Match Report – Thursday 6th November – Gents 1s

Uddingston 4 – Inverleith 1

The Uddingston Mens’ 1s team rose to an impressive second in the premiership after a solid, convincing display of hockey under lights against Inverleith.

Now eight games unbeaten, Uddy have a confidence and a determination that is making them unenviable opponents as we near the halfway point of the outdoor season. With a top six place now comfortably secured, this team is looking to consolidate their place right at the highest end of Scottish hockey.

The team’s success is founded on a rock solid backline who defend like demons and attack with freedom. Behind them, Uddy’s keeper Nic Hadland is an imposing physical and psychological presence few strikers have the inclination or wherewithal to confront. His level of consistency and quality is extraordinary, game after game, and it takes a special shot to beat him.

But, on this balmy Autumnal evening, in front of an excellent crowd at Bothwell Castle, the man of the moment was no other than Glenn Turner. He has looked dangerous from the moment he first walked onto the Uddy pitch a few weeks ago, but in this game he was magnificent.

Inverleith will rue that they didn’t play this game weeks ago when it was first scheduled but then had to be postponed due to Storm Amy. Instead of Amy, they met Storm Glenn.

Turner was untouchable in the opposition D. His magic touch seemed to make the defenders’ shoes heavy, like they were stuck in mud and moving in slow motion. Spell-bound they could only watch as Turner scored himself, set up two more for his frontline teammates and helped Uddingston progress calmly and happily through what might have been an awkward game.

From the start, Uddingston were on the attack. Inverleith found themselves defending wave after wave and barely made it across into the other half of the pitch. Inevitably, Uddy were awarded a penalty corner and, barely ten minutes into the game, Captain Fantastic Jedd Campbell swept his drag flick against the backboard for 1-0.

Still unable to escape from their own half, it looked like this could be a high scoring game. But, to their credit, Inverleith fought back, gained more structure and started to threaten at the other end. Against the run of play, they secured a penalty corner. The first attempt was swiped away imperiously by Hadland with a glove, but Joe Russell had gone a fraction early. He was sent off to the halfway line and the corner was re-awarded.

This time, facing only a keeper and three defenders, Inverleith got things right. The bearded Sean Steward fired a perfect drag flick over the postman’s head and into the top right corner for 1-1.

But Uddy never looked like losing this one. The midfield were again dynamic, hard-working and persistent. Louis Gardiner was at his fractious, combative best. Angus Sinclair, Andrew Docherty, Angus Millar and Anup Valmiki commanded large swathes of the pitch and kept possession for long periods. Luca Gardiner had an outstanding game full of decisive tackles and delightful touches, deservedly winning man of the match.

Turner meanwhile got on with the job of winning the game. He befuddled defenders and flicked the ball high into the net for 2-1. He did it again to set up Millar, 3-1. He baffled the men in white once more and Finn Halliday was able to tap the ball across the line into an open goal from about six inches, 4-1.

Things got a bit scrappy in the last quarter. Uddy seemed to be uncertain whether to be aggressive and push on with more goals, or sit back in a half court and take the win. Stick tackles, grunts and whistles became the soundtrack for a messy last period. Inverleith’s goalie Jesse Drake had a fabulous game and if it hadn’t been for him, Uddy would surely have got the score into double figures. Inverleith’s striker, Ben Turtle, defender Andrew Clark and captain Kyle Taylor, kept fighting and worrying the Uddy backline.

Hadland was called into action on a number of occasions in the last period, tipping one fierce shot over the bar with his glove and deflecting a goal-bound drag flick behind with his leg-guard. But this was a confident, comfortable win for the men in blue who now inhabit rarefied air at the very top of Scottish hockey.

There is an extremely tough away game looming on Saturday against Edinburgh University and their relentlessly prolific striker Jamie Golden. If Uddy win, however, and Western beat Watsons in their match on Saturday, John Bessell and Tom Hyndman will see their charges climb to the very pinnacle of the premiership. This was inconceivable even a month or two ago. Now, with this run in form, anything is possible.

– 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. 

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