slipped into first position in Pool A of the EuroHockey Club Trophy, Division One, with a 3-0 victory over OSHVSM HC Phoenix Zytomyr Region from the Ukraine thanks to two goals in two, second-quarter.
The sides were locked at 0-0 until David Nairn converted after 24 minutes and Jacob Tweedie made it 2-0 a minute later.
Grange, the current leaders of the men’s Premiership in Scotland, had to wait until the final minute to make it 3-0 when Joe Waterston netted a third field goal.
The Edinburgh side now have ten points after two straight wins and a goal difference of four while Welsh side Cardiff & Met are second with seven points following their 3-3 draw with Post SV from Austria. They have a goal difference of seven while Post are third with three points and the Ukraine side prop up the table pointless.
Grange and Cardiff & Met now meet in the final pool game on Sunday before the classification games on Monday.
PICTURE: Chris Duncan, Scotland coach, gives his team talk after the 6-0 win over Wales at Peffermill
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