TWO players from Dumfries Hockey Club have returned home with medals after competing for Scotland in the 2023 Masters Hockey European Championships in Spain.
Angela Beattie and Gladys McClymont competed for Scotland W060s and WO65s, respectively, in Valencia last month. Both teams played five games over eight days in the searing heat.
Angie and the 060s played in Pool B where they went unbeaten – winning 3-0 v Ireland; 7-0 v Belgium; 5-0 v LX England; and drawing 1-1 with Wales. This set them up for the final against England.
After finishing 1-1, the game went to running penalties. Coach Wendy and captain Ali scored for Scotland, but England equalised with their fifth running penalty, and so it went to sudden death. England started this time, and Sue Cleaver in the Scotland goal saved the penalty. It was tense as Wendy Justice stepped up again, but the mood changed to overwhelming joy when she slotted the ball past the English goalkeeper to make Scotland European Champions.
Huge congratulations to Dumfries’ Angie Beattie, and the team.
Gladys and the 065s played in one pool with Wales; England and the Netherlands. All of the Scotland 065s’ pool games were tight: 1-1 v Wales; 0-1 v England; 1-1 v The Netherlands.
The pool-stage finished with Scotland in third. They were determined to improve in their semi-final against The Netherlands. Again, Scotland scored early, but this time they did not let the Dutch players get back into the game – they worked hard to retain possession, and block any Dutch attacks, and got the necessary win. They were to be in the final against England who had defeated Wales 7-0.
In the final, England won the European Cup and gold medals, scoring seven goals and conceding none. However, Scotland won silver medals which the squad collected with pride. Congratulations to Dumfries’ Gladys McClymont.
