Hockey: Inverleith bid for hat-trick of wins over city rivals

EDINBURGH rivals Inverleith and Grange meet for the third time this indoor season in the semi-final of the Scottish knock-out cup in Perth today. Inverleith have the upper hand with two single-goal victories.

Inverleith coach Stuart Neave will want to end his final competitive games before next weekend’s European baptism with a piece of silverware. “Grange have run us close in both league games this season, so it should be good,” he said. Neave will be without Chris Grassick, whose injury will probably keep him out for the rest of the season, and goalkeeper Allan Dick.

In contrast, David Knipe, Grange’s coach, hopes to have a full squad. He said: “It will be difficult to win the cup. We haven’t managed to beat either Inverleith or Menzieshill this season, and our games with Wanderers are always very tight, but it is always a huge benefit for us to be playing the top sides, so that we continue to learn and progress.”

The Dundee derby between Grove Menzieshill and VWS Dundee Wanderers is the other semi-final. Wanderers were late entrants to this competition by sneaking into fourth place in the league on goal difference last weekend. If league form is anything to go by, it will be a major surprise if they beat their great rivals. Menzieshill won the first encounter 3-1 and handed Wanderers a massive 12-1 defeat in the return fixture.

Although Menzieshill have already taken the league title this season, Wanderers can expect no quarter from coach Bruce Cuthill, who said: “I will be out to win the cup. Every game that we take part in is taken seriously.” His team will be without international goalkeeper Andy Ross and defender Andrew Thornton, who has returned to his coaching duties in the United States.

In the women’s cup, CALA Edinburgh have the monumental task of halting Grove’s drive towards the double as they meet in the first semi-final. Kat Cameron, Grove’s captain, said: “We will have a similar approach to the cup as we did to the league – that is taking one game at a time and playing to our own strengths.” Grove, who beat CALA 6-3 last weekend, will have almost a full squad, with only defender Louise Carroll missing.

CALA did well to take fourth place in the league but, despite the scoring threat of Amy Brodie, could find Grove with too much firepower.

The other semi-final is between Milne Craig Western and VWS Dundee Wanderers, who took their eye off the ball in the latter stages of the league campaign and surrendered the crown to city rivals Grove. Wanderers’ two year reign as champions finally ended when they went down 7-2 to semi-final opponents Western.