Hockey: Hard work still ahead, insists Inverleith coach Neave

Coach Stuart Neave today stressed there were still five games left to win if Inverleith wish to reclaim hockey’s Scottish Indoor Division One title.

The Edinburgh side, champions two seasons ago, began the second part of their campaign with an 11-5 victory over Clydesdale at Stirling on Saturday, as German-born Fabian Wolski, Scottish international Derek Salmond and former Olympian Graham Moodie all chipped in with doubles. Moodie then claimed a treble and Wolski a double as Inverleith swept Glasgow-based Western aside 10-2 to move on to 25 points, one ahead of defending champions Grove Menzieshill.

Neave’s men face fourth-placed Kelburne and Dundee Wanderers, who are sixth in the eight-strong league, on Saturday. They finish their programme with games against Harris, who are pointless after nine games, improving Grange, who are the only team to have taken points off them so far this season, and Grove Menzieshill.

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Neave, mindful that Grove’s goals difference is plus 80 while Inverleith are plus 52, said: “We remain unbeaten in the league and we’ve collected another six points but there is still a lot of hockey to be played.”

Grove Menzieshill, the current title holders, who are a point adrift of Inverleith, kept the pressure on with a 12-1 victory over Glasgow-based Western.

Dundee-based Grove, who were minus Great Britain 
trialist Ross Stott, who is suffering from hamstring problems, also accounted for Clydesdale 8-1 in their second outing of the day.

Paisley outfit Kelburne edged Dundee Wanderers 6-3 while Edinburgh-based Grange beat Tayside-based bottom club Harris 8-6 and Kelburne 7-3 to move into third place.

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