Kelburne keep the crown

Published on Sunday 11 May 2008 22:32

HOCKEY

AZZURRI Kelburne retained their Subway national league title for a fourth successive year after defeating Grange 3-2 at Peffermill in yesterday's delayed last match of the league season.

Jonny Christie opened the scoring for Kelburne, but 15 minutes later, the scores were level after Grange scored the goal of the game from Martin Johnstone. Within two minutes, though, Kelburne were ahead again, thanks to Australian Mark McGregor.

Kelburne's best goal came in the 57th minute when Ian Scholefield combined with Chris Nelson on the left, took the return pass just inside the circle, and was tripped up by Mike Leonard for his trouble. Kenny Bain made it 3-1 from the penalty spot before Grange's Yan Adams pulled one back on 65 minutes.

Meanwhile, in Saturday's play-offs, CALA Edinburgh defeated Stepps 3-1 on penalty strokes, after a 2-2 full-time scoreline. Elsewhere, Grange Ladies produced their best performance of the season to beat Haddington 7-0 and deny them entry to the First Division.

SHINTY

Calm after the storm

NEWTONMORE coach Norman MacArthur last night defended referee Donald Fraser for abandoning Saturday's Shinty Cup tie, with freak storms wreaking havoc. The Eilean outfit were 19 minutes from a 3-1 home victory over Kilmallie in the Macaulay Cup when ferocious thunder and lightning struck. Within ten minutes the park was under water and players and supporters were forced to run for shelter in the clubhouse and in cars.

"To be fair to the referee, he was willing to give it ten minutes to see if it would pass but there was thunder and lightning and I have never seen rain like it," said MacArthur. "Within ten minutes the place was waterlogged. Continuing was impossible."

Elsewhere, holders Kingussie romped to an 8-1 victory over Lochaber at the Dell with Ronald Ross scoring six goals.

ROWING

Grainger grabs gold

SCOTLAND'S world champion Katherine Grainger had the perfect start to her Olympic season with an authoritative win in the final of the women's quadruple sculls at the first round of rowing's World Cup in Munich yesterday.

This was one of five golds won by the British team, including a dominant victory by the men's four. Grainger, of Edinburgh club St Andrew, and her crew-mates – Annie Vernon, Debbie Flood and Frances Houghton – had cruised to the final direct from the opening heat, and in yesterday's race they lined up against Germany, China and Ukraine – crews that finished second, third and fourth behind them in last year's world championships final.

Britain were never headed and carved out a two-second advantage by 500 metres. They extended this to almost three seconds by halfway, and after that, could sit at the head of the field, coping with the strong headwind. At the finish, Grainger was sitting just under a length up on Germany, with China behind them in third.