Wanderer scores as women are triumphant

SCOTLAND’S women’s team came from behind to win the EuroHockey Championship II in Alanya, Turkey, defeating Italy 4-1.

Perth’s Ruth Blaikie (Dundee Wanderers) was one of the Scots scorers.

The Italians’ 12th-minute goal was a setback for the Scots but they recovered to equalise through Catriona Booth (Western Wildcats) five minutes before half-time.

The teams could not be separated in the third quarter but Scotland proved the stronger in the final quarter adding three goals without reply.

Lunjika Nyirenda (Beeston) set them on the right track 10 minutes before the end and Blaikie, then Nyirenda again, added one more each for an impressive 4-1 victory.

Wales beat Ukraine 3-1 to win the bronze medal.

Their opener right at the start of the third quarter was equalised but a second in the last minute of the third quarter and another in the first minute of the fourth proved too much for Ukraine.

Scotland had beaten the Ukrainians 4-1 in the semi-finals.

The opener, by Katie McCallum (Watsonians) put Scotland on the right track.

However, the east Europeans drew level midway through the second quarter.

Scotland showed their character to regain the lead in the last minute of the first half, Katie McCallum again being on the mark.

The third quarter was goalless but the Scots came through in the final quarter to score twice to clinch a place in the final, Georgia Jones (Watsonians) and Jennifer Walls (Edinburgh University) were on target.

Wales established a four-goal lead over Italy in the first half but were then pegged back.

Italy grabbed the equaliser five minutes from full-time and won the shootout 2-1.