Hockey: Scots delight Shepherd with 6-0

PERFORMANCES rather than results may have been the prime target for Scotland's women coach Gordon Shepherd in the annual Celtic Cup at Inverclyde yesterday, but a 6-0 trouncing of Wales in the opening game was a real tonic for his charges as they continue their preparations for the Champions Challenge in Dublin later this month.

Scotland's last competitive outing was against Wales in the Commonwealth Games, and then the scores were tied at 1-1 with the Scots winning seventh spot on a penalty shoot-out. But it was a different story last night as the Scots, with Great Britain players Emily Maguire, Vikki Bunce, Laura Bartlett and keeper Abi Walker, produced a devastating display of attacking hockey.

The Scots made a blistering start, and in the first minute Nikki Kidd drove up the right wing and her cross was swept high into the Welsh net by Ailsa Wyllie for the opener. Immediately after the restart a similar move saw Kidd feed the ball again to Wyllie, but this time her effort sailed high over the crossbar.

Wyllie was causing the Welsh defence all sorts of problems and Catriona Ralph sent a long ball out of defence which found its way to the Grove Menzieshill striker, but her deflection sailed past the post. In ten minutes the Scots went two up, Kidd scored Scotland's first penalty corner with a fierce drag flick to the keeper's left. The Scots continued to dominate proceedings and could have increased their lead by the interval. In 27 minutes Linda Clement had her shot blocked by the keeper, and minutes later Laura Bartlett's effort was again saved, only for Sam Judge to put the rebound well over the bar.

Ten minutes into the second half Dundee Wanderers playmaker Bunce found her way into the Welsh circle and unleashed a vicious low shot past the stunned Welsh keeper for Scotland's third. It was not long before the home side were four up, a long ball by Emily Maguire found Clement running across the circle and the Grove player neatly deflected the ball home. The goals kept coming as the Scots controlled proceedings. Good work by Judge and Clement opened up the Welsh defence leaving Kidd with a simple tap-in for the fifth. With seven minutes left Scotland converted their second penalty corner when Ralph hit a well-struck shot low to the keeper's right to complete the scoring.