Hockey: Scotland's senior women see off South Africans in pulsating clash

Scotland Senior Women began their three-match Test series against the touring South Africans with an entertaining 4-3 win on the neutral territory of Dublin last night.

South Africa were first to show in the first minute when goalkeeper Amy Gibson was called on immediately but comfortably palmed away an effort from a ball driven hard into the circle. However, Scotland responded by opening the scoring minutes later when Laura Bartlett, celebrating her 50th cap, won a short corner from which Nikki Kidd continued her fine recent scoring form from set pieces by drag flicking the ball low into the keeper's left hand corner.

Scotland, with Bartlett particularly prominent at this stage, continued to create further goal scoring chances for Vikki Bunce, Holly Cram, Sam Judge and Ailsa Wylie but alert goalkeeping kept the South Africans in the game. However, when Scotland failed to clear their defensive lines, from one of the few South African attacks, Jayde Mayne was on hand to drive the ball low into Gibson's right hand corner to level matters with five minutes left on the clock. Scotland responded quickly to restore the lead before the break when Sam Judge netted a set piece.

Coach Gordon Shepherd could not have been happy with the start to the second half. Keeper Gibson had to look lively on several occasions as South Africa opened brightly, creating a little sustained pressure for almost the first time in the match. However, Shepherd's team increased their advantage when a set piece was bundled home by Ailsa Wylie following a goalmouth scramble shortly afterwards.

Both teams had further chances before an apparent lapse in concentration in the Scottish defence midway through the half allowed the tourists to claim possession and Kathleen Taylor to roll the ball home despite Gibson's best efforts. The South Africans' were coming more and more into the game as they pressed for an equaliser as Scotland battled to hold their lead.

With only minutes left South Africa managed to block an initial Scottish set piece effort only for Linda Clement to be on hand to dive in and net the rebound.South Africa refused to give in and seconds before the end Mayne fired a rebound off a defender's foot past Gibson to finish this entertaining encounter.

The two teams meet again today at the University College Dublin's ground.

Meanwhile, Grove Menzieshill are to lose the services of defender Becky Merchant who has decided to join the growing list of Scottish internationalists plying their trade south of the Border by joining Surbiton.

Merchant, a member of the Scotland team who took part in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, was unfortunate to be left out of the recent Champions Challenge in Dublin and she has expressed an interest in an Army career as she begins to think longer term.

This is the latest of a series of departures from the reigning Scottish champions which has seen fellow internationalist Nikki Kidd move to Mannheimer HC in Germany and goalkeeper Anna Schwartz returning to her native Australia along with youngster Kerry Hall going to study in England.