Arran Ladies get season off to a flyer with home victory
Arran Ladies 3 Ardrossan Ladies 2s 1
Arran Ladies hockey team played their first match of the season against Ardrossan Ladies 2s on Saturday, sporting their new pink home strip tops, sponsored by the Ormidale Hotel.
The home side were first to score with a fantastic cross from Helen Thomson across the D, which Juliette Walsh intercepted and smashed past the goalkeeper.
Ardrossan scored an equaliser shortly after and the score at half-time stayed at 1-1.
Ardrossan came out fighting in the second half but Arran’s defensive team proved hard to beat, and goalkeeper, Ali Hollingworth, quashed any further attempts on goal by the visitors. Arran’s midfielders, Abbie McKelvie and Elyse Aitken, ran rings around the opposition. Anne Watts drew the goalkeeper and then made a pass to Lorraine Hewie, who had a clear shot on goal, scoring to take Arran into the lead. Shortly afterwards, Arran were awarded a short corner and the ball was flipped to Catherine McBain at the top of the circle. She hit it from outside the D directly on target and Lorraine Hewie made a diving deflection putting the ball between the goalkeeper’s legs and scoring the third and final goal for the Arran team.
The game went into five minutes of extra time due to injury stops but when the final whistle blew Arran Ladies came away with a 3-1 victory.
Team captain Cat Galbraith thanked Pauline Reid and Phil Adams for umpiring the match and the Ormidale Hotel for providing the post-match teas.
Man of the match, as voted by the opposing team, was Abbie McKelvie and dame of the game, as voted by her team-mates, was Elyse Aitken.
Arran have another home game against Giffnock La- dies 2s, today (Saturday) at the Ormidale astroturf. Pass back will be at 12 noon and spectators are encouraged to support the team.