Grove Menzieshill are first out of the starting blocks in the men`s indoor division 1

Grove Menzieshill hit the ground running with two wins in the opening day of the men`s indoor National League Division 1, back to back wins over Grange and Clydesdale to top the table.

And it was a day of competitive action – with one exception all the matches finished with two goals or less between the teams.

The Taysiders opened with a narrow 3-2 win over Grange, but the three points were left to the final four minutes when Harry Mowatt notched the winner. In the first half Menzieshill, once again under the coaching aegis of the legendary Bruce Cuthill, went two up through Findlay Duncan and a penalty corner conversion from Michael Ross.   But Grange pulled one back before the interval through Gordon Amour. The same Grange player levelled levelled late on, only for Mowatt to spoil the recovery.

It was equally close against Clydesdale with the sides tied at 1-1 each at the interval, in the closing minutes Theo Wood scored for the Dundonians only for Stuart Eadie to reply for the Glasgow side.  Later in the second half Menzieshill put their noses in front with further goals from Connor Chapman and Findlay Duncan for a 3-1 lead.   All looked settled, but Luke Bannerman pulled the score back to 3-2 with a couple of minutes to go. Then Duncan struck again at a penalty corner to seal the three points for the Taysiders with a 4-2 score.

However, they share top spot with Grange, also on six points, but with a game more played.

Despite a truncated squad, this has been Grange`s best start to the campaign for some years.  Not the best beginning when they went down 3-1 to Menzieshill but recovered to see off Dundee Wanderers 4-2.  Bobby Ralph opened for Wanderers but then they were bombarded with a hat-trick from Livio Belotti and one from Jacob Tweedie for a 4-1 lead.  Although Findlay Wright pulled one back the three points went to Grange.

In the final game of a long day Grange kept their concentration and were 4-2 winners over Clydesdale.  The Dale were 2-1 up at the interval through Ethan Robertson and Jack Nairn, former Dale player Gordon Amour getting Grange`s strike.  But the second half belonged to the Edinburgh side with further goals from Amour at a penalty corner, Jacob Tweedie and Livio Belotti.

Both Inverleith and Western Wildcats started off with a win.  Inverleith were 3-1 winners over Uddingston, but it was only a single strike from Alex Wilson that gave them a narrow half-time lead.  Rory Steedman doubled their tally, then with only two minutes left Angus Millar reduced the deficit for Uddy.   But Inverleith`s blushes were rescued with a late strike from Olly Wilson.

Meanwhile the Wildcats strolled to a 7-1 win over Watsonians in their opening encounter.  The Cats were 3-1 up at the interval through Fraser Moran, Andrew Lochrin and Jamie Golden, while Tommy Orr replied for the Edinburgh side.  But the scoring was all Wildcats in the second half, Golden completed his hat-trick at penalty corners, Moran got his second of the game and Fabien Goldie completed the scoring.

And so to the head to head clash!

Well, it ended in a share of the points at 4-4.

Again Jamie Golden was involved, he scored twice for the Wildcats only for Alex Wilson and Charlie Jack to level for Inverleith.   Just before the interval Wilson found the net again at a penalty corner to put the Edinburgh side 3-2 up.   The second half bounced back and forward – Fraser Moran made it 3-3, Jack again put Inverleith 4-3 ahead only for Andrew Lochrin to level again for a 4-4 final finish.

A mixed day for former champions Dundee Wanderers.   It started well enough with a 4-2 win over Clydesdale on the opening game of the day.  It was 1-1 at the interval, Fergus Sandison opened the scoring only for Jack Nairn to level for Clydesdale.  Wanderers moved into a 3-1 lead through Kennedy Gibb and Callum Ross but were again pegged back by Clydesdale`s Jack Nairn.    However, the points were secured with a final strike from Dundee`s Callum Ross.

Uddingston and Watsonians both lost their opening encounter but collected a point in a head to head 3-3 draw.  Watsonians` Danny Cain opened only to be cancelled out by Uddingston`s Max Strachan.  Tommy Adams put the Edinburgh side 2-1 up in the second half but a double from Louis Gardiner gave the Lanarkshire side a glimmer of victory.  In the end Tommy Orr made it 3-3 and a share of the points.

 

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