Hockey: Grange coach gearing up for ‘must-win’ match against Kelburne

Crocked Scotland Under-21 internationalist Duncan Riddell sat out Saturday’s 8-0 victory over minnows Greenock, which eased Grange, last season’s runners-up, into the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.

Adam Fallis, an Irish  under-18 star, and Matt  Connor, who was in Scotland’s under-21 squad, both played in the seconds.

The clash with Kelburne is a must-win if Grange wish to claim the league crown and pressure of places is high.

Skipper Robert Barr and Phil Sully both netted doubles in the comfortable victory over Greenock at Peffermill, Edinburgh, despite a series of fine saves by visiting goalkeeper Scott James.

Murdo Elwis, a 17-year-old schoolboy from Kinross, claimed his first senior goal and other strikes came from Stewart Laing, Cammy Fraser and  Martin Kelly.

Clarke said: “I’ll now assess the squad as we’re now focused on Saturday at Bellahouston. Playing Kelburne has no fears for us, but it is vital in terms of the league and it is a game we feel we must win.”

Elsewhere, CALA Edinburgh, second bottom of Division Two, scraped through to the last 16 of the cup after a penalty stroke shootout at Division Two bottom-markers Highland, while Division One side Western whipped Monarchs, second top of Division Three, 16-0.

In Division One, Inverleith lost 3-2 at Division One strugglers Aberdeen to ease the Granite City side’s relegation worries.

The North East combine are only two points adrift of eighth-placed Hillhead and Edinburgh University, who are seventh.

Edinburgh-based Watsonians are marooned at the bottom with two points from eight games.