Hockey: Neave calls for improvement after winning Knockout Cup

INVERLEITH completed their warm-up for this weekend’s EuroHockey Indoor Club Trophy by lifting the indoor Knockout Cup in Perth but coach Stuart Neave declared: “We didn’t play well.”

Neave hopes lessons have been learned ahead of Friday’s opening two games at Napier University in their first venture into European competition.

Neave’s men go into the event on the back of a 15-game domestic winning run including Saturday’s 6-5 semi-final success over Edinburgh rivals Grange and a 7-6 victory over newly-crowned Scottish Division One champions Grove Menzieshill at Perth.

Chris Duncan fired the club into the final with a penalty flick two minutes from time and Phil Hall’s second of the game in the 33rd minute proved the winner in the final.

Neave said: “It wasn’t our best performances. The guys will have to step it up and they know that.”

Meanwhile, CALA Edinburgh ladies produced the shock of the Perth tournament when they knocked out favourites and new league champions Grove Menzieshill.

The Capital combine, who finished the league in fourth spot, won their semi-final 4-3 against the new Division One champions with Sarah Robertson claiming all four goals. They played Dundee Wanderers in the final but went down 8-2.