A bright and sunny Stirling greeted the intrepid Granite City Women as they went on their travels to Forthbank to take on Stirling Wanderers and were without recent scoring youngster Eva Sheal but a confident side looked to come away with the points.
The first quarter was a sound one for the GCW squad plenty of attacking and the best number of passes made. A couple of scrambles n front of goal and it looked certain for an early lead. On one occasion the ball was fired to goal and hit the defender on the shin, the ball dropped on to the line and was cleared GCWs appeals to the umpire for a Penalty Flick were however denied a portent of a lack of decisiveness on the umpiring side which led to a game narrowly held in control by the officials.
The game stayed the same way until half time and both sides rallied for a second half push. It was Stirling however that scored first. A slackness in the first 2 minutes of the third quarter from the GCW defence and midfield led to a free player at the back of the circle who managed to play the ball across the circle and found a forward delighted to place the ball home.
This was the spur the GCW girls needed and they battered the home side for the rest of the quarter. A fine worked corner found a calm Nicole Duffin in the right place and composed enough to place the ball home. There were few chances and corners from GCW that just could not find a clean finish and we headed into the final quarter.
GCW carried on where they left off pounding the home defence and with 5 minutes remaining it looked like the three points were heading North when a Penalty Corner was played to Lisa Clyne and her shot was blocked but the ball found it’s way to Connie Hatfield who made sure for a 2-1 lead. Stirling responded and applied pressure but created no chances until in the dying minutes a long straight ball found an attacked wide open who managed to force the ball home to level the scores.
So the game finished 2-2, Stirling had two shots and scored twice and GCW had 10 shots and 8 corners but also scored twice – the numbers tell the story perfectly.
Sunday and the GCW 4s had a substantial win over Aberdeen Uni 4s at Bucksburn and the 5s got a walkover against Aberdeen Uni 3s who again called off on the day.
