Hockey: Free-scoring Wildcats mauled by defending champions Inverleith

Inverleith powered their way back into the Subway indoor national league title race with convincing back-to-back victories over Western Wildcats and CALA Edinburgh – and did so without conceding a single goal.

The Edinburgh side handed out a ten-goal mauling to a very off-colour Wildcats side who were never in contention. The game was well won by the interval, with Adam MacKenzie scoring twice from penalty corners, Chris Grassick from a set piece and Derek Salmond with a simple tap in, while Wildcats captain Dougie Simpson missed from the spot.

The avalanche of goals continued unabated after the interval. MacKenzie scored another two penalty corners, Salmond struck his second while Phil Hall, Graham Moodie and Andrew Sinclair also contributed to the scoreline.

Inverleith followed this up with a 7-0 win over Edinburgh neighbours CALA. Salmond notched another double, while Callum Duke, Chris Grassick, John Harris, Moodie and MacKenzie again scored the rest.

With three less than convincing wins, Grove Menzieshill have opened up a six- point gap at the top, but have played a game more than Inverleith. The Taysiders opened with a 3-1 win over city rivals VWS Dundee Wanderers courtesy of Gavin Byers (2) and Michael Ross.

Although Menzieshill only beat Glynhiill Kelburne by the slender margin of 7-6, Bruce Cuthill’s charges were always in front. Seven minutes into the second half, the Dundonians were 7-3 ahead, by virtue of two goals each for Chris Wilson, Gavin Tomlinson and Byers, but with the foot off the pedal the Paisley outfit were permitted three late goals.

There was a shock for the 17 times champions when Matt Connor gave Grange an early lead in the final encounter, but by the interval a hat-trick by Josh Cairns had restored normal service and Menzieshill led 3-1. Byers added a fourth in the first minute of the second half, and although Gary Cameron struck for Grange from a penalty corner, it proved to be a consolation only.

Earlier, Grange had demolished CALA 9-2, with hat-tricks from George Lambert and Cammie Fraser but were then held to a 5-5 draw by Wildcats.

After sharing top spot with Menzieshill at the start of the day, Kelburne fell from grace by losing all three of their games: 6-5 to Greaves Clydesdale, to Menzieshill by the odd goal in 13, and finally 10-7 to the Wildcats, meaning that they finished well down the table.

In the women’s game of the day, Grove Menzieshill triumphed 3-1 over rivals Milne Craig Western. The Dundonians were two up at the interval through open play strikes from Ali Bell and Linda Clement. Morag McLellan then pulled one back for the Glasgow side early in the second half, but a penalty corner strike by Bell a minute later sealed the points. Grove could also afford the luxury of a missed penalty by Louise Carroll which was saved by Western keeper Amy Gibson.