Twin sisters to face off on football pitch

FOOTBALL fans will see double the next time Edinburgh Caledonia FC and captain Sammy Hyett take to the pitch – as the opposition fields its very own like-for-like player.

Blonde Sammy, 27, from Portobello, will face off against her identical twin sister, Rachel, for the very first time when their two sides meet in the Scottish League Division 2 Cup on April 14.

And there will be no chance of missing each other, as they both line up in central midfield.

Sammy said: “It’s weird but in the 24 years we’ve both been playing football we’ve never faced each other. Being twins we’re both pretty competitive, so we’ll both be looking to win.

“As we’re identical we’re mirror images of each other, so I’m more left-footed while Rachel is more right-footed. She’s a different kind of player to me though, her game is all about speed and flamboyance while mine is about control and accuracy in the playmaker role.”

Any crunching tackles carried out on the other might prove to be an own goal too, as the sisters have in the past experienced “twin telepathy”. Sammy said: “We’re really close as sisters and we both think the same. A few years back I broke my wrist playing football and Rachel began experiencing pains in her wrist. There’s no chance I’ll be taking it easy though, I’ll probably even go in that little bit harder.”

Sammy has the inside track on more than just her opposite number too, as her sister’s team has, rather fortuitously, allowed her to train with them on a number of occasions.

Civil engineer Sammy added: “Following the draw my coach asked me if I happened to know anything about a team from Aberdeen called Dee Ladies, and she was shocked when I told her my identical twin played for them and that I’ve even trained with them on a few occasions.

“It should be a good game and we’re both really looking forward to it, there’s been a few texts flying back and forth.”

The chance encounter was finalised when Rachel powered home a winner to fire her team past Stranraer – Edinburgh Caledonia had already dispatched Jeanfield Swifts 3-2 to book their place in the next round.

As for the matter of who mum and dad, Gerry and Heather, will be cheering on, Sammy said: “I’m a daddy’s girl and Rachel’s a mummy’s girl, so they’ll be split like that I imagine – or maybe standing on the centre line on either side of the pitch. We record every game for analysis so if we win I might swipe a copy to watch at Christmas.”

The last set of footballing twins to line up against each other locally were Greg and Jason Kerr, from Penicuik. They faced off in a Scottish Cup under 15s semi-final for Tynecastle Boys Club and Loanhead in February last year. Tynecastle ran out 2-1 winners.