Golden shines but Western skid to narrow Euro defeat

Jamie Golden scored a consolation for Western Wildcats but the Glasgow side were edged 3-1 by London outfit, Wimbledon, in the EuroHockey League in Surbiton.

Samuel Hooper fired two set piece goals for Wimbledon and Euan Gilmour converted a reverse-stick shot, moving away from goal, which hit the top of the net after ten minutes to hand Wimbledon the lead after ten minutes.

Western hit back in the second quarter when the hugely-impressive Golden ripped a drag-flick into the top of the net to level.

But a double from Hooper before half-time gave the London club a two-goal cushion, the first a low drag-flick, the second a penalty stroke.

Western pushed hard in the third and fourth quarters as the game became more stretched, but could find the net.

Hosts Surbiton now face Wimbledon in a mouth-watering tie while Western Wildcats go in against Waterloo Ducks from Belgium in their final game in the event.

In Scotland, Grove Menzieshill lost 3-1 at home to Erskine Stewart’s Melville while Uddingston thrashed Dunfermline Carnegie 7-1 in Fife.

Watsonians edged Hillhead 4-3 in Glasgow to maintain their pressure on the top teams and The University of Edinburgh were 5-1 winners at Inverleith.

Grange, the defending champions, won 5-1 at Dundee Wanderers to join Western and Watsonians on 12 points from their four matches while, at the other end of the table, three teams have still to register a point, Dunfermline, Dundee Wanderers and Inverleith.