Hockey club buoyed up by wins

Perthshire Hockey Club had much to celebrate on Saturday as a number of its sides came away with positive results.

Perthshire Ladies 1s ran out 3-2 winners over Grange 2s at Kilgraston in an end to end and fast paced game to maintain their place at the top of the Ladies Championship Division Two table.

Perthshire gave Grange little time to relax on the ball through very hard work from MacMillan and Elliott.

This continually allowed Livingstone and Smith to intercept and counter attack up the right wing, feeding MacMillan to her first goal for the team. It was merely lapses in concentration which allowed Grange to score twice.

However, McShea and Laing were punishing with their counter attacks, and Thomson delivered the ball up to Elliott who took it round the keeper to bag her first goal to make it 2-2 at the break.

Half-time talks were positive and the girls knew how hard they needed to keep working with the game being so tight.

After the restart MacMillan got her second with a tap in to make it 3-2 and Perthshire held their nerve to get the three points.

Perthshire Mens 1s played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Erskine Stewarts Melville Mens 1s - claiming their first league points in the process.

In the first half‘Shire had plenty of possession and had chances from short corners and open play but it was ESM who took the lead.

Following some strong words from coach Stephen Dick at half time,‘Shire started the second half well and forced two penalty strokes within the first five minutes of the half, both converted by Michael Robertson.

The team tried to maintain the momentum but ESM equalised from a short corner. Michael Robertson then restored Perthshire’s lead. ESM again fought back to equalise from open play to leave the final score 3-3.

In the other fixtures, Perthshire Ladies 2s emphatically beat St Andrews University 4s 4-1. While in Dalnacraig, Dundee Wanderers 3s where trounced 4-0 by the Perthshire Mens 2s.

However, Perthshire Mens 4s lost 2-1 to Grove Menzieshill 5s and Perthshire Ladies 3s were beaten 4-0 by Stirling University 2s.