Grange take top spot in men’s National League 1

Kelb Uddingston m

It is all change at the top of the men`s National League 1; in an early fixture leaders Bromac Kelburne succumbed 2-1 to fourth placed Uddingston at Glasgow Green, before Grange took advantage of the news and beat Edinburgh University by the same score to take a single point lead at the top with only three games left in the competition.

Two set piece strikes by Steven Percy was the catalyst in Uddingston`s 2-1 win over Kelburne.

In an ill-tempered game, Kelburne were reduced to nine players in the first half when Adam Bain and Josh Cairns were sent to the sin bin with yellow cards, then in the closing minutes the latter saw red.

Percy put Uddingston ahead in 15 minutes with a penalty corner shot that went in off the goalkeeper`s pads.

It looked as if Kelburne had weathered the storm when Cairns found the net with a low shot at another set piece to level the score at 1-1 at the interval.

It was mostly Kelburne in the second half as they searched for the breakthrough, but the Lanarkshire defence held firm. The best chance fell to Johnny Christie on his own in the circle but uncharacteristically he dwelt too long on the ball and the opportunity evaporated.

But Uddingston were not to be denied their moment of glory, at their only penalty corner of the second half Percy found a way past the goalkeeper as well as the defender on the line for the winner.

Kelburne continued to press for the equaliser, Ben Peterson sent a shot just wide of the target, but Uddingston held out for a famous victory.

However, the result leaves Uddingston favourites for a top four place, a real accolade for Coach Callum McLeod in his first year.

With the news in mind Grange took a two goal lead into the interval against city neighbours Edinburgh University at Peffermill. The first was a well-taken strike by Irishman Frank Ryan, the second emanated from brilliant individual skills by Joe Waterston which was finished off by a reverse stick shot into the bottom corner of the net.

The students pulled one back ten minutes into the second half, Grange`s Callum Milne missed from the spot, this led to a nervy finish but Grange held on for the vital three points.

Grove Menzieshill have probably done enough to lay claim to third spot in the table with a 4-1 win over second bottom Clydesdale.

The Taysiders opened up a two goal lead in the first half through Ben Cosgrove and Adam Fallis from a rebound at a penalty corner.

The visitors pulled one back midway through the second half from Struan Walker with a fierce reverse stick shot.  But the three points were finally secured with a late double by Gavin Byers, both from a narrow angle off Clydesdale defenders.

Western Wildcats moved well out of relegation trouble with a six-goal win over Watsonians, the result puts the Auchenhowie side up to fifth in the table, now only a single point away from the top four.

The Wildcats were three up by the interval, Fraser Moran scored twice and Adam McKenzie followed up with an overtime penalty corner strike. In the second half Joe McConnell added a fourth with a rebound at a penalty corner and the scoring was then completed by a double from Rob Harwood. The Auchenhowie side kept a clean sheet at the other end courtesy of a couple of brilliant saves by goalkeeper Gavin Sommerville and a goal line stop by Fabian Goldie.

Gordonians pulled off their second victory of the season with a 2-1 win away at Hillhead, the Aberdonians are now only four points adrift of Clydesdale.

Photo by Mark Pugh

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