Scotland’s women’s hockey team face Malaysia at The University of Edinburgh Playing Fields at Peffermill on Sunday (2pm) looking to complete a win double after thrashing the visitors 6-2 in their opening game.

Ellie MacKenzie fired a glory double with Olympians, Charlotte Watson, and Amy Costello, plus Fiona Burnet, and Zara Kennedy adding singles.

The Tartan Hearts cruised to a 5-0 scoreline by half-time but Malaysia, who had been overpowered in the first half, gained a foothold and scored an excellent solo goal and then netted from a penalty corner with 27 seconds remaining.

The margin did not flatter Scotland and home head coach, Chris Duncan, may possibly have wished for a tougher tussle as he prepares for the World Cup in Belgium in August. He certainly did not bargain for a 2-1 second-half scoreline.

However, Scotland, ranked No 14 in the world, underlined their ranking against a side positioned at No 21 in the ratings.

The home side did have slack moments. Indeed, Malaysia burst forward from the push-back and threatened, but the Scotland defence responded and cleared the ball.

The home side then took control and a Katie Birch corner led to penalty stroke. Ice cool Dundonian, Watson, a Paris Olympian, slotted.

Fiona Burnet finished from close range to extend the lead to 2-0 and MacKenzie, whose driving runs deep into opposition territory caused real problems for the tourists, added a third.

And 35 seconds later it was 4-0 when Kennedy slotted and MacKenzie smashed low for 5-0 and her second of the contest with two minutes left of the session.

Scotland pressed Malaysia back early in the second-half, but a superb counter attack saw Nuramirah Zulkifli pick up the ball near half-way and rush towards the home goal before smashing it home low.

Duncan’s squad resonded and Costello’s drag flack was saved on the line by the post player as the Scots searched for more goals, but Olympian Costello converted with a drag flick which flew into the rigging for 6-1.

Malaysia, however, kept coming and were rewarded when Khairunnisa Mohd found the net for 6-2 in the final minute, a well-earned consolation from a team which did not give up.

CLOSE CONTROL: Bronwyn Shields holds off two Malaysian players at Peffermill. All pictures from Nigel Duncan