Match Report – Saturday 25th October – Gents 1s

Uddingston 1 – Erskine Stuart Melville 1

Uddingston Men’s 1s remained fourth in the premier league after a tough, physical encounter with Erskine Stewart’s Melville (ESM) at Bothwell Castle on Saturday.

After the high of beating former champions Grange last week, Uddingston struggled to find their fluidity and confidence. The game was strewn with simple errors, mistraps and errant passes. It was only after Cameron Ede, one of the league’s top scorers, fizzed a drag flick against the Uddy backboard for 1-0 that the home team were able to generate much urgency. The game did mark the debut of Australian hockey icon Glenn Turner who was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet after a close-range, first time flick was well saved by ESM keeper Callum Miller.

Turner did make several useful contributions to the game and was particularly impressive in the D. It was his dazzling close control that led to Max Strachan chipping the ball over the diving keeper for the Uddy equaliser. Turner also had a hand in setting up Uddy’s chance to win the game in the last quarter when the home team was awarded a penalty stroke. Unfortunately, Uddy’s usually rock-solid, reliable stroke taker, Finn Halliday,  for once failed and scuffed a poor stroke that was easily blocked by Miller.

ESM and Uddingston drew 3-3 in normal time in a Scottish Cup game a few weeks ago and they have a history of close ties. They drew 3-3 in March 2023, Uddy lost narrowly the same season 1-2, Uddy won 1-0 in February 2023, then the teams drew 2-2 a few months later in the equivalent fixture in October last year. So, there has been very little between the teams over the past few years.

Coached by the wily and respected Andrew Brogdon and supported by manager Ross Young, ESM came to Bothwell Castle with a specific plan in mind on Saturday. The plan was to use the famously bouncy Uddy pitch to bomb the home team off the pitch with a succession of overheads that rained down out of the low Autumn sun all afternoon.

Suspecting such an approach would be tried by one or other of their premier league opponents at some point, and acknowledging that overheads are an increasingly important part of modern hockey, Uddy director of hockey John Bessell was earlier in the season seen firing overheads at his players from a ball machine during practice. Looking like a pirate captain with a canon swinging from side to side, the practice was wisely scheduled.

Yet Uddingston were still not quite ready for the dam buster approach which peppered and worried the backline for almost the entire match, ESM’s Cody Adams being one of the prime instigators. To defend one of them, Uddy keeper Nic Hadland rushed off his line to top D and headed the high bouncing ball to safety with his helmet.

In the backline, Sean Baker, Jedd Campbell, Stephen MacKenzie and Joe Russell all did well most of the time against these high arcing balls, but occasionally were caught short. ESM were a constant menace in and around the D, firing off a close range shot at the Uddy goal within a minute of the game starting. But Uddy remained steadfast and held the line. In the midfield, Andy Docherty, Angus Sinclair and especially Angus Millar, who won man of the match, worked flat out to control the spaces, win back the ball and push forward toward the ESM D.

Uddingston could have scored on a number of occasions throughout the game and were undone by good blocks, poor final passes and unlucky outcomes which denied a more flattering and comfortable scoreline. Uddingston’s first penalty corner routine, their trademark feinted switch left to Campbell which so often results in a goal, was a compete shambles on Saturday, easily run down by the ESM defence.

With news filtering through of Grange’s surprising drawing with Grove Menzieshill earlier in the day, there was no change in the premiership top six by the end of the match. Uddy remain fourth, two points behind Western Wildcats and Edinburgh University, who lost to Watsonians, one point ahead of Grange and three points up on ESM.

Uddy will need to take the three points off Inverleith in the catch-up game to secure their top six place and can then see what can be done about the threats of Watsonians and Edinburgh University.

All in all, a somewhat disappointing home draw, but the unbeaten run continues, the league position remains unchanged and Uddy continue to be the surprise package in this year’s premiership competition.

– Adrian Hadland

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