Hockey: Seven-in-a-row Scots secure third straight win over Austria

Austria may be a couple of places ahead in the world rankings, but Scotland completed a hat-trick of victories over their hosts with a 3-2 win in the final test match in Vienna. The Scots have now claimed seven consecutive wins in the build-up to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi next month.

Despite a series of minor injuries that reduced the squad to 14 players, the Scots ripped into the Austrians in the opening exchanges, with Niall Stott hitting a post while Cammie Fraser had the ball in the net only for the goal to be disallowed. With Willie Marshall in the sin bin, the Austrians came back into proceedings, but the Scots finally took the lead with a low drag flick from Mark Ralph just on half-time.

The Austrians equalised seven minutes after the interval, but the Scots were swiftly back in the lead. At a penalty corner Stott switched the ball to Stephen Dick, who scored with a low shot past the keeper. A poor tackle on Kenny Bain brought another set piece, and this time Ralph sent the ball high into the net. Austria pulled one back in overtime.

"Despite the closeness of the score, this was our best performance," said Eugene Connolly, Scotland's manager. ''With a reduced squad, the players put in a lot of effort, we dominated large parts of the game and would have won much more easily if we'd taken all our chances.''

On Saturday, the Scots gained a comfortable 4-1 win, with Ralph again scoring the opener midway through the first half with a drag flick at a penalty corner. Seven minutes later Ross Stott's initial shot was saved by the keeper and Alan Forsyth followed up to push home the rebound from a yard out.

After the interval Kenny Bain's deflection rocketed into the roof of the net for the third. The Austrians pulled one back, but the result was sealed when Gavin Byers was bundled off the ball by the keeper and Ralph converted from the spot.

In the Subway National League, Grange started their campaign with a 3-2 win over AMN Hillhead at Peffermill, courtesy of two goals from new signing Callum Milne.

The former Inverleith player opened the scoring with a low shot only for Andrew Duke to equalise for the Glasgow outfit. Martin Johnstone put Grange ahead again with a low drag flick at a set piece. Hillhead equalised early in the second half but Phil Sully set up the winner when he stole the ball from a defender, leaving Milne to score with a flick from a narrow angle.

Four goals from Ciaran Crawford and a hat-trick by Raymond Wrightson saw Greaves Clydesdale gallop to a 10-1 win over VWS Dundee Wanderers. Western Wildcats clawed their way to a 4-1 victory over newly promoted Aberdeen Asset Management.Scott McCartney (2), Douglas Simpson and Ian Moodie got the goals before Kenny Steele grabbed a consolation for the northerners.

In the Second Division, Cala Edinburgh continued their winning way with a comfortable 4-1 win away at Mango Optical Uddingston, with two goals coming from former Valencia player Carlos Linero. Ramsay Bell and David Patterson got the others.

In the women's First Division, Cala lost 4-1 to Kelburne and Grange EL were held to a 2-2 draw by Western Wildcats.