After an excellent Saturday's work, both Western Wildcats first teams sit top of their respective National League Division 1 tables.
The Men's 1st Team welcomed Inverleith on Saturday with their targets firmly set on topping the league. Both teams started well in a physical opening period. Inverleith won a string of short corners but some fantastic defence by Western, notably Matt McGinley, kept the scores level.
It was Western who drew first blood, however, as Hamish Galt converted from a penalty corner. The home team was looking more and more menacing and some intricate passing saw Andrew McConnell with a goal-scoring opportunity. With the young forward in fine form in front of goal, he calmly dispatched a reverse stick shot. Western made it 3-0 before half time after capitalising on another short corner – again, Hamish Galt scoring with a flick.
Inverleith were down but certainly not out. The visitors were eventually rewarded for their efforts in the second half with a penalty corner: a strong flick saw the ball shoot into the bottom left hand corner of the goal. The home-side, in response, found their stride again and started to squeeze Inverleith back into their own half. After transferring around Inverleith’s D, the ball came to Rob Harwood who played a delightful reverse stick ball across goal to Andrew McAllister who deflected the ball neatly into the goal.
Inverleith were not finished yet – again they came hard at the Western defence and won a short corner. This time they opted against flicking and instead slipped the ball left for a delivery across goal. The routine paid off as the ball was deflected into Western’s goal.
As the game neared its end, Fabian Goldie threw a tidy aerial for Rob Harwood to run on to. Harwood’s first touch sent him bursting forward and, with only one man between him and the goal, began one of his trademark ‘mazey’ runs. As he neared the D, a quick turn opened up enough space for him to unleash a thunderous reverse stick shot across the goal.
The game finished 5-2 to the home side and leaves them safely at the top of the league table.
Karena Cuthbert and Megan Cox scored for the Women's 1st Team in their 2-1 win away to Watsonians while the Women's 2s and 3s both secured home victories. The 2s beat Ardrossan 6-2 with goals from Emma Forrest (2), Kirsten Cannon, Anna McIntosh, Sophie O'Neil and a late penalty from Emma Reid. The 3s beat Rottenrow Blue Sox 3-1. Sophie McMillan (2) and Indi Small were their scorers.
The Men's 2s lost 4-0 at Hillhead 2s. The 3s went down 5-4 at home to Dumfries with Alastair Scott (2), Dave Rickards and Niall Sturrock scoring their goals and the 4s also lost, 2-1 with Stuart O'Toole scoring.