Hockey: Inverleith won’t have on-song Hall to call the tune

By NIGEL DUNCAN
Published on 14/12/2012 12:00

inverleith will be without last weekend’s five-goal hero Phil Hall when they meet 
Kelburne in the Scottish indoor hockey league in Perth tomorrow.

Hall accounted for almost half of his side’s goals in the 12-1 win over Clydesdale, but won’t be able to add to his tally tomorrow. Inverleith also beat Western last weekend and, as a result, are ahead of tomorrow’s opponents on goal difference after Kelburne started with a 6-5 win over Dundee Wanderers and an 8-3 victory over Edinburgh outfit Grange.

Inverleith playcaller Stuart Neave is acutely aware of Kelburne’s firepower and views this as a key game in the club’s bid to win back the title which Grove Menzieshill pipped them to on goal difference last season. Neave said: “We won both our games last weekend but we made mistakes and we have been working on things in training this week. Kelburne are always dangerous.”

Inverleith, who welcome back Tom Cousins after illness, also play Dundee Wanderers this weekend. Meanwhile, Grange’s youngsters face Western and Grove Menzieshill, who are in no mood to relinquish top spot.

Grove beat Western 9-1 and then demolished Clydesdale 21-1 last weekend, and they open week two with a joust against Tayside rivals Harris who are newly-promoted to Division One and not expected to cause an upset.