Grange full of confidence and at full strength for Scottish Cup final

Published on Friday 16 May 2008 10:32

GRANGE will be at full strength for tomorrow's Scottish hockey Cup Final at Peffermill (4pm) when the Edinburgh club hope to rewrite the form book, writes NIGEL DUNCAN.

Kelburne, the newly-crowned Division One champions, beat Grange 3-2 last Sunday to secure the title and also beat them 5-3 the previous Saturday.

But the Grange players are confident they can win the Cup for the first time in over a decade.

And, if they succeed, then they will play-off against Western for the last remaining European spot for next season.

It's a massive task but experienced midfielder Colin Clarke remains confident. "We had chances in both games. However, we made mistakes which cost us. We're confident we have what it takes to win. If we don't, our season is finished."

Home advantage will count for little as most of the Kelburne squad are international players who train and play on the water-based Peffermill pitch on a regular basis.

However, the return of Scottish internationalist Andy McBride is a boost for Grange and Clarke added: "Andy has vast experience and he'll come on at significant parts of the game. They play a fast tempo game and they like to flood people forward. They score a lot of goals but it is our job to cut down on our mistakes, including turnovers, and we have proved we can score goals against them.

"The two recent games have provided our younger players with an example of that it is like to play Kelburne and they know that it will take 70 minutes of concentration – not 15 or 20."