Italians spoil fun as Watson gets 50th cap

Dundee Wanderers striker Charlotte Watson reached the 50-cap milestone last night.

However, celebrations were curtailed as Scotland’s revamped squad lost 5-1 in the opening encounter against their Italian hosts in Rome.

Both keepers saw early action before Bex Condie fired in a set-piece to give the Scots a deserved advantage, but it was allsquare when Federica Carta spun and smashed home the first of her double before the break.

Watson’s deflected effort fizzed inches wide prior to Elisabetta Pacella hitting on the counter.

Italy’s strong finish produced three goals in the final quarter, Sofia Vercelli making the game safe before Carta and Chiara Tiddi wrapped things up at 5-1. Head coach Jen Wilson said: “The 5-1 scoreline doesn’t really tell the full story.

“We had the better of the contest for three of the four quarters but there was a seven or eightminute spell where they capitalised on mistakes and punished us.”

The series continues today when Scotland will look to even up the series before tomorrow’s closing clash.

Meanwhile Western Wildcats provided the big talking point as the top domestic league got back to action on Saturday.

Perennial champions Edinburgh University were tying 2-2 at home before the Cats clawed their way to victory with a late strike from Kate Holmes.

MJV Wanderers lie three points off the pace thanks to a storming second-half performance against Watsonians.

Charlotte Watson was on the mark before the interval and with the Taysiders on form it was only a matter of time before Vikki Bunce (3) and Heather Elder took it to 5-0 before Holly Shepherd and Rhona Gowans replied late on.

Corrie Hay hit a hattrick in Grove Menzieshill IIs 5-2 win over George Heriot’s in Championship League 1, while in Championship 2 Dundee Uni II v Perthshire finished 4-1 to the visitors. Kinross and Stirling Wanderers were on the flip side of results against Hillhead and Erskine Stewart’s Melville.

Wanderers II and Kinross II prevailed over Grove III and Brechin Thistles in Midlands Division 1, while Blairgowrie conceded to leaders Madras due to shortage of numbers.

Perthshire II eased through 4-3 against St Andrews II on Sunday.

Nic Tisdall scored to give Monarchs a 1-0 win over Stirling University II in Division 2, while Perthshire III went on the rampage with a whopping 12-1 triumph over Dundee Uni IV.

St Andrews IV won the battle for supremacy over their Vs.