Western Wildcats Hockey Club

Western Wildcats Hockey Club News story


U16 GIRLS GO DOWN FIGHTING IN THE CUP

08 Mar 2022

Due to earlier postponements of U16 Scottish Cup ties and a deadline date placed upon them Western Wildcats were faced with the arduous task of playing back to back fixtures on Sunday in order to fulfil their commitment to the competition.

The first match up at Auchenhowie was against Gullane Hockey Club. The Cats squad was mainly made up of girls 14 and under with a few more experienced players to bolster their strength. The commitment, togetherness and enthusiasm of the team resulted in an accomplished performance and an emphatic 6-1 victory over a decent Gullane team.

Going into the next match the young Cats sat top of their pool with maximum points and a superior goal difference, having earlier disposed of Granite City on their travels to Portlethan. The winners of this match were guaranteed a place in the semi- finals.

Hardly getting time to draw breath the girls quickly prepared for the next match against Grange who travelled to Auchenhowie with a stronger and more experienced squad. Having an obvious advantage and sensing fatigue, Grange came out all guns blazing and found themselves 3-0 up in the first quarter and the match was all but done.

The girls dug deep and made a real go of it under the extreme conditions forced upon them. During the match the girls fought hard and made it difficult for their opponents. However, as the match played out the girls were dead on their feet having given it their all.

Grange ran out 8-0 winners but this was not a true reflection of the Wildcats performance. From goalkeeper  through every player in the squad, each and every player played with pride, valour and exceptional sportsmanship. The girls were a credit to themselves and the club. They should be proud of their achievement within the competition.

Thank you to all the parents and supporters who stayed on to cheer the team on throughout both matches.

The future looks bright for this squad of players with the majority being able to compete in the Scottish Cup over the next 2 - 3 years. This shows the strength and depth of the junior programme.

 A special thanks to Fraser Moran and Mya Shaw for their commitment to the team.