Ladies 1's tough Dundee opening weekend!

The Ladies 1's began their season at the weekend with a tough double header against last season’s National 1 runners-up Grove, and Dundee Wanderers who finished fifth. Numerous changes to the squad over the close season saw the team lose Lucy Gray to Aberdeen University but gain ex-Edinburgh Uni players Ruth Moffett and Bethan Mann, Dundee Wanderers and ex-Scotland striker Heather Elder as well as Scotland Under 18 international Laura Swanson. Having trained hard throughout pre-season, the girls were confident going into the first match of the new campaign. Watsonians managed to disrupt Grove’s distribution and ably held their own, despite losing an early goal to a well-worked PC. Grove’s domination of possession was rewarded with a second PC strike after 42 minutes, but despite tired legs and a lack of subs, Watsonians continued to work hard in defence and had a few decent chances themselves, including well-saved PC. In the 66th minute Grove converted another PC, making the final score 3-0. With a depleted squad Watsonians, missing veteran goalkeeper Nikki Robertson and several defenders, again travelled to Dundee on Sunday, this time to face Wanderers. Unfortunately, the previous day’s efforts had taken their toll, and with only 13 players Watsonians were undone by some patient passing and individual brilliance which saw Wanderers race into a 2-0 lead. As tired legs struggled to match the intensity of the previous day’s performance, 2 more PC goals and a well-taken back-post deflection before half-time killed the game off. A spirited second half recovery salvaged some pride however, and with both sides much more evenly matched, forwards Heather Elder and Mairi Shaw were unlucky not to open their accounts for the season, denied by the goalkeeper and some admirable last-ditch defending respectively.

Stobie and Keith