Inverleith pay price for poor defending as Wildcats win

Inverleith’s unbeaten run in the Subway National League came to an end at Peffermill on Saturday when they went down 3-2 to Western Wildcats.

The Wildcats opened the scoring in the first half through an open-play goal from Douglas Simpson before Inverleith levelled early in the second-half through a field goal from Andrew Johnston. Wildcats then went into a 3-1 lead with a short- corner strike from Scott McCartney and a second from Simpson following some sloppy home defending.

Inverleith refused to give up and with minutes remaining reduced the leeway through an open-play goal from Rob Hall and continued to press hard to no avail.

Champions Glynhill Kelburne were made to work hard by a stuffy Edinburgh University side but maintained their undefeated sequence, winning 5-1 at Bellahouston. Kelburne were three up by half-time with goals from Alan Forsyth, a penalty stroke from Mark Ralph and Michael Bremner.

The second half saw the champions squander many opportunities but a Ralph set piece and a second from Bremner sandwiched the solitary response from the students.

Grange reclaimed second spot with a comfortable 6-2 home victory over capital rivals CALA Edinburgh. The home side were 3-1 up at half time through two penalty strokes by captain Rob Barr and a reverse strike by Duncan Riddle. After the interval a double from Cameron Fraser and single from Matt Conner sealed the win.

Greaves Clydesdale ran out 7-3 winners against VWS Dundee Wanderers at Titwood. A first-minute goal from Ciaran Crawford should have set Clydesdale on their way, but Wanderers had chances to level before a Crawford penalty stroke midway through the half settled the home side who went on to dominate the half, adding further goals from John Roy and a neat deflection from a well- rehearsed set piece by Steven McKnight.

Weather conditions were atrocious in the second-half but further goals came courtesy of Gordon Munro, Fraser Hirst and Ben Pettersen.

However, coach Gordon Shepherd was not happy with the concession of three late goals and said: “We should not be conceding goals in this manner during a second half which we dominated.”

AMN Hillhead slipped further into relegation waters with a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Grove Menzieshill. Gavin Tomlinson gave the Taysiders the interval advantage and Alex Blaikie doubled the lead before Andy McLean put the home side on the scoresheet.