Match Report – Saturday 17th October – Gents 1s

Uddingston 1 – Edinburgh Uni 1

This was the Uddingston Mens’ 1s first real test in the 2026/27 season and they achieved a creditable 1-1 home draw with the current premier league champions.

Still undefeated after five games, Uddy certainly had their chances to win this one particularly in the second half.

But a combination of bad luck, some odd umpiring decisions and a strong performance from Edinburgh’s Scotland keeper Matthew Taylor kept the home team at bay and the score line down to a single goal.

Fresh from a decent showing in Europe where they beat French champions Lille 4-0, the uni team were missing several key players including last year’s top goal scorer Jamie Golden.

The still strong uni squad had a few new faces too, though, including GB U21 player Angus Millar, who was in the Uddy team last year. It was good to see him back on home soil.

With the pitch at Bothwell Castle only just de-frosted in time for the midday push back and steam rising from the surface, Uni piled on the pressure from the start of the game with plenty of possession and quick recycling around the Uddy D.

This was immediately a high quality game of hockey, tersely poised and hard fought.

The first shot on target, a hard backstick strike headed for the corner of the Uddy goal, was blocked by Nic Hadland and then cleared in the ensuing melee. It was an early warning that uni meant business, but also a reminder that Uddy, still second in the league, are a tough unit to penetrate.

Uddy struggled in the first half to make any inroads into the Uni D. The uni squad was well organised and fell back quickly when possession had been lost. At times, almost the entire team was packed in their own D, making it hard for Uddy to find any space.

Uddy’s in-form striker Euan Gilmore and upfront teammate Ewan Hutchinson, struggled to get on the ball.

In the second half, Uddy grew in confidence. The passing became slicker and there were fewer errors and turnovers.

Gilmore and Hutchinson started causing trouble in the Edinburgh D and a high press put the students’ backline under considerable pressure, leading to a string of dangerous turnovers and a series of shots on target.

Deep into the third quarter, the match remained tense and any result possible.

Uni won their first penalty corner less than two minutes before the end of the third quarter. The Uddy defence did themselves no favours by losing first runner Joe Russell, newly back from suspension, for going before the whistle.

Even without Jamie Golden, tall uni flicker Sam Hunt must have relished the opportunity of having a go at a depleted Uddy defence, and he duly despatched the ball into the net for 1-0 to uni.

By this stage, however, Uddy had shown more than enough to persuade spectators that they could still get something out of this game. They had been the better team in the second half. They were hampered with some poor discipline and played short for a considerable part of this game against a disciplined uni team. This is certainly something to work on.

Edinburgh captain Jamie Croll took a spectacular headlong dive at a critical point in the game, screaming in agony, followed with a multiple, six times around Hollywood roll. Prostrate on his back with pain and groaning loudly in the low Autumn sun for several minutes, it seemed he had incurred a very serious injury and all present were deeply concerned. As he was carried off, a yellow card was inevitably produced.

Five minutes later Croll was up and about and running around on the pitch as if nothing had happened. We are delighted, of course, with his miraculous recovery but are disappointed with the gamesmanship.

At the start of the fourth quarter, it was still 1-0 to Uni and Uddy fans were getting anxious. Would this be the team’s first defeat of the season?

Finally, in the fifth minute of the final quarter, Uddy were awarded a penalty corner, their first of the game. The first attempt, a slip to Angus Sinclair and a hard slap at the uni goal, was run down but off a uni foot. The second attempt worked like clockwork with a rapid injection, clean stop and a Jedd Campbell special high into the net past a diving uni keeper for 1-1.

The game balanced on a knife-edge for the remaining minutes with chances at both ends.

With only a minute or two to go, Uddy foolishly lost possession deep in the uni half, were swarmed by the uni attack and conceded a late penalty corner. Was this going to be déjà vu? In last year’s home league match, uni won 2-1 in overtime with a last minute penalty corner conversion.

Uni’s first attempt was blocked but the umpire determined it had deflected off an Uddy shin pad, to great consternation from the home team. The penalty corner was re-awarded.

This time, Hadland used his shoulder to block the powerful drag-flick and the point was secured.

The Uddy defence continues to be an impressive unit with Campbell again winning man of the match for his deft defence and cracking goal, ably backed by Steven MacKenzie and Sinclair. Finn Halliday is turning into a fine, confident defender and made several important interventions in the Uddy D. Hadland has become a formidable obstacle in this league at the heart of a well organised and miserly back division.

Gilmour was unlucky not to have got on the scoresheet and displayed some silky skills in attack when he was able to find possession. He needs to be fed the ball more often in dangerous areas. Hutchinson, too, looked a threat and had one magnificent strike saved on the line.

The midfield looked much more competitive in this game than against Grange last week with Will Searl, Luca Gardiner, and Andrew Clark working tirelessly in areas occupied by some very talented opponents. Uni’s captain Rory Steedman had a particularly impressive game, well supported by Ollie Wilson.

Uddy remain second in the league, are unbeaten, and have still only conceded two goals in five games. Few players or fans would have been disappointed with that at the start of the season.

The next four games are huge for the team, though. With the champions safely navigated, next up are the dangerous Hillhead at home next week. Hillhead have drawn three of their five games, including a 2-2 tie with Edinburgh Uni. They are no slouches and can inflict pain if given the opportunity. After that, it’s league leaders Western Wildcats at the castle.

But the season progresses nicely for the Uddy Mens’ 1s and optimism abounds for this 2026/7 season.

Adrian Hadland

We stream our Saturday games live on our dedicated YouTube channel, UddyTV. Make sure you check out the latest game here – Uddy Hockey YouTube. 

If you are interested in compiling a match report for another team, please get in touch with [email protected]