Hockey: Grange hand out lesson to students in six-goal rout

Grange maintained their challenge at the top of the Subway national hockey league with a 6-1 crushing of Edinburgh University at Peffermill.

The students' fate was sealed in only 18 seconds - and they actually had the push-back - but their defence dithered and were robbed by Colin McIver. He passed the ball on to Callum Milne to score a very early opener.

To their credit, the students got back into the game when Andrew Campbell equalised, only for McIver to restore Grange's lead in 25 minutes with a direct shot past the keeper.

However, after the interval it was all Grange, Craig Harper made it 3-1 from a penalty corner, Rob Barr also scored from a set piece following a slip for the fourth. McIver made it 5-1 with a deft lob over the keeper and Duncan Batchelor completed the rout with a fierce reverse stick strike.

In contrast, Inverleith were on the wrong end of a 7-1 defeat at the hands of Western Wildcats, a result that leaves the Auchenhowie outfit in pole position.

The usual predators Scott McCartney (3) and Douglas Simpson (2) did most of the damage, with Ian Moodie and Andrew Sewnauth from a set piece the other scorers, Fraser Wilson managed a consolation for Inverleith.

Greaves Clydesdale made heavy weather of disposing of Grove Menzieshill and were left hanging on grimly to their 2-1 win at the end of the match. Chris Wilson set the scene when he scored the opener for Menzieshill in the first minute. By half time, the Glasgow side had recovered with goals from Raymond Wrightson and Ciaran Crawford from a penalty corner. No goals after the interval, but a few scares in the Clydesdale defence as the Taysiders pressed for the equaliser.

AMN Hillhead provided the comeback of the day, finding themselves three down to Dundee Wanderers just after the interval, but Paul Crook and a late double from Craig Paterson brought the score back to 3-3 and Wanderers were lucky to hang on for a draw at the end.

In the second division, the CALA Edinburgh bandwagon maintained its momentum with a 5-1 victory over Alpha Data Carnegie, while Watsonians kept up their challenge for promotion by seeing off St Andrews University 6-3.

A hat-trick by Emma Watson and two goals from Amy Brodie were the catalyst in CALA's 5-2 victory over Edinburgh University, a result that puts them joint leaders of the women's first division along with Kelburne.

The latter fell from grace by losing 2-1 to Giffnock, while Grange EL drew 2-2 with Hillhead.