GALA Day 2018 delivers action, drama, and goals aplenty

4th February 2018

Home » News » GALA Day 2018 delivers action, drama, and goals aplenty

A tremendous Indoor GALA Day 2018 saw Inverleith and Clydesdale Western crowned men’s and women’s Indoor National League 1 champions respectively. Grove Menzieshill 2s won Men’s Indoor National League 2, while Western Wildcats gained promotion to Men’s National League 1 at the expense of Hillhead. Grange EL also achieved promotion and will play at the top level of women’s hockey next season.

Western Wildcats 1-4 Grange EL

Grange EL beat Western Wildcats 4-1 to gain promotion to Women’s Indoor National League 1, and get the GALA Day underway.

It was a competitive an even opening to the match. An early penalty corner for Grange was well defended to keep the Edinburgh side at bay.

Western Wildcats’s McKenzie Bell had a good opportunity to score but her shot from a narrow angle hit the outside of the goal.

Then Cat Booth had an opportunity slip just past the post for Wildcats as they hunted for the opener.

It was Grange who opened the scoring when Laura Protheroe finished off a nice team move from close range.

Beth Goodyear won a penalty corner for Grange but the eventual effort hit her team mate’s foot and the chance was lost.

Courtney Doherty made it 2-0 with a sublime move from a penalty corner. She took the ball at the top of the D, confidently stepped inside and picked her spot in the back of the net.

It was 3-0 to Grange when Goodyear rounded off a break with a slick finish.

Protheroe scored her second of the match as Grange again hit Wildcats on the break; she did well to slide the ball past the advancing goalkeeper. 4-0

Wildcats continued to press for goals as the match continued and got a well-earned goal with seven minutes remaining. Emma McDairmid was the scorer.

Wildcats went to kicking back for the closing minutes but Grange was resolute and took the victory.

GALA Day 2018 delivers action, drama, and goals aplenty — 3 February 2018 at Bells Sports Centre, Perth | Scottish Hockey Indoor Gala Finals.
Womens Indoor Nat 1 promotion/relegation | Western Wildcats v Grange EL – photo by Duncan Gray

Western Wildcats 5-2 Uddingston

Western Wildcats defeated Uddingston 5-2 to book a clash against Hillhead later in the GALA Day with the chance of promotion to Men’s National League 1.

It was a rip-roaring start to the game with the action raging from end-to-end from the outset.

Wildcats edged the early play and it was they who opened the scoring. The opening goal was hammered home from a tight angle by Andrew McConnell to put his side 1-0 up.

Uddingston played their way back into the contest and bagged themselves an equaliser from a penalty stroke. Bradley Hughes dispatched the stroke effortlessly to equalise 1-1.

Western Wildcats again took charge of the contest and scored a second when Joe McConnell looped the ball over the goalkeeper to make it 2-1.

It was 3-1 on 16 minutes when Andrew McConnell bagged his second of the afternoon, before Sam Eadie made it 4-1.

Uddingston pulled one back just before half time when Laurie McKelvie sent a sweet drag flick into the top corner to make it 4-2.

The second half was an equally competitive affair with Uddingston battling back. McKelvie had a great chance to pull another goal back for Uddingston through a penalty stroke, but he sent his effort wide of the target.

Wildcats made them pay and a swift break down the left saw the ball cut back for Joe McConnell to tap in at the far post. 5-2.

Dunfermline Carnegie 4-4 (1-3) Grove Menzieshill 2s

Grove Menzieshill 2s are once again Men’s Indoor National League 2 champions after an exciting running penalties GALA Day win over Dunfermline Carnegie.

Dunfermline Carnegie opened the scoring through Gary Clarke with a clinical finish. Jamie Golden issued a swift response when he equalised for Grove Menzieshill 2s, slamming the ball home at the far post. 1-1.

Grove Menzieshill 2s took the lead through a well dispatched penalty corner by David Petrie.

Carnegie equalised immediately through a delightful spin and shot by Andrew Doyle to make it 2-2.

Doyle scored again when he deflected past the keeper to make it 3-2 to Carnegie.

It could have been a hat-trick moments later when Doyle stepped up to strike a stroke, but he sent it wide of the top left corner.

Right after the restart Grove Menzieshill 2s had the chance to equalise but Andrew Suttie had his penalty stroke well saved. Grove Menzieshill 2s did then equalise three minutes into the half through Sam Tilston, finishing off a good move.

Carnegie continue to pressure the Grove Menzieshill 2s defence and retook the lead through Steven Glass, the keeper pulled off an initial good save before Glass finished the rebound to make it 4-3 with 13 minutes to play.

With just five minutes to go, Grove Menzieshill 2s equalised again. Keeping the pressure on after a penalty corner, David Petrie added the finish.

The contest went to an exciting running penalties shootout. It was here that the prolific finishing of Grove Menzieshill 2s excelled, scoring all three penalties in a 3-1 win.

Edinburgh University 3-5 Grove Menzieshill

Grove Menzieshill claimed third spot on Women’s Indoor National League 1 with a 5-3 win over Edinburgh University at the Indoor GALA Day.

The game started with Edinburgh University on the front foot, and they were rewarded when they scored an early goal through Izzy Fowler.

The second for the students was scored by Becky Dru to put the students firmly in the driving seat at 2-0.

Edinburgh missed a stroke through Izzy Fowler before Grove Menzieshill pulled one back by converting a penalty corner through Judith McMullan.

A different Grove Menzieshill emerged for the second half and just after the restart Grove Menzieshill found an equaliser. Lauren Kingston was the scorer.

Kingston scored again to put Grove Menzieshill ahead, and they promptly scored yet again to make it 4-2, this time through Ellie Stott.

Then Jamie Lyon netted and put the score to 5-2 for Grove Menzieshill, and put the game to bed.

Ella Watt pulled one back for Uni in the final moments of the match with a penalty corner but it was Grove Menzieshill who won the match and claimed third spot on Women’s Indoor National League 1.

Inverleith 2s 3-4 FMGM Monarchs

FMGM Monarchs secured promotion to Men’s National League 2 when they defeated Inverleith 2s in a feisty entertaining GALA Day match.

Monarchs took an early lead when Kenny Falconer slotted the ball past the advancing keeper after a switch of play found him in space.

Inverleith 2s played their way into the match and midway through the half they forged an equaliser. Ross Ogg scored with a neat finish in front of goal on the left of the D.

An excellent diving save by Monarchs’ Sean Thompson denied Inverleith 2s the lead.

Then Callum Boag absolutely smashed the ball home for Monarchs with three minutes to play in the first half to put his side 2-1 ahead.

Scott Glashan made it 3-1 for Monarchs with another smart finish at the left post.

Monarchs then scored a fourth despite a valiant attempt on the line to keep the ball out. Robbie Low was the scorer.

Inverleith 2s scored when Anastascios Varsamidis smashed home a penalty corner into the bottom left corner to pull it back to 4-2.

Almost immediately Alan Wall rounded off a move to pull it back to 4-3.

Grove Menzieshill 4-5 MJV Dundee Wanderers

The Dundee derby served up an absolute GALA Day cracker as Dundee Wanderers pipped Grove Menzieshill to third place of Men’s Indoor National League 1 in Perth.

Grove Menzieshill started the match on scintillating form, playing a fast blend of attacking hockey. Wanderers were working at the back to stifle the flow and restrict opportunities.

Grove Menzieshill opened the scoring when Ross McPherson rammed the ball home to break the deadlock.

The flow of the match changed and Wanderers battled back into the contest. A well-deserved goal soon came when Wanderers equalised through a Fergus Sandison low penalty corner battering off the backboard.

Wanderers went on the attack as the first half drew to a close and managed to put their noses in front.

Sandison nutmegged the goalkeeper from a tight angle to put Wanderers 2-1 up on the stroke of half time.

Grove Menzieshill equalised right after half time with a clinical finish off the post and in by Gavin Tomlinson. 2-2.

Bobby Ralph put Wanderers back in front when he picked out the bottom left corner from a penalty corner. 3-2.

Sandison then scored a screamer for Wanderers with ten minutes remaining. He took the ball at the right of the D and sailed his sailed his shot into the top left corner to make it 4-2.

Grove Menzieshill were not done yet however and Albert Rowling fired home a penalty corner goal to pull the score back to 4-3.

Then Grove Menzieshill’s Tomlinson equalised when he slotted home from the top of the D with a fine finish.

Moments later and Tomlinson rattled the crossbar as Grove Menzieshill went hunting for blood in the closing stages.

Rowling then hit the post, after a swift shot across the goalkeeper.

Dundee Wanderers put the game to bed in the closing seconds when Sandison found the bottom right corner with a penalty corner to give Wanderers the victory right at the death.

Hillhead 2-6 Western Wildcats

Western Wildcats secured promotion to men’s Indoor National League 1 at the expense of Hillhead at the 2018 Indoor GALA Day.

Wildcats took an early lead through a penalty stroke. Andrew McConnell sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and picked out the top right corner to make it 1-0.

Moments later and McConnell scored again. A pass sent him running down the right and from a tight angle he slotted home to make it 2-0.

The McConnell show continued this with Joe McConnell adding his name to the score sheet with a strike from the top of the D. 3-0.

Hillhead promptly tore up the pitch and pulled one back with Fraser Ward scoring from close range to make it 3-1.

Western Wildcats resumed control of the contest and before long Joe McConnell made it 4-1 before his brother Andrew made it 5-1, completing his hat-trick.

Hillhead set about a fightback when Iain Hilton scored from close range to make it 5-2.

Michael Sherry came close for Hillhead but watched his low shot slide wide of the mark.

Then Andrew McConnell finished off a quick Wildcats break to make it 6-2 in the final seconds.

Dundee Wanderers 2-4 Clydesdale Western

Clydesdale Western won the Women’s Indoor National League 1 GALA Day final with a sensational win over Dundee Wanderers.

It was an end-to-end opening to the match with both sides playing with confidence and threat.

It was Clydesdale Western who opened the scoring and the goal came when Millie Steiger looped the ball over the goalkeeper and into the net. 1-0.

Emily Dark looked threatening for Wanderers and was a constant threat to the Western defence. It was Dark who equalised for Wanderers when she converted a penalty corner into the bottom corner to level the score.

Clydesdale took the lead again early in the second half. The ball looked to deflect off Susie Gilman and find its way over the line for a goal.

It went to 3-1 to Clydesdale when Bronwyn Shields slotted the ball low past the goalkeeper to widen the score.

Wanderers threw everything they had at the Western defence and went to kicking back. One mistake gave Gilman the chance to charge forward and make it 4-1 and take the result beyond doubt.

Emily Dark scored a late consolation for Wanderers but it was Western’s day in Perth on the GALA Day.

Bromac Kelburne 3-5 Inverleith

Inverleith won the men’s Indoor National League 1 GALA Day final was a fantastic 5-3 win over Kelburne in Perth.

The game was quick and entertaining from the start with both teams playing slick and quick hockey.

It was Kelburne who had the first chance to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty stroke. Josh Cairns stepped up to strike but the stroke was superbly saved to keep the score level.

It was Inverleith who opened the scoring from a penalty corner, the shot by Patch Christie was low and hard past Cairns to make it 1-0.

Kelburne then equalised with a simply outstanding finish by Jonny Christie – the striker sent the ball crashing into the top corner in an unstoppable effort.

Kelburne very nearly took the lead when Cairns rattled the post with a penalty corner.

Then Jonny Christie thought he’d scored again after being teed up by Cairns at another penalty corner, but Stephen Dick on the line made a sensational block to deny the goal.

Shortly later Patch Christie had a goal chopped off when he picked out the top left corner, but he was standing just outside the D.

Christie wouldn’t be denied for long and on a swift break it was he who fired into an empty goal to put Inverleith 2-1 up.

It went to 3-1 soon after and it was Stuart Hatton who converted to give Inverleith the advantage.

Cairns issued an instant response for Kelburne; from a penalty corner he picked out the top right corner to pull the score back to 3-2.

Inverleith went 4-2 up early in the second half through another Patch Christie strike. He picked his spot from a tight angle and put Inverleith in the driving seat.

Kelburne bit back when they were awarded their second penalty stroke of the match. Cairns stepped up again and his time dispatched perfectly to make the score 4-3 to Inverleith.

A penalty stroke for Inverleith took the score to 5-3. Christie stepped up to blast it to the right of Cairns and into the net.

Despite a late Kelburne onslaught Inverleith saw the game out comfortably and were crowned champions at the GALA Day.

At the Indoor GALA Day 2018 Scottish Hockey launched its support for the Stonewall Scotland Rainbow Laces campaign. Learn more about Stonewall Scotland HERE