Hockey: Inverleith toppled by Menzieshill

INVERLEITH failed by the narrow margin of two goals to retain their Subway indoor national league title despite beating newly-crowned champions Grove Menzieshill 6-4 in the final game of the season.

Needing to win by four goals to take the title, the Edinburgh side made a courageous effort but in the end fell agonisingly short.

The first-half ended a tense 3-2 to Inverleith, John Harris scoring twice for the Edinburgh side while the other came from Stephen Dick. Chris Wilson and Gavin Tomlinson from a set-piece replied for the Dundonians.

Inverleith took a 5-3 lead mid-way through the second-half with a double from Dick while Josh Cairns scored for Menzieshill. Fortune seemed to desert the Capital outfit when Dick’s next penalty corner effort rattled off the bar, then Callum Duke picked up a red card.

Ross McPherson pulled one back for Menzieshill, and although Dick converted a further set-piece for his own fourth goal of the game, there was no further scoring and the crown made its way back to Dundee.

Earlier in the day the advantage shifted further in Menziehill’s favour when the Taysiders trounced Greaves Clydesdale 13-1 to lead Inverleith by three points and a goal difference of six. In contrast, Inverleith were made to work hard for their narrow 4-3 win over rivals Grange in the Edinburgh derby.

Grove Menzieshill have regained the women’s title after two years with a 1-1 draw against VWS Dundee Wanderers, who then handed their rivals the championship on a plate by losing 7-2 to Milne Craig Western.