Hockey: Fjordus U18s make Scottish Club Cup final

FJORDHUS REIVERS U18S2

(Fjordhus win on penalties)

Fjordhus Reivers Hockey Club continued to make history last week when their U18 Girls team became the first team from the Borders to make a National Cup Final.

The Scottish Hockey Club Cup tie between the Borders youngsters and Inverleith U18s had been postponed a number of times but eventually got under way at the Edinburgh Academy pitches last week.

Inverleith were runners up last year with the Reivers girls finishing third, so it was always going to be a tough game.

The match started at a great pace with the Fjordhus girls seeing most of the possession while a very disciplined defence saw many attempts from the speedy Inverleith strikers thwarted.

Half time saw a few changes and more shots on target for the Reivers girls and it came down to set pieces at attacking penalty corners to find the opener. The first coming from Kirsty Logan with a thundering strike from the top of the circle.

Inverleith came back fighting and slipped the ball past Isla MacInnes after an excellent first save.

All to play for in the last 10 minutes and control in the attacking circle saw Reivers gain another penalty corner with Leia Mackinnon finding the backboard to send Reivers into the last five minutes with a 2-1 advantage.

Only the second lapse in concentration and formation in an otherwise cool and composed defence resulted in Inverleith breaking through to score their second goal.

The game finished 2-2 and as a result the teams squared up for a penalty shoot out. After the initial five shots ended in a draw the tie went to sudden death. Inverleith stepped up first and Isla MacInnes saved the shot from experienced international player Ella Watt which left it up to Leia Mackinnon to coolly fire the ball in to the side netting to give the Reivers girls the win and progression in to the final at Glasgow National Hockey Centre on March 20 against CALA Edinburgh.