Hockey: Jaguars beaten by Pumas

Scottish side Highland Jaguars surrendered their chance of winning the men's Great Britain Super League at Lilleshall when they went down 5-1 to top English side Pennine Pumas.

The Jaguars competed for long spells in the game, but the Pumas' superior fitness and organisation told in the end.

The Pumas clawed their way into the lead in 23 minutes with a low shot by Chris Griffiths past Phil Carr in the Scotland goal, then Mike Ebbage made it two just before the interval.

Ben Arnold scored an early second-half goal but the Jaguars retaliated when Barcelona's Fergus Dunn was played in at the top of the circle and he finished low to the keeper's right.

However, the Jaguars' legs began to tire, allowing Griffiths, again, and Scott Evans to add two late goals. The Caledonian Cougars lost 5-2 to Saxon Tigers in their opening game of the weekend, a result that combined unforced errors from the Scots and clinical finishing by the English. The Cougars were four down before an Adam MacKenzie penalty corner found an illegal foot and Chris Grassick made no mistake from the spot. Grassick brought the score back to 4-2 with a fierce low reverse stick shot, but the Tigers added a fifth for a scoreline that flattered the English.

Caledonian Cougars' aspirations to take the women's title was given a six-goal mauling by the Saxon Tigers, a side composed mostly of the English national squad, in yesterday's final.

In a blistering display of attacking hockey, the Tigers opened the scoring in four minutes and by 20 minutes were four goals ahead, which effectively knocked the stuffing out of the Cougars.

The Scots created a couple of chances after the interval, but failed to find the net while the English added two more.